Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Mallow Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Mallow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,391 in Galway versus $2,581 in Mallow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,706 in Galway versus $3,687 in Mallow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,020 in Galway versus $4,793 in Mallow.

Living in Galway is roughly 31% more expensive than in Mallow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Mallow 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$16.49 €14.37

38.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$79.8 €69.5

46.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$12.60 €10.99

35.32%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$3.93 €3.42

30.28%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$2.94 €2.56

3.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.19 €1.90

3.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$6.49 €5.66

23.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$4.72 €4.12

47.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.43 €1.25

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.42 €2.11

1.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.54 €1.34

46.10%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$2.96 €2.58

52.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$10.15 €8.85

68.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$11.77 €10.26

-5.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$11.86 €10.33

18.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$3.10 €2.70

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.41 €2.10

-2.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

$2.96 €2.58

8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$5.69 €4.96

-26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$0.90 €0.79

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$0.70 €0.61

122.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.38 €1.21

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$0.83 €0.72

137.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$21.92 €19.11

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$14.03 €12.23

1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$3.44 €3.00

22.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.58 €3.12

30.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.52 €2.19

-12.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

$110 €95.6

-42.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$5.21 €4.54

2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.53 €1.33

-4.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$39.34 €34.29

48.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.98 €1.73

11.11%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$40.2K €35.1K

0.42%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$39.8K €34.7K

-5.68%

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

$246 €215

$260 €226

-5.18%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$15.05 €13.12

53.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$52.7 €45.94

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$52.5 €45.80

-13.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$11.54 €10.06

51.30%

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

$1,056 €920

$839 €732

25.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,525 €4,816

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$109 €94.9

-5.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$51.8 €45.11

-4.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$118 €103

-1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$133 €116

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,365 €1,190

69.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,293 €1,127

56.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$2,062 €1,798

80.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$1,885 €1,643

49.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,397

$1,132 €987

446.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

$924 €805

418.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 €2,616

$3,367 €2,935

-10.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.79

-2.90%

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

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mallow: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Galway and $1,365 in Mallow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mallow pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $117 in Galway vs $80.0 in Mallow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $324 per month, with Mallow 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 Mallow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mallow is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Mallow. 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: $2,310 in Galway versus $1,365 in Mallow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Mallow – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Mallow is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Mallow 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 Mallow 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 Mallow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.