Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Donegal Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Donegal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,012 per month in Galway vs $2,390 in Donegal, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,270 per month in Galway vs $3,151 in Donegal, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,527 per month in Galway vs $3,911 in Donegal, rent included.

Galway costs about 26% more than Donegal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Galway and Donegal sit above the global median – Galway by 125%, Donegal by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 €16.10

$16.49 €14.41

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 €83.6

$85.2 €74.4

12.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 €8.99

$8.62 €7.53

19.37%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.65

$3.19 €2.79

30.72%

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

$2.31 €2.02

$1.71 €1.49

35.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.13 €0.99

42.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 €6.08

$7.15 €6.24

-2.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 €5.67

$4.59 €4.01

41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.72 €1.50

-12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.09 €1.83

22.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.47 €1.28

49.66%

Eggs

$4.00 €3.49

$3.41 €2.98

17.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 €10.91

$7.70 €6.73

62.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 €9.17

$12.88 €11.26

-18.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 €10.61

$12.87 €11.25

-5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.64

$2.35 €2.06

28.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$1.71 €1.49

16.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$1.38 €1.20

105.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.97

$4.41 €3.85

-22.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.40 €1.23

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.50 €1.31

-4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.24 €1.08

11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.11 €1.84

-20.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.25 €16.82

$18.23 €15.93

5.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.25

$17.20 €15.03

-18.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.16

$2.89 €2.53

64.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 €4.36

$2.87 €2.51

73.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.40 €2.10

-3.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.5 €60.7

$99.1 €86.6

-29.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 €4.41

$5.72 €5.00

-11.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.15 €1.01

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 €37.25

$68.9 €60.2

-38.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.74

$1.99 €1.74

0.50%

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

$41.6K €36.3K

$42.3K €36.9K

-1.56%

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

$39.0K €34.1K

$40.0K €35.0K

-2.58%

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

$280 €245

$184 €161

52.08%

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

$21.89 €19.13

$22.60 €19.75

-3.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 €47.97

$50.8 €44.39

8.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €49.22

$52.5 €45.87

7.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 €7.53

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 €12.03

$11.48 €10.03

19.95%

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

$1,074 €938

$958 €837

12.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,143 €7,115

$4,731 €4,133

72.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 €77.6

$73.8 €64.5

20.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 €35.16

$37.80 €33.03

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.9

$88.1 €76.9

16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.6

$75.3 €65.8

43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,727

$1,495 €1,306

32.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 €1,556

$1,257 €1,098

41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,265 €2,852

$1,709 €1,493

91.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 €2,204

$1,296 €1,133

94.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,224 €5,438

$1,686 €1,473

269.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,731 €4,134

$1,121 €980

322.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,060 €2,673

$4,392 €3,837

-30.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.53

5.96%

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

Last update for Galway: July 14, 2026

Last update for Donegal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,977 in Galway versus $1,495 in Donegal. 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 44% higher in Donegal, 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 $96.0 in Galway versus $85.0 in Donegal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $325 – making Donegal 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 Donegal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Galway is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,518 per month in Galway and $3,586 in Donegal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,074 per month in Galway and $958 in Donegal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Galway, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Donegal, where all-in costs run around $2,390, than in Galway at $3,012. In Donegal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Galway it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Donegal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Donegal. 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.