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: $3,025 in Galway versus $2,176 in Dundalk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,255 in Galway versus $3,390 in Dundalk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,485 in Galway versus $4,605 in Dundalk.

Living in Galway is roughly 39% more expensive than Dundalk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 126% above, Dundalk 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.83 €16.12

$18.25 €15.62

3.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €80.8

$98.3 €84.1

-3.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.50 €8.98

$10.69 €9.15

-1.78%

Cappuccino

$4.38 €3.75

$4.08 €3.49

7.35%

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

$2.40 €2.06

$2.16 €1.85

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.37 €1.17

18.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 €5.88

$6.53 €5.59

5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.55 €5.61

$5.84 €5.00

12.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.65 €1.41

-7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 €2.16

$1.62 €1.39

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.55 €1.33

38.06%

Eggs

$4.07 €3.49

$4.64 €3.97

-12.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 €10.93

$7.69 €6.58

66.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.37 €8.88

$12.79 €10.95

-18.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.80 €10.10

$12.85 €11.00

-8.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 €2.58

$1.72 €1.47

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.70 €1.45

22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 €2.40

$1.72 €1.47

62.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.91

$1.18 €1.01

188.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.71 €1.46

-15.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.17 €1.00

20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.26 €1.08

15.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.43

$1.74 €1.49

-4.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.49 €16.68

$18.37 €15.72

6.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.60 €12.50

$14.19 €12.15

2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.79 €4.10

$2.78 €2.38

72.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 €4.36

$3.37 €2.89

51.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.90 €1.63

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 €59.0

$116 €99.2

-40.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 €4.26

$5.94 €5.08

-16.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.18

$1.22 €1.05

13.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.55 €37.28

$18.79 €16.08

131.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.03 €1.74

-1.48%

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

$42.1K €36.1K

$37.1K €31.8K

13.50%

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

$39.7K €34.0K

$29.1K €24.9K

36.36%

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

$280 €240

$168 €144

67.05%

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

$21.99 €18.82

$22.14 €18.95

-0.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 €46.97

$51.0 €43.62

7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 €48.36

$48.56 €41.56

16.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.74 €7.48

Cinema Ticket

$14.15 €12.11

$11.68 €10.00

21.15%

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

$1,057 €905

$965 €826

9.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 €6,842

$2,320 €1,986

244.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.9 €78.7

$77.7 €66.5

18.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 €34.08

$29.00 €24.82

37.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €86.7

$68.6 €58.7

47.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.3

$75.3 €64.4

43.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 €1,733

$1,491 €1,277

35.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,719 €1,471

$1,077 €922

59.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,303 €2,828

$2,104 €1,801

57.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 €2,216

$1,949 €1,668

32.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,276 €5,373

$5,799 €4,964

8.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,813 €4,120

$5,222 €4,470

-7.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 €2,755

$2,193 €1,877

46.76%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,024 in Galway and $1,491 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 47% 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: $94.0 in Galway vs $98.0 in Dundalk. Groceries flip the comparison at $343 vs $297, 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Galway pays 47% more on average, 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: $2,024 in Galway versus $1,491 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 $98.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,025 per month in Galway versus $2,176 in Dundalk – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,176 in Dundalk versus $3,025 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 39% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.