Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Drogheda Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Drogheda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,127 per month in Galway vs $3,324 in Drogheda, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Galway vs $4,570 in Drogheda, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,421 per month in Galway vs $5,815 in Drogheda, rent included.

Galway is about 6% cheaper than Drogheda, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Galway and Drogheda sit above the global median – Galway by 135%, Drogheda by 150%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$17.65 €15.28

6.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$93.7 €81.1

3.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$10.51 €9.10

0.10%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.23 €3.66

-1.42%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$2.41 €2.09

-3.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$6.51 €5.63

9.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$6.24 €5.41

0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.49 €1.29

1.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$2.49 €2.15

-0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.12 €0.97

88.39%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$4.12 €3.57

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

$10.23 €8.86

22.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$10.59 €9.17

-3.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$11.76 €10.18

3.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.90 €2.51

2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.02 €1.75

1.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$1.62 €1.41

74.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$3.49 €3.03

-3.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.39 €1.21

2.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$0.98 €0.85

51.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$0.98 €0.85

45.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.55 €1.34

7.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$18.96 €16.42

4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$13.91 €12.05

1.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$3.54 €3.06

40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.74 €3.23

29.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$3.10 €2.68

-25.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$153 €133

-55.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$4.88 €4.23

4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.66 €1.44

-16.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$43.95 €38.06

-1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.05 €1.77

0.98%

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$42.0K €36.4K

2.55%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

$38.3K €33.2K

0.63%

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

$287 €248

$277 €240

3.61%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$21.52 €18.64

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$44.70 €38.71

25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$73.6 €63.8

-23.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

$68.3 €59.1

-87.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$13.65 €11.82

2.93%

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

$1,064 €922

$1,035 €897

2.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$2,045 €1,771

297.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$88.7 €76.8

2.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$40.15 €34.77

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$100 €86.9

1.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$107 €92.5

0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$2,387 €2,067

-16.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,983 €1,717

-12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$3,230 €2,798

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$2,746 €2,378

-8.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

$3,980 €3,446

50.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

$2,914 €2,524

60.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$3,557 €3,081

-13.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.55

5.49%

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

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Last update for Drogheda: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Galway versus $2,387 in Drogheda. 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 15% higher in Drogheda, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Galway versus $94.0 in Drogheda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $312 – making Drogheda 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 Drogheda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drogheda costs about 6% more than Galway, 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 $4,987 in Drogheda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galway, 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 $3,127 in Galway and $3,324 in Drogheda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Galway. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,127 in Galway and $3,324 in Drogheda. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Galway costs $3,127 versus $3,324 in Drogheda. 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 Galway. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Drogheda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.