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: $2,176 in Dundalk versus $3,025 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,390 in Dundalk versus $4,255 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,605 in Dundalk versus $5,485 in Galway.

Living in Dundalk costs roughly 28% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dundalk 63% above, Galway 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.25 €15.62

$18.83 €16.12

-3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 €84.1

$94.4 €80.8

4.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.69 €9.15

$10.50 €8.98

1.81%

Cappuccino

$4.08 €3.49

$4.38 €3.75

-6.85%

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

$2.16 €1.85

$2.40 €2.06

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.17

$1.62 €1.39

-15.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 €5.59

$6.87 €5.88

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 €5.00

$6.55 €5.61

-10.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.41

$1.52 €1.30

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 €1.39

$2.52 €2.16

-35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.33

$2.14 €1.83

-27.57%

Eggs

$4.64 €3.97

$4.07 €3.49

14.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 €6.58

$12.77 €10.93

-39.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.79 €10.95

$10.37 €8.88

23.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.00

$11.80 €10.10

8.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$3.01 €2.58

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 €1.45

$2.08 €1.78

-18.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 €1.47

$2.80 €2.40

-38.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 €1.01

$3.40 €2.91

-65.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 €1.46

$1.45 €1.24

17.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 €1.00

$1.41 €1.21

-17.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.08

$1.45 €1.24

-13.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.67 €1.43

4.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.37 €15.72

$19.49 €16.68

-5.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.19 €12.15

$14.60 €12.50

-2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.38

$4.79 €4.10

-41.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.89

$5.09 €4.36

-33.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.28 €1.96

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 €99.2

$68.9 €59.0

68.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 €5.08

$4.97 €4.26

19.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.38 €1.18

-11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.79 €16.08

$43.55 €37.28

-56.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.74

$2.00 €1.71

1.50%

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

$37.1K €31.8K

$42.1K €36.1K

-11.90%

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

$29.1K €24.9K

$39.7K €34.0K

-26.66%

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

$168 €144

$280 €240

-40.14%

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

$22.14 €18.95

$21.99 €18.82

0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.62

$54.9 €46.97

-7.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.56 €41.56

$56.5 €48.36

-14.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.74 €7.48

Cinema Ticket

$11.68 €10.00

$14.15 €12.11

-17.46%

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

$965 €826

$1,057 €905

-8.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,320 €1,986

$7,993 €6,842

-70.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 €66.5

$91.9 €78.7

-15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 €24.82

$39.82 €34.08

-27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 €58.7

$101 €86.7

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 €64.4

$108 €92.3

-30.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 €1,277

$2,024 €1,733

-26.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 €922

$1,719 €1,471

-37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 €1,801

$3,303 €2,828

-36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,949 €1,668

$2,589 €2,216

-24.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,799 €4,964

$6,276 €5,373

-7.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,222 €4,470

$4,813 €4,120

8.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,193 €1,877

$3,219 €2,755

-31.86%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Galway: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,491 in Dundalk and $2,024 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 47% 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: $98.0 in Dundalk vs $94.0 in Galway. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $343, with Dundalk cheaper for home cooking.

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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Galway earns 47% less. 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: $1,491 in Dundalk versus $2,024 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 $98.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,176 per month in Dundalk versus $3,025 in Galway – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,176 in Dundalk versus $3,025 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 39% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.