Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Dundalk Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Dundalk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,127 in Galway versus $2,197 in Dundalk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,274 in Galway versus $3,381 in Dundalk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,421 in Galway versus $4,565 in Dundalk.

Living in Galway is roughly 42% more expensive than in Dundalk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 135% above, Dundalk 65% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$18.85 €16.33

-0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$97.5 €84.4

-0.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$10.94 €9.48

-3.84%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.01 €3.48

3.99%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$2.12 €1.84

9.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.41 €1.22

10.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$6.89 €5.97

3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$5.83 €5.05

7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.64 €1.42

-7.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$1.57 €1.36

57.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.49 €1.29

41.61%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$4.74 €4.10

-13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

$7.67 €6.64

64.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$13.26 €11.48

-22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$12.60 €10.91

-3.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$1.70 €1.47

74.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.69 €1.47

21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$1.78 €1.54

58.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$1.18 €1.02

185.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.79 €1.55

-20.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.18 €1.03

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.25 €1.08

14.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.81 €1.57

-7.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$18.43 €15.96

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$13.70 €11.86

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$2.86 €2.48

73.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.38 €2.93

43.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.84 €1.59

25.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$115 €99.5

-40.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$5.83 €5.05

-12.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$1.27 €1.10

8.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$19.20 €16.63

125.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.02 €1.75

2.48%

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$37.4K €32.4K

15.20%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

$29.2K €25.3K

32.12%

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

$287 €248

$173 €149

66.22%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$22.70 €19.66

-3.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$50.4 €43.65

10.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$48.24 €41.77

17.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$11.47 €9.94

22.49%

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

$1,064 €922

$969 €839

9.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$2,278 €1,973

256.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$79.0 €68.4

15.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$29.05 €25.16

34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$68.3 €59.2

49.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$75.9 €65.7

41.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$1,493 €1,293

33.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,053 €912

64.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$2,109 €1,827

56.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$1,904 €1,649

32.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

$5,739 €4,970

4.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

$5,217 €4,518

-10.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$2,578 €2,232

19.55%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,986 in Galway and $1,493 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $97.0 in Galway vs $97.0 in Dundalk. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $299, with Dundalk cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dundalk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dundalk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Galway, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,986 in Galway versus $1,493 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dundalk – a meal for two runs $97.0 versus $97.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,127 per month in Galway versus $2,197 in Dundalk – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,197 in Dundalk versus $3,127 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Dundalk but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Dundalk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dundalk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Galway, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Galway and Dundalk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dundalk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.