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 $3,062 per month in Galway vs $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,298 per month in Galway vs $4,451 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,534 per month in Galway vs $6,049 in Dun Laoghaire, rent included.

Galway costs about 7% more than Dun Laoghaire, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Galway and Dun Laoghaire sit above the global median – Galway by 128%, Dun Laoghaire by 112%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 €15.67

$18.36 €15.82

-0.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.8 €81.6

$94.6 €81.5

0.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.27 €8.85

$10.51 €9.06

-2.28%

Cappuccino

$4.33 €3.73

$4.17 €3.59

3.84%

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

$2.42 €2.09

$2.36 €2.03

2.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.34

$1.60 €1.38

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 €5.85

$7.79 €6.71

-12.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.39 €5.51

$6.75 €5.82

-5.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.73 €1.49

-13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.16

$2.24 €1.93

12.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.01 €1.74

10.45%

Eggs

$4.06 €3.50

$3.99 €3.44

1.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 €10.86

$12.73 €10.96

-1.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.41 €8.97

$10.30 €8.88

1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 €10.08

$12.02 €10.36

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 €2.56

$2.99 €2.57

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.07 €1.78

1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 €2.35

$2.80 €2.41

-2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.54 €3.05

-4.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 €1.20

$1.37 €1.18

1.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.43 €1.23

-2.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.40 €1.21

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.64 €1.41

0.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.77 €17.03

$18.71 €16.12

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.13 €12.17

$13.72 €11.82

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.08

$3.56 €3.06

33.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 €4.20

$4.00 €3.45

21.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.02 €1.74

9.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.1 €59.5

$69.4 €59.8

-0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.21

$5.01 €4.32

-2.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.33 €1.15

3.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.42 €37.41

$39.02 €33.62

11.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.00 €1.73

-1.50%

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

$43.1K €37.1K

$42.8K €36.9K

0.67%

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

$39.7K €34.2K

$38.4K €33.1K

3.32%

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

$286 €246

$282 €243

1.45%

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

$21.68 €18.68

$21.26 €18.32

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 €47.45

$57.9 €49.87

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.31

$41.15 €35.46

39.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.31 €7.16

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 €11.96

$14.07 €12.12

-1.35%

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

$1,052 €906

$1,076 €927

-2.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,072 €6,955

$8,418 €7,253

-4.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 €77.1

$101 €87.3

-11.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.49 €34.02

$40.30 €34.72

-2.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.5

$100 €86.2

2.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.7

$129 €111

-16.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,704

$1,570 €1,353

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 €1,504

$1,543 €1,329

13.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,360 €2,895

$3,815 €3,287

-11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 €2,151

$3,303 €2,846

-24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,209 €5,350

$4,049 €3,488

53.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,644 €4,001

$2,758 €2,376

68.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,248 €2,798

$4,431 €3,818

-26.70%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Dun Laoghaire: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,977 in Galway versus $1,570 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 36% 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 $95.0 in Galway versus $95.0 in Dun Laoghaire. Groceries tell a different story – $340 in Galway vs $331 in Dun Laoghaire – so Dun Laoghaire 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 Dun Laoghaire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,062 in Galway, $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire – roughly 7% apart. Galway costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,593 per month in Galway and $4,279 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 $95.0 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 $3,062 in Galway and $2,853 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 $3,062 in Galway and $2,853 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 $2,853 in Dun Laoghaire to $3,062 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.