Cost of Living Comparison Between Dundalk and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Dundalk and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,664 in Dundalk versus $3,391 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,847 in Dundalk versus $4,706 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,029 in Dundalk versus $6,020 in Galway.

Living in Dundalk costs roughly 21% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dundalk 95% above, Galway 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.64 €16.25

$22.91 €19.97

-18.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.9 €80.1

$117 €102

-21.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 €9.90

$17.05 €14.86

-33.43%

Cappuccino

$3.95 €3.44

$5.12 €4.46

-22.85%

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

$2.02 €1.76

$3.04 €2.65

-33.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.15

$2.26 €1.97

-41.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 €6.06

$8.00 €6.97

-13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 €4.72

$6.94 €6.05

-22.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.63 €1.42

-15.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 €0.91

$2.45 €2.14

-57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 €1.08

$2.25 €1.96

-44.89%

Eggs

$4.82 €4.20

$4.51 €3.93

6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.49 €12.63

$17.09 €14.90

-15.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 €11.88

$11.14 €9.71

22.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.40 €15.16

$14.07 €12.27

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 €1.95

$3.17 €2.76

-29.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.35 €2.05

-4.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 €1.99

$3.20 €2.79

-28.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 €4.21

$4.19 €3.65

15.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 €1.00

$2.07 €1.81

-44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 €1.64

$1.56 €1.36

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.32 €1.15

12.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.97 €1.72

7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.27 €17.67

$21.03 €18.33

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.05 €12.24

$14.18 €12.36

-0.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.34 €3.79

$4.22 €3.68

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.19

$4.68 €4.08

-21.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 €1.65

$2.21 €1.93

-14.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 €100

$62.6 €54.6

83.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 €4.60

$5.35 €4.66

-1.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.46 €1.28

-2.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.97 €16.53

$58.5 €51.0

-67.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.82

$2.20 €1.92

-5.00%

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

$40.0K €34.9K

$40.4K €35.2K

-0.89%

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

$33.8K €29.5K

$37.6K €32.8K

-10.04%

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

$245 €214

$246 €215

-0.46%

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

$22.14 €19.30

$23.03 €20.07

-3.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.8 €49.50

$52.2 €45.48

8.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.56 €43.20

$45.21 €39.41

9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 €22.47

$23.37 €20.38

10.31%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 €12.20

$17.46 €15.22

-19.82%

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

$1,134 €989

$1,056 €920

7.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,284 €4,606

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.2 €84.7

$103 €89.7

-5.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.39 €25.61

$49.26 €42.94

-40.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 €60.0

$116 €101

-40.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €108

$120 €105

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 €1,606

$2,310 €2,014

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 €1,137

$2,025 €1,766

-35.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 €2,234

$3,726 €3,248

-31.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,091 €1,822

$2,813 €2,453

-25.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,713 €4,980

$6,191 €5,397

-7.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,249 €4,575

$4,786 €4,172

9.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,609 €2,274

$3,001 €2,616

-13.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.68

12.50%

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

Last update for Dundalk: September 14, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,842 in Dundalk and $2,310 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $92.0 in Dundalk vs $117 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $366 vs $378 per month, with Dundalk cheaper across the board.

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

Dundalk vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dundalk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Galway. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,842 in Dundalk versus $2,310 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dundalk – a meal for two runs $92.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,664 per month in Dundalk versus $3,391 in Galway – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Dundalk is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Dundalk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Galway, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dundalk and Galway are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dundalk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.