Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Birmingham Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Birmingham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,391 per month in Galway vs $2,540 in Birmingham, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,706 per month in Galway vs $3,769 in Birmingham, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,020 per month in Galway vs $4,998 in Birmingham, rent included.

Galway costs about 34% more than Birmingham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Galway and Birmingham sit above the global median – Galway by 148%, Birmingham by 86%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$20.23 £15.12

13.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$104 £77.7

12.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$9.30 £6.95

83.33%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$5.22 £3.90

-1.92%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$2.63 £1.96

15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.87 £1.40

20.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$7.45 £5.56

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$6.78 £5.07

2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.92 £1.43

-15.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.83 £1.37

33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$2.55 £1.90

-11.76%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$3.80 £2.84

18.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$11.60 £8.67

47.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$9.48 £7.08

17.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$15.22 £11.38

-7.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$2.54 £1.90

24.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$1.97 £1.47

19.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

$2.42 £1.81

32.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$3.63 £2.71

15.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.62 £1.21

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.85 £1.38

-15.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.40 £1.04

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.64 £1.22

20.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$22.81 £17.05

-7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$12.06 £9.02

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$3.75 £2.80

12.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.43 £2.56

36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$4.16 £3.11

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

$95.7 £71.5

-34.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$5.08 £3.80

5.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$2.50 £1.87

-41.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$24.10 £18.01

142.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.14 £1.60

2.80%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$39.4K £29.5K

2.45%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$42.0K £31.4K

-10.50%

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

$246 €215

$323 £242

-23.86%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$21.90 £16.36

5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$49.08 £36.67

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$35.95 £26.86

25.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

$30.97 £23.15

-24.54%

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$16.38 £12.24

6.59%

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

$1,056 €920

$1,662 £1,242

-36.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K £18.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$110 £82.0

-6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$50.8 £37.92

-2.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$119 £88.7

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$149 £112

-19.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,420 £1,061

62.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,128 £843

79.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$2,315 £1,730

60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$1,690 £1,263

66.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,397

$5,415 £4,047

14.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

$4,290 £3,206

11.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 €2,616

$4,570 £3,415

-34.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

5.09

-27.70%

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

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Last update for Birmingham: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,310 in Galway versus $1,420 in Birmingham. 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 52% higher in Birmingham, 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 $117 in Galway versus $104 in Birmingham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $327 – making Birmingham 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 Birmingham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,391 in Galway, $2,540 in Birmingham – roughly 34% apart. Galway costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,087 per month in Galway and $3,810 in Birmingham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,056 per month in Galway and $1,662 in Birmingham. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Galway, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,391 in Galway and $2,540 in Birmingham. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Galway has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,540 in Birmingham to $3,391 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 Birmingham. 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.