Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Balbriggan Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Balbriggan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Galway versus $2,575 in Balbriggan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,312 in Galway versus $3,739 in Balbriggan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,551 in Galway versus $4,902 in Balbriggan.

Living in Galway is roughly 19% more expensive than Balbriggan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 130% above, Balbriggan 93% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.14

$23.27 €20.04

-19.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 €82.5

$103 €88.5

-6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.87

$12.66 €10.90

-18.64%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.72

$4.77 €4.11

-9.43%

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

$2.44 €2.11

$2.55 €2.20

-4.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

$2.12 €1.83

-23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 €5.81

$8.03 €6.92

-15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 €5.55

$7.05 €6.07

-8.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.73 €1.49

-15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.20

$2.12 €1.83

20.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.08 €1.79

1.92%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$3.10 €2.67

25.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 €10.93

$11.12 €9.58

14.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 €8.96

$11.52 €9.92

-9.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 €10.16

$13.89 €11.96

-15.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$3.18 €2.74

-7.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.03 €1.75

-0.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$2.90 €2.50

-6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$5.55 €4.78

-36.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.22 €1.91

-35.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.70 €1.47

-12.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.35 €1.16

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.37

$2.02 €1.74

-20.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.79 €17.05

$20.78 €17.89

-4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 €12.61

$14.17 €12.20

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 €4.24

$2.95 €2.54

66.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 €4.33

$2.59 €2.23

94.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.46 €2.12

-6.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 €59.1

$99.4 €85.6

-31.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.21

$5.19 €4.47

-5.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.15

$2.12 €1.82

-36.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.85 €37.76

$39.49 €34.01

11.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.00 €1.72

4.00%

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

$41.9K €36.1K

$41.7K €35.9K

0.53%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$40.4K €34.8K

-4.11%

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

$283 €244

$171 €147

65.71%

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

$21.92 €18.88

$17.48 €15.05

25.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €47.37

$46.51 €40.05

18.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 €48.63

$54.0 €46.53

4.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.30 €7.15

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 €12.13

$13.79 €11.87

2.18%

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

$1,062 €914

$1,339 €1,153

-20.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,231 €7,088

$9,688 €8,342

-15.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 €78.1

$107 €92.0

-15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 €33.68

$28.59 €24.62

36.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.5

$63.7 €54.9

57.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.8

$130 €112

-17.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 €1,767

$1,468 €1,264

39.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,494

$1,234 €1,063

40.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,286 €2,829

$2,408 €2,073

36.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 €2,227

$1,968 €1,695

31.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,330 €5,451

$3,451 €2,972

83.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,675 €4,026

$3,192 €2,748

46.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,262 €2,809

$2,411 €2,076

35.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.04

18.81%

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

Last update for Galway: June 14, 2026

Last update for Balbriggan: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,052 in Galway and $1,468 in Balbriggan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 35% 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: $96.0 in Galway vs $103 in Balbriggan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $347 per month, with Galway 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

Galway vs Balbriggan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galway and Balbriggan differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($3,072 vs $2,575 including rent). Balbriggan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Galway pays 35% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,052 in Galway versus $1,468 in Balbriggan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Galway pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Balbriggan – a meal for two runs $103 versus $96.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Balbriggan is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Galway and Balbriggan 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 Balbriggan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.