Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Monaghan Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Monaghan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,391 in Galway versus $2,617 in Monaghan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,706 in Galway versus $3,681 in Monaghan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,020 in Galway versus $4,745 in Monaghan.

Living in Galway is roughly 30% more expensive than in Monaghan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Monaghan 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$18.42 €16.06

24.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$58.1 €50.6

100.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$12.35 €10.76

38.06%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$4.35 €3.79

17.70%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$3.05 €2.66

-0.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$6.87 €5.99

16.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$7.10 €6.19

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.69 €1.47

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.35 €2.05

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.98 €1.72

13.64%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$4.41 €3.84

2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$10.77 €9.39

58.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$12.91 €11.26

-13.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$3.05 €2.66

3.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.41 €2.10

-2.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

$3.25 €2.83

-1.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$4.83 €4.21

-13.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.14 €1.86

-3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.57 €1.37

-0.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.34 €1.17

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.06 €1.80

-4.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$20.46 €17.83

2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$14.23 €12.41

-0.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$3.40 €2.96

24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.71 €3.24

26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.50 €2.18

-11.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

$105 €91.5

-40.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$5.24 €4.56

2.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.54 €1.34

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$31.62 €27.56

85.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.93 €1.68

13.99%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$36.7K €32.0K

10.18%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$39.2K €34.2K

-4.17%

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

$246 €215

$247 €215

-0.38%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$19.67 €17.15

17.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$52.8 €46.03

-1.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$57.6 €50.2

-21.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$13.99 €12.20

24.80%

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

$1,056 €920

$1,046 €911

0.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,540 €4,829

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$99.2 €86.5

3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$48.40 €42.19

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$106 €92.1

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$135 €117

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,320 €1,151

74.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,208 €1,053

67.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$2,336 €2,036

59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$1,862 €1,623

51.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,397

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 €2,616

$4,033 €3,515

-25.59%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Monaghan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Galway and $1,320 in Monaghan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monaghan pays 34% 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 $58.0 in Monaghan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $364 per month, with Monaghan 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 Monaghan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monaghan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Monaghan. 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 $1,320 in Monaghan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Monaghan – a meal for two runs $58.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,617 in Monaghan versus $3,391 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Monaghan but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Monaghan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monaghan 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 Monaghan 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 Monaghan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.