Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Ballina Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Ballina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,127 per month in Galway vs $2,577 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Galway vs $3,685 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,421 per month in Galway vs $4,794 in Ballina, rent included.

Galway costs about 21% more than Ballina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Galway and Ballina sit above the global median – Galway by 135%, Ballina by 94%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$17.48 €15.14

7.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$69.4 €60.1

39.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$12.45 €10.78

-15.50%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.16 €3.60

0.24%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$1.55 €1.34

49.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.30 €1.13

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$5.73 €4.96

23.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$6.81 €5.90

-7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.74 €1.50

-13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$2.12 €1.83

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$2.09 €1.81

0.96%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$3.28 €2.84

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

$11.33 €9.81

11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$11.59 €10.04

-11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$14.37 €12.45

-15.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$3.23 €2.80

-8.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.66 €1.44

24.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$2.93 €2.54

-3.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$5.31 €4.60

-36.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$2.16 €1.87

-34.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.77 €1.54

-16.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.30 €1.12

10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.09 €1.81

-20.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$20.59 €17.83

-4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$10.20 €8.84

37.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$3.71 €3.21

33.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.96 €3.43

22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.49 €2.16

-7.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$98.9 €85.7

-31.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$4.89 €4.23

3.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.75 €2.38

-49.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$39.67 €34.35

9.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$35.8K €31.0K

20.51%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

$38.2K €33.1K

0.80%

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

$287 €248

$284 €246

0.96%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$23.79 €20.60

-7.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$40.58 €35.14

37.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$53.3 €46.13

5.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$12.68 €10.98

10.80%

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

$1,064 €922

$1,359 €1,177

-21.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$9,391 €8,132

-13.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$105 €90.7

-12.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$50.3 €43.54

-22.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$118 €102

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$114 €98.5

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$1,493 €1,293

33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,248 €1,081

38.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$2,429 €2,103

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$1,945 €1,685

29.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

$3,468 €3,003

72.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

$2,790 €2,416

67.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$3,331 €2,885

-7.49%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ballina: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Galway versus $1,493 in Ballina. 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 8% higher in Ballina, 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 $97.0 in Galway versus $69.0 in Ballina. Groceries tell a different story – $341 in Galway vs $347 in Ballina – so Galway wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ballina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galway costs about 21% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,691 per month in Galway and $3,866 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Kindergarten costs $1,064 per month in Galway and $1,359 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,127 in Galway and $2,577 in Ballina. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,577 versus $3,127 in Galway. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ballina. 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.