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: $2,197 in Dundalk versus $3,127 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,381 in Dundalk versus $4,274 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,565 in Dundalk versus $5,421 in Galway.

Living in Dundalk costs roughly 30% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dundalk 65% above, Galway 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.85 €16.33

$18.76 €16.25

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.5 €84.4

$97.1 €84.1

0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 €9.48

$10.52 €9.11

3.99%

Cappuccino

$4.01 €3.48

$4.17 €3.61

-3.84%

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

$2.12 €1.84

$2.32 €2.01

-8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.56 €1.35

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.97

$7.10 €6.15

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €5.05

$6.29 €5.45

-7.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.51 €1.31

8.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 €1.36

$2.48 €2.15

-36.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 €1.29

$2.11 €1.83

-29.38%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.10

$4.10 €3.55

15.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 €6.64

$12.58 €10.90

-39.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 €11.48

$10.23 €8.86

29.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 €10.91

$12.12 €10.50

3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.97 €2.57

-42.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 €1.47

$2.06 €1.78

-17.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 €1.54

$2.83 €2.45

-37.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.02

$3.37 €2.92

-64.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.42 €1.23

26.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 €1.03

$1.48 €1.28

-20.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.43 €1.24

-12.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 €1.57

$1.67 €1.44

8.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.43 €15.96

$19.74 €17.09

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 €11.86

$14.06 €12.17

-2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 €2.48

$4.96 €4.30

-42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 €2.93

$4.85 €4.20

-30.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.31 €2.00

-20.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$115 €99.5

$68.2 €59.0

68.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 €5.05

$5.08 €4.40

14.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.38 €1.19

-7.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.20 €16.63

$43.30 €37.50

-55.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.75

$2.07 €1.79

-2.42%

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

$37.4K €32.4K

$43.1K €37.3K

-13.20%

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

$29.2K €25.3K

$38.5K €33.4K

-24.31%

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

$173 €149

$287 €248

-39.84%

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

$22.70 €19.66

$21.96 €19.02

3.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.4 €43.65

$55.9 €48.41

-9.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.24 €41.77

$56.4 €48.88

-14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$11.47 €9.94

$14.05 €12.17

-18.36%

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

$969 €839

$1,064 €922

-8.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,278 €1,973

$8,122 €7,034

-71.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 €68.4

$91.3 €79.0

-13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.05 €25.16

$39.18 €33.93

-25.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.3 €59.2

$102 €88.3

-32.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 €65.7

$108 €93.1

-29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 €1,293

$1,986 €1,720

-24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 €912

$1,731 €1,499

-39.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 €1,827

$3,305 €2,863

-36.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 €1,649

$2,521 €2,183

-24.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,739 €4,970

$5,992 €5,189

-4.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,217 €4,518

$4,663 €4,038

11.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,578 €2,232

$3,082 €2,669

-16.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.8

-5.62%

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

Last update for Dundalk: July 28, 2026

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,493 in Dundalk and $1,986 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 20% 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: $97.0 in Dundalk vs $97.0 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $341 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $1,493 in Dundalk versus $1,986 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 $97.0 versus $97.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,197 per month in Dundalk versus $3,127 in Galway – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,197 in Dundalk versus $3,127 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dundalk but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Dundalk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 42% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.