Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Waterford Cost of Living Comparison Between Dublin and Waterford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,414 per month in Dublin vs $2,767 in Waterford, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,972 per month in Dublin vs $4,029 in Waterford, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,530 per month in Dublin vs $5,291 in Waterford, rent included.

Dublin costs about 23% more than Waterford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Dublin and Waterford sit above the global median – Dublin by 155%, Waterford by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.50 €20.21

$22.75 €19.57

3.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.9

$92.1 €79.3

12.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.95 €11.14

$12.57 €10.81

3.02%

Cappuccino

$4.58 €3.94

$4.01 €3.45

14.21%

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

$2.55 €2.20

$2.45 €2.11

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.22 €1.91

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.12

$7.12 €6.12

16.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.99

$5.57 €4.80

24.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.31 €1.12

26.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.88 €2.48

-22.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.37 €2.04

-12.24%

Eggs

$4.83 €4.16

$4.39 €3.77

10.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 €9.49

$11.83 €10.18

-6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 €9.77

$10.37 €8.92

9.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.92 €11.98

$13.97 €12.02

-0.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 €2.82

$3.10 €2.67

5.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.57 €2.21

-20.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$3.48 €2.99

-14.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 €4.63

$3.75 €3.23

43.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.34 €2.01

-8.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$1.45 €1.25

19.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.26 €1.09

3.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.97 €1.70

5.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.52 €17.65

$18.32 €15.76

12.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.12 €12.15

$19.51 €16.79

-27.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.14

$3.03 €2.60

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 €3.42

$3.20 €2.75

24.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.64 €2.27

-12.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 €84.1

$65.0 €55.9

50.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 €4.69

$6.05 €5.20

-9.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 €1.76

$1.17 €1.00

74.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.53 €34.01

$35.49 €30.53

11.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.05 €1.76

0.49%

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

$43.3K €37.2K

$36.8K €31.7K

17.41%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$41.3K €35.5K

-2.62%

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

$285 €245

$222 €191

28.13%

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

$23.65 €20.34

$25.86 €22.24

-8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.6 €48.71

$61.9 €53.3

-8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 €51.2

$47.30 €40.68

25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.34 €18.36

$14.73 €12.67

44.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.73

$13.06 €11.24

13.32%

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

$1,331 €1,145

$1,218 €1,047

9.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,690 €8,336

$7,765 €6,680

24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.0

$97.5 €83.8

8.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.56 €42.63

$57.9 €49.83

-14.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €102

$114 €98.5

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €108

$132 €113

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 €2,019

$1,748 €1,503

34.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,693

$1,381 €1,188

42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,125 €3,548

$2,693 €2,316

53.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,292 €2,832

$2,180 €1,875

50.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,693 €7,478

$4,064 €3,496

113.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,643 €4,854

$2,901 €2,496

94.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,956 €3,403

$3,406 €2,930

16.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.23

-4.49%

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

Last update for Dublin: May 30, 2026

Last update for Waterford: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,347 in Dublin versus $1,748 in Waterford. 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 16% higher in Dublin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Dublin versus $92.0 in Waterford. Groceries tell a different story – $360 in Dublin vs $361 in Waterford – so Dublin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Waterford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,414 in Dublin, $2,767 in Waterford – roughly 23% apart. Dublin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,121 per month in Dublin and $4,150 in Waterford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Waterford, 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 $92.0 in Waterford. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,414 in Dublin and $2,767 in Waterford. 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 $3,414 in Dublin and $2,767 in Waterford. 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 $2,767 in Waterford to $3,414 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 Waterford. 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.