Cost of Living Comparison Between Dun Laoghaire and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Dun Laoghaire and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $3,062 in Galway, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,451 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $4,298 in Galway, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,049 per month in Dun Laoghaire vs $5,534 in Galway, rent included.

Dun Laoghaire is about 7% cheaper than Galway, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dun Laoghaire and Galway sit above the global median – Dun Laoghaire by 112%, Galway by 128%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.36 €15.82

$18.19 €15.67

0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.6 €81.5

$94.8 €81.6

-0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 €9.06

$10.27 €8.85

2.34%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.59

$4.33 €3.73

-3.70%

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

$2.36 €2.03

$2.42 €2.09

-2.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.55 €1.34

3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 €6.71

$6.79 €5.85

14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.75 €5.82

$6.39 €5.51

5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 €1.49

$1.50 €1.29

15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.51 €2.16

-10.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 €1.74

$2.22 €1.91

-9.46%

Eggs

$3.99 €3.44

$4.06 €3.50

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 €10.96

$12.60 €10.86

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.30 €8.88

$10.41 €8.97

-1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 €10.36

$11.70 €10.08

2.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 €2.57

$2.98 €2.56

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 €1.78

$2.10 €1.81

-1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.72 €2.35

2.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$3.37 €2.90

5.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.39 €1.20

-1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.40 €1.21

2.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.45 €1.25

-3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.65 €1.42

-0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.71 €16.12

$19.77 €17.03

-5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.72 €11.82

$14.13 €12.17

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.06

$4.74 €4.08

-24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 €3.45

$4.87 €4.20

-17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.22 €1.91

-9.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.4 €59.8

$69.1 €59.5

0.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 €4.32

$4.89 €4.21

2.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.15

$1.38 €1.19

-3.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.02 €33.62

$43.42 €37.41

-10.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.97 €1.70

1.52%

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

$42.8K €36.9K

$43.1K €37.1K

-0.67%

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

$38.4K €33.1K

$39.7K €34.2K

-3.21%

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

$282 €243

$286 €246

-1.43%

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

$21.26 €18.32

$21.68 €18.68

-1.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 €49.87

$55.1 €47.45

5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 €35.46

$57.2 €49.31

-28.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.31 €7.16

Cinema Ticket

$14.07 €12.12

$13.88 €11.96

1.37%

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

$1,076 €927

$1,052 €906

2.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,418 €7,253

$8,072 €6,955

4.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.3

$89.5 €77.1

13.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 €34.72

$39.49 €34.02

2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.2

$103 €88.5

-2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$108 €92.7

20.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 €1,353

$1,977 €1,704

-20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,329

$1,745 €1,504

-11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,815 €3,287

$3,360 €2,895

13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,303 €2,846

$2,497 €2,151

32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,049 €3,488

$6,209 €5,350

-34.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,758 €2,376

$4,644 €4,001

-40.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,431 €3,818

$3,248 €2,798

36.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.8

-6.25%

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

Last update for Dun Laoghaire: June 6, 2026

Last update for Galway: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,570 in Dun Laoghaire versus $1,977 in Galway. 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 36% higher in Dun Laoghaire, 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 $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire versus $95.0 in Galway. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $340 – making Dun Laoghaire 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

Dun Laoghaire vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire, $3,062 in Galway – roughly 7% apart. Galway costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,279 per month in Dun Laoghaire and $4,593 in Galway. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dun Laoghaire, 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 $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire and $95.0 in Galway. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire and $3,062 in Galway. 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 $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire and $3,062 in Galway. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Dun Laoghaire has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire to $3,062 in Galway. 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 Dun Laoghaire. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Galway makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.