Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Portmarnock Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Portmarnock

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,012 in Galway versus $2,599 in Portmarnock.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,270 in Galway versus $3,836 in Portmarnock.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,527 in Galway versus $5,073 in Portmarnock.

Living in Galway is roughly 16% more expensive than in Portmarnock, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 125% above, Portmarnock 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.43 €16.10

$23.36 €20.41

-21.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 €83.6

$105 €91.7

-8.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 €8.99

$10.50 €9.17

-2.00%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.65

$4.45 €3.89

-6.29%

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

$2.31 €2.02

$2.33 €2.03

-0.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.60 €1.40

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 €6.08

$6.75 €5.89

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 €5.67

$6.51 €5.68

-0.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.45 €1.27

3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$2.14 €1.87

19.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.12 €1.85

3.77%

Eggs

$4.00 €3.49

$3.91 €3.42

2.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 €10.91

$11.49 €10.04

8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 €9.17

$10.25 €8.96

2.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 €10.61

$14.28 €12.48

-14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 €2.64

$2.99 €2.61

1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.75

$2.08 €1.82

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.47

$2.72 €2.37

4.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 €2.97

$3.44 €3.01

-1.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.37 €1.20

5.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 €1.25

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.43 €1.25

-3.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

$2.08 €1.81

-19.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.25 €16.82

$20.28 €17.72

-5.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.25

$13.83 €12.08

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.16

$4.61 €4.03

3.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 €4.36

$4.48 €3.92

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 €2.03

$2.49 €2.18

-6.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.5 €60.7

$99.0 €86.5

-29.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 €4.41

$4.92 €4.30

2.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.37 €1.20

0.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.64 €37.25

$38.81 €33.91

9.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.74

$2.07 €1.81

-3.38%

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

$41.6K €36.3K

$42.0K €36.7K

-0.99%

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

$39.0K €34.1K

-0.15%

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

$280 €245

$284 €248

-1.51%

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

$21.89 €19.13

$21.38 €18.68

2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 €47.97

$54.3 €47.46

1.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €49.22

$52.0 €45.46

8.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.62 €7.53

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 €12.03

$13.92 €12.16

-1.08%

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

$1,074 €938

$1,065 €930

0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,143 €7,115

$8,111 €7,086

0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 €77.6

$90.9 €79.4

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 €35.16

$39.68 €34.67

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.9

$101 €88.1

1.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.6

$107 €93.1

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,977 €1,727

$1,477 €1,290

33.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 €1,556

$1,255 €1,097

41.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,265 €2,852

$2,382 €2,081

37.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,522 €2,204

$1,997 €1,744

26.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,224 €5,438

$4,491 €3,924

38.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,731 €4,134

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,060 €2,673

$4,897 €4,278

-37.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.04

18.81%

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

Last update for Galway: July 14, 2026

Last update for Portmarnock: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,977 in Galway and $1,477 in Portmarnock. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portmarnock pays 60% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $96.0 in Galway vs $105 in Portmarnock. Groceries flip the comparison at $342 vs $341, with Portmarnock 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 Portmarnock: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portmarnock is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Portmarnock. 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: $1,977 in Galway versus $1,477 in Portmarnock. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Portmarnock – a meal for two runs $105 versus $96.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Portmarnock 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 Portmarnock 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 Portmarnock gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.