Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Malahide Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Malahide

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,424 in Galway versus $3,592 in Malahide.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,759 in Galway versus $4,531 in Malahide.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,094 in Galway versus $5,469 in Malahide.

Living in Galway costs roughly 5% less than in Malahide, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Malahide 161% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.08 €19.85

$25.32 €21.77

-8.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €98.2

$103 €88.7

10.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.51 €15.05

$12.39 €10.65

41.32%

Cappuccino

$5.00 €4.30

$4.63 €3.98

7.99%

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

$3.05 €2.63

$3.07 €2.64

-0.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.30 €1.98

3.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 €7.03

$6.80 €5.85

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.85 €5.89

$6.99 €6.01

-2.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.70 €1.46

-2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.10

$2.32 €2.00

5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.97 €1.70

19.29%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.92

$4.61 €3.96

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.17 €14.76

$10.90 €9.37

57.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.29 €9.70

$13.07 €11.24

-13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.02 €12.06

$13.98 €12.02

0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.73

$3.18 €2.74

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.29 €1.97

1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 €2.78

$3.31 €2.85

-2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.22 €3.63

$5.05 €4.34

-16.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 €1.77

$2.04 €1.75

0.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.36 €1.17

-4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.71

$2.10 €1.81

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.00 €18.05

$21.25 €18.27

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.68 €12.62

$14.15 €12.16

3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 €3.67

$3.49 €3.00

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 €4.11

$3.79 €3.26

26.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.52 €2.17

-14.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 €55.6

$114 €98.3

-43.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 €4.76

$5.43 €4.67

2.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.55 €1.33

-4.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.7 €50.4

$34.38 €29.56

70.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 €1.83

$2.11 €1.82

0.47%

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

$40.3K €34.6K

$40.4K €34.8K

-0.36%

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

$38.2K €32.8K

$39.4K €33.9K

-3.23%

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

$256 €220

$250 €215

2.50%

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

$23.34 €20.07

$23.08 €19.84

1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 €45.92

$53.1 €45.67

0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.60 €39.21

$59.0 €50.8

-22.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 €20.08

Cinema Ticket

$17.67 €15.20

$14.18 €12.19

24.61%

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

$1,032 €887

$1,101 €947

-6.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 €4,874

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.0

$99.4 €85.4

5.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €43.15

$45.17 €38.83

11.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €97.9

$107 €92.0

6.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$121 €104

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,337 €2,009

$1,665 €1,432

40.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 €1,745

$2,108 €1,812

-3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,697 €3,179

$2,574 €2,213

43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 €2,407

$2,251 €1,935

24.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,297 €5,414

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,725 €4,063

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,040 €2,614

$5,714 €4,913

-46.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

4.14

-11.11%

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

Last update for Galway: September 7, 2026

Last update for Malahide: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,337 in Galway and $1,665 in Malahide. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malahide pays 88% 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: $114 in Galway vs $103 in Malahide for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $368 per month, with Malahide cheaper across the board.

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 Malahide: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galway is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Malahide. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,337 in Galway versus $1,665 in Malahide. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Malahide pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Galway – a meal for two runs $114 versus $103 in Malahide. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Galway is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Safety-wise, Galway and Malahide 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 Galway gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Malahide. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.