Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Dun Laoghaire Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Dun Laoghaire

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,127 per month in Galway vs $2,885 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,274 per month in Galway vs $4,491 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,421 per month in Galway vs $6,097 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

Galway costs about 8% more than Dun Laoghaire, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Galway and Dun Laoghaire sit above the global median – Galway by 135%, Dun Laoghaire by 117%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$18.27 €15.82

2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$95.1 €82.3

2.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$10.37 €8.98

1.45%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.25 €3.68

-1.88%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$2.44 €2.11

-4.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.61 €1.39

-3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$7.43 €6.44

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$7.03 €6.09

-10.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.70 €1.47

-11.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$2.27 €1.97

9.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$2.10 €1.82

0.48%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$3.91 €3.39

4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$10.49 €9.08

-2.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$11.73 €10.15

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$3.01 €2.60

-1.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.00 €1.73

3.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$2.85 €2.47

-0.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$3.54 €3.06

-4.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.45 €1.26

-2.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.42 €1.23

4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.45 €1.26

-1.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.59 €1.38

5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$19.41 €16.81

1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$13.56 €11.74

3.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$3.52 €3.05

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.90 €3.38

24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.06 €1.78

12.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$69.5 €60.2

-1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$4.99 €4.32

1.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.34 €1.16

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$38.37 €33.23

12.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.97 €1.71

5.08%

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$43.2K €37.4K

-0.27%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

0.00%

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

$287 €248

$279 €241

2.97%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$21.76 €18.84

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$57.1 €49.47

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$41.62 €36.04

35.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$13.79 €11.94

1.89%

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

$1,064 €922

$1,052 €911

1.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$8,539 €7,395

-4.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$102 €88.2

-10.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$39.44 €34.16

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$101 €87.5

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$130 €113

-17.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$1,537 €1,331

29.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,519 €1,315

13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$3,727 €3,227

-11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$3,212 €2,782

-21.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

$3,802 €3,292

57.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$4,453 €3,857

-30.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.5

6.67%

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

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Last update for Dun Laoghaire: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Galway versus $1,537 in Dun Laoghaire. 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 45% higher in Dun Laoghaire, 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 $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $341 vs $330 – making Dun Laoghaire 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 Dun Laoghaire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,127 in Galway, $2,885 in Dun Laoghaire – roughly 8% apart. Galway costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,691 per month in Galway and $4,328 in Dun Laoghaire. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Galway and $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,127 in Galway and $2,885 in Dun Laoghaire. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,127 in Galway and $2,885 in Dun Laoghaire. 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 $2,885 in Dun Laoghaire to $3,127 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 Dun Laoghaire. 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.