Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Mullingar Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Mullingar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,127 in Galway versus $2,666 in Mullingar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,274 in Galway versus $3,770 in Mullingar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,421 in Galway versus $4,875 in Mullingar.

Living in Galway is roughly 17% more expensive than in Mullingar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 135% above, Mullingar 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$20.42 €17.68

-8.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$97.3 €84.3

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$11.54 €10.00

-8.84%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.53 €3.93

-7.95%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$2.94 €2.55

-21.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

$2.23 €1.93

-30.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$6.98 €6.05

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$6.88 €5.95

-8.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.56 €1.35

-3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$2.09 €1.81

18.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$2.20 €1.91

-4.09%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$4.38 €3.80

-6.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

$11.86 €10.27

6.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$12.19 €10.56

-16.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$14.89 €12.89

-18.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$3.45 €2.98

-13.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$3.33 €2.88

-38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$3.72 €3.22

-23.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$5.46 €4.73

-38.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$2.79 €2.42

-49.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$2.21 €1.91

-33.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.64 €1.42

-12.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.14 €1.85

-21.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$17.41 €15.08

13.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$12.68 €10.98

10.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$3.88 €3.36

27.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.80 €3.29

27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.45 €2.12

-5.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$97.2 €84.2

-29.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$4.91 €4.25

3.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.79 €2.42

-50.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$35.51 €30.75

21.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$2.02 €1.75

2.48%

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$42.4K €36.7K

1.65%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

$39.2K €34.0K

-1.77%

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

$287 €248

$91.9 €79.6

212.10%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$21.66 €18.76

1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$41.22 €35.70

35.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$46.80 €40.53

20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

$11.36 €9.84

-25.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$13.93 €12.07

0.86%

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

$1,064 €922

$1,351 €1,170

-21.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$7,422 €6,428

9.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$104 €90.1

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$50.0 €43.31

-21.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$98.5 €85.3

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$114 €98.4

-5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$1,740 €1,507

14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,375 €1,190

25.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$2,109 €1,827

56.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$2,000 €1,732

26.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

$3,942 €3,414

51.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

$3,847 €3,331

21.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$2,618 €2,267

17.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.6

4.35%

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

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mullingar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,986 in Galway and $1,740 in Mullingar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 18% 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: $97.0 in Galway vs $97.0 in Mullingar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $381 per month, with Galway 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 Mullingar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mullingar is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $1,986 in Galway versus $1,740 in Mullingar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Galway pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mullingar – a meal for two runs $97.0 versus $97.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Mullingar 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 Mullingar 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 Mullingar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.