Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Sligo Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Sligo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,458 per month in Dublin vs $1,957 in Sligo, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,028 per month in Dublin vs $3,006 in Sligo, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,598 per month in Dublin vs $4,055 in Sligo, rent included.

Dublin costs about 77% more than Sligo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dublin and Sligo sit above the global median – Dublin by 158%, Sligo by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.89 €19.53

$17.12 €14.61

33.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €87.7

$79.8 €68.1

28.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.96 €11.05

$9.88 €8.43

31.17%

Cappuccino

$4.60 €3.92

$3.84 €3.27

19.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 €2.19

$2.10 €1.79

22.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.89

$1.72 €1.46

29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 €6.86

$6.82 €5.81

17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 €5.88

$5.66 €4.83

21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.42

$1.46 €1.25

14.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 €1.86

$1.60 €1.37

36.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 €1.76

$1.54 €1.31

34.42%

Eggs

$4.67 €3.98

$3.59 €3.06

30.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 €9.73

$7.71 €6.58

47.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.40 €9.73

$10.91 €9.30

4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.36 €12.25

$11.41 €9.73

25.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 €2.84

$2.10 €1.79

58.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 €1.73

$1.72 €1.47

18.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 €2.53

$3.06 €2.61

-3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.37 €4.58

$2.87 €2.45

87.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 €1.90

$1.34 €1.14

66.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 €1.51

$1.28 €1.09

38.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.10

$1.21 €1.03

6.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 €1.80

$2.09 €1.78

0.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.34 €17.35

$17.73 €15.12

14.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 €11.92

$11.64 €9.93

20.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.67 €3.13

$2.80 €2.39

31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 €3.45

$3.26 €2.78

24.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.96

$2.36 €2.02

-2.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.2 €82.1

$98.8 €84.3

-2.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 €4.43

$4.99 €4.26

4.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.79

$1.55 €1.33

35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.23 €32.61

$68.3 €58.3

-44.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.77

$2.06 €1.75

0.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$42.8K €36.5K

$42.6K €36.3K

0.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$40.9K €34.9K

$39.4K €33.6K

3.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$280 €239

$184 €157

52.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$24.44 €20.85

$22.31 €19.03

9.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.3 €47.99

$50.8 €43.29

10.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 €50.9

$67.1 €57.2

-11.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.76 €18.56

$11.60 €9.90

87.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 €13.02

$11.49 €9.80

32.81%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,366 €1,165

$602 €514

126.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,666 €8,245

$2,334 €1,991

314.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.6

$77.3 €65.9

39.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 €43.01

$37.93 €32.35

32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €98.5

$101 €86.2

14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 €109

$76.7 €65.4

66.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,330 €1,988

$1,421 €1,213

63.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,686

$798 €681

147.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,017 €3,427

$2,307 €1,968

74.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,356 €2,863

$1,370 €1,168

145.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,902 €6,741

$2,255 €1,923

250.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,926 €5,055

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,309 €3,676

$4,340 €3,702

-0.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.53

-10.82%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dublin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sligo: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,330 in Dublin versus $1,421 in Sligo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Sligo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $80 in Sligo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $291 – making Sligo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Dublin vs Sligo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,458 in Dublin, $1,957 in Sligo – roughly 77% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,186 per month in Dublin and $2,935 in Sligo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sligo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin and $80.0 in Sligo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,458 in Dublin and $1,957 in Sligo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,458 in Dublin and $1,957 in Sligo. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,957 in Sligo to $3,458 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sligo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.