Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Sligo Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Sligo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,072 in Galway versus $1,974 in Sligo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,312 in Galway versus $3,014 in Sligo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,551 in Galway versus $4,054 in Sligo.

Living in Galway is roughly 56% more expensive than Sligo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 130% above, Sligo 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.74 €16.14

$17.20 €14.81

8.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 €82.5

$81.4 €70.1

17.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.30 €8.87

$9.66 €8.32

6.63%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.72

$3.67 €3.16

17.71%

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

$2.44 €2.11

$2.09 €1.80

16.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.70 €1.46

-4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 €5.81

$6.81 €5.87

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 €5.55

$5.82 €5.01

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.54 €1.33

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.20

$1.66 €1.43

53.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.49 €1.29

42.28%

Eggs

$3.90 €3.36

$3.57 €3.08

9.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 €10.93

$7.74 €6.67

63.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 €8.96

$10.95 €9.43

-5.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.79 €10.16

$11.54 €9.93

2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 €2.52

$2.16 €1.86

35.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$1.75 €1.50

15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 €2.34

$3.02 €2.60

-9.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.81 €2.42

25.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.38 €1.19

3.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.24 €1.07

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.20 €1.03

19.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.37

$2.09 €1.80

-23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.79 €17.05

$17.74 €15.27

11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.65 €12.61

$11.68 €10.06

25.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.92 €4.24

$2.77 €2.38

77.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 €4.33

$3.27 €2.82

53.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.34 €2.01

-2.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.6 €59.1

$98.0 €84.4

-29.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.89 €4.21

$4.99 €4.29

-2.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.54 €1.33

-12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.85 €37.76

$69.2 €59.6

-36.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.96 €1.69

6.12%

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

$41.9K €36.1K

-0.11%

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

$38.7K €33.3K

$39.4K €33.9K

-1.70%

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

$283 €244

$187 €161

51.63%

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

$21.92 €18.88

$22.54 €19.41

-2.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 €47.37

$49.96 €43.02

10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.5 €48.63

$66.9 €57.6

-15.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.30 €7.15

$11.38 €9.80

-27.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 €12.13

$11.48 €9.89

22.74%

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

$1,062 €914

$588 €506

80.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,231 €7,088

$2,335 €2,010

252.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.7 €78.1

$77.4 €66.6

17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.12 €33.68

$38.30 €32.98

2.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €86.5

$101 €86.9

-0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.8

$75.7 €65.2

42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,052 €1,767

$1,415 €1,218

45.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 €1,494

$807 €695

114.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,286 €2,829

$2,365 €2,037

38.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 €2,227

$1,416 €1,219

82.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,330 €5,451

$2,223 €1,914

184.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,675 €4,026

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,262 €2,809

$4,303 €3,705

-24.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

4.53

5.96%

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

Last update for Galway: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sligo: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,052 in Galway and $1,415 in Sligo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sligo pays 32% 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 $81.0 in Sligo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $292 per month, with Sligo 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 Sligo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sligo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sligo earns 32% less. 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: $2,052 in Galway versus $1,415 in Sligo. 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 Sligo – a meal for two runs $81.0 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 $3,000. Sligo is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Sligo 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 Sligo 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 Sligo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.