Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Portlaoise Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Portlaoise

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,391 in Galway versus $2,442 in Portlaoise.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,706 in Galway versus $3,855 in Portlaoise.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,020 in Galway versus $5,267 in Portlaoise.

Living in Galway is roughly 39% more expensive than in Portlaoise, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Portlaoise 79% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$22.15 €19.31

3.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$70.1 €61.1

66.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$12.28 €10.71

38.84%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$4.52 €3.94

13.27%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$2.56 €2.23

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.78 €1.55

26.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$6.97 €6.07

14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$5.62 €4.90

23.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.74 €1.52

-6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.30 €2.00

6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.89 €1.65

19.05%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$4.80 €4.18

-6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.20 €12.37

20.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$13.21 €11.51

-15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$17.02 €14.84

-17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$3.31 €2.88

-4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.08 €2.69

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

$3.51 €3.06

-8.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$4.86 €4.24

-13.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.44 €2.13

-15.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.80 €1.57

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.46 €1.27

-9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.12 €1.85

-7.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$20.89 €18.21

0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$13.65 €11.90

3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$4.27 €3.72

-1.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.62 €3.15

29.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$4.83 €4.21

-54.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

$46.55 €40.57

34.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$5.35 €4.67

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.60 €1.40

-8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$34.43 €30.02

70.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.07 €1.80

6.28%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

-0.04%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$38.8K €33.8K

-3.09%

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

$246 €215

$243 €212

1.13%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$22.82 €19.90

0.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$57.4 €50.0

-9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$57.0 €49.70

-20.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$13.84 €12.06

26.16%

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

$1,056 €920

$1,111 €968

-4.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,440 €4,742

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$98.6 €85.9

4.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$43.53 €37.94

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$110 €95.6

5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$117 €102

2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,272 €1,109

81.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,017 €887

99.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$2,415 €2,105

54.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$2,151 €1,875

30.79%

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

$3,251 €2,834

-7.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.5

5.14%

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

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Last update for Portlaoise: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Galway and $1,272 in Portlaoise. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portlaoise pays 8% 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 $70.0 in Portlaoise. Groceries flip the comparison at $378 vs $398, with Galway 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 Portlaoise: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portlaoise is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Portlaoise. 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 $1,272 in Portlaoise. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Galway pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Portlaoise – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,442 in Portlaoise versus $3,391 in Galway, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Portlaoise but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Portlaoise the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Portlaoise 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 Portlaoise 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 Portlaoise gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.