Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Loughrea Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Loughrea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Galway versus $2,470 in Loughrea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,312 in Galway versus $3,732 in Loughrea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,551 in Galway versus $4,995 in Loughrea.

Living in Galway is roughly 24% more expensive than in Loughrea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 130% above, Loughrea 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.35

$23.21 €20.25

-19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 €83.6

$103 €89.7

-6.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.99

$12.48 €10.89

-17.47%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.77

$3.40 €2.97

27.06%

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

$2.44 €2.13

$2.34 €2.04

4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.41

$2.23 €1.94

-27.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 €5.89

$5.95 €5.19

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 €5.62

$4.50 €3.92

43.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.68 €1.47

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.13 €1.86

19.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 €1.85

$1.99 €1.73

6.53%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.41

$4.78 €4.17

-18.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 €11.07

$3.53 €3.08

259.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 €9.07

$7.08 €6.17

46.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 €10.29

$11.73 €10.24

0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.55

$3.24 €2.83

-9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.10 €1.83

-3.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 €2.37

$2.99 €2.61

-9.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.07

$4.55 €3.97

-22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.23 €1.95

-35.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.29

$1.78 €1.56

-16.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$0.82 €0.72

74.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.39

$2.08 €1.82

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.79 €17.27

$20.66 €18.03

-4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 €12.78

$13.69 €11.94

7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 €4.29

$3.51 €3.06

40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 €4.38

$3.90 €3.40

28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €2.00

$2.38 €2.07

-3.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 €59.9

$98.9 €86.3

-30.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.26

$5.44 €4.74

-10.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.17

$2.14 €1.87

-37.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.85 €38.26

$39.69 €34.63

10.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.82 €1.59

14.29%

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

$41.9K €36.6K

$42.7K €37.2K

-1.82%

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

$38.7K €33.8K

$40.2K €35.0K

-3.60%

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

$283 €247

$167 €146

69.44%

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

$21.92 €19.13

$20.15 €17.58

8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €48.00

$58.4 €50.9

-5.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 €49.27

$52.8 €46.09

6.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.30 €7.24

$53.1 €46.29

-84.36%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 €12.29

$14.78 €12.90

-4.67%

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

$1,062 €926

$1,365 €1,191

-22.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,231 €7,182

$9,706 €8,469

-15.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 €79.2

$92.6 €80.8

-2.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 €34.13

$50.0 €43.63

-21.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €87.7

$117 €102

-14.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.0

$126 €110

-14.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 €1,790

$1,467 €1,280

39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,514

$1,266 €1,105

37.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,286 €2,867

$2,398 €2,093

37.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 €2,256

$1,987 €1,734

30.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,330 €5,523

$4,074 €3,554

55.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,675 €4,079

$3,235 €2,823

44.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,262 €2,846

$2,657 €2,318

22.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.04

18.81%

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

Last update for Galway: June 14, 2026

Last update for Loughrea: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,052 in Galway and $1,467 in Loughrea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 23% 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: $96.0 in Galway vs $103 in Loughrea. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $301, with Loughrea 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 Loughrea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Loughrea is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $2,052 in Galway versus $1,467 in Loughrea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Loughrea – a meal for two runs $103 versus $96.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Loughrea is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Loughrea 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 Loughrea 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 Loughrea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.