Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Arklow Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Arklow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,128 per month in Galway vs $2,460 in Arklow, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,347 per month in Galway vs $3,534 in Arklow, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,566 per month in Galway vs $4,607 in Arklow, rent included.

Galway costs about 27% more than Arklow, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Galway and Arklow sit above the global median – Galway by 133%, Arklow by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 €15.79

$17.69 €15.24

3.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.3

$68.4 €58.9

38.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 €8.95

$11.02 €9.49

-5.72%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$4.31 €3.71

-1.39%

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

$2.42 €2.08

$2.89 €2.49

-16.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.26 €1.94

-28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 €5.80

$6.07 €5.23

10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 €5.47

$4.71 €4.05

34.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.58 €1.36

-5.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 €2.23

$2.11 €1.82

22.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$0.97 €0.84

121.65%

Eggs

$3.93 €3.38

$4.22 €3.63

-6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 €10.84

$7.02 €6.05

79.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 €9.14

$8.41 €7.25

26.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.09 €10.41

$8.55 €7.36

41.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.50

$1.77 €1.53

64.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.51 €1.30

38.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.46

$2.05 €1.77

39.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.63 €2.26

32.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.65 €2.29

-46.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.52 €1.31

-3.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.18 €1.01

18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.36

$2.10 €1.81

-24.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.77 €17.02

$19.32 €16.63

2.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 €12.39

$13.74 €11.83

4.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 €4.30

$3.72 €3.20

34.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.36

$3.71 €3.20

36.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.37 €2.04

-6.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 €59.4

$100.0 €86.1

-31.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 €4.33

$5.24 €4.51

-4.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.15

$2.70 €2.32

-50.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 €37.65

$35.53 €30.59

23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.03 €1.75

2.96%

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

$42.2K €36.3K

$41.9K €36.1K

0.59%

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

$39.1K €33.7K

$39.3K €33.8K

-0.35%

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

$285 €245

$241 €207

18.33%

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

$21.92 €18.87

$21.52 €18.53

1.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €47.79

$49.00 €42.20

13.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.21

$45.66 €39.32

25.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 €7.47

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 €11.88

$13.91 €11.98

-0.79%

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

$1,066 €918

$1,361 €1,172

-21.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,946 €6,842

$7,325 €6,307

8.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 €78.5

$102 €88.0

-10.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 €34.50

$48.56 €41.82

-17.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.5

$101 €87.0

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €91.9

$114 €98.1

-6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 €1,726

$1,449 €1,248

38.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 €1,484

$1,242 €1,070

38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,380 €2,910

$2,374 €2,044

42.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 €2,167

$1,986 €1,710

26.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,193 €5,333

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,705 €4,051

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,228 €2,780

$4,997 €4,303

-35.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.6

4.35%

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

Last update for Galway: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arklow: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,005 in Galway versus $1,449 in Arklow. 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 55% higher in Arklow, 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 $94.0 in Galway versus $68.0 in Arklow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $280 – making Arklow 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

Galway vs Arklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,128 in Galway, $2,460 in Arklow – roughly 27% apart. Galway costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,692 per month in Galway and $3,691 in Arklow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arklow, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,128 in Galway and $2,460 in Arklow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Arklow. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Arklow, where all-in costs run around $2,460, than in Galway at $3,128. In Arklow it covers expenses comfortably, while in Galway it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Galway has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,460 in Arklow to $3,128 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 Arklow. 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.