Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Swords Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Swords

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,127 in Galway versus $2,528 in Swords.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,274 in Galway versus $3,699 in Swords.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,421 in Galway versus $4,869 in Swords.

Living in Galway is roughly 24% more expensive than in Swords, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 135% above, Swords 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.47

$18.33 €16.09

2.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €85.2

$93.7 €82.3

3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.23

$10.47 €9.20

0.48%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.66

$4.37 €3.84

-4.58%

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

$2.32 €2.04

$2.40 €2.10

-3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.37

$1.54 €1.35

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.24

$7.08 €6.21

0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.52

$6.53 €5.73

-3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.33

$1.46 €1.28

3.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.18

$2.22 €1.95

11.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.85

$2.10 €1.84

0.48%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.60

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €11.05

$11.40 €10.01

10.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.98

$10.58 €9.29

-3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.64

$11.67 €10.25

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.61

$2.91 €2.56

2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.49

$2.75 €2.42

2.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.96

$3.49 €3.06

-3.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.25

$1.45 €1.27

-2.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.26

$1.35 €1.19

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.61 €1.42

3.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.33

$19.59 €17.20

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.34

$13.74 €12.06

2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.36

$3.67 €3.23

35.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.26

$3.96 €3.47

22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.03

$2.41 €2.12

-4.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.9

$97.6 €85.7

-30.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.46

$4.83 €4.24

5.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.21

$2.05 €1.80

-32.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €38.02

$38.87 €34.12

11.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.06 €1.81

0.49%

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

$43.1K €37.9K

$42.4K €37.2K

1.72%

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

$38.5K €33.8K

$39.1K €34.3K

-1.41%

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

$287 €252

$282 €248

1.66%

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

$21.96 €19.28

$23.10 €20.28

-4.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €49.08

$54.4 €47.79

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €49.56

$40.82 €35.84

38.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.48

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.34

$13.71 €12.04

2.48%

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

$1,064 €934

$1,041 €914

2.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,131

$8,058 €7,075

0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €80.1

$89.0 €78.1

2.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €34.40

$39.70 €34.85

-1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €89.5

$99.3 €87.2

2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €94.4

$108 €95.1

-0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,744

$1,494 €1,312

32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,520

$1,232 €1,081

40.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,902

$2,422 €2,127

36.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,213

$1,929 €1,693

30.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,261

$3,920 €3,441

52.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,094

$4,852 €4,260

-3.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,706

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 28, 2026

Last update for Swords: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,986 in Galway and $1,494 in Swords. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $97.0 in Galway vs $94.0 in Swords for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $325 per month, with Swords 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 Swords: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swords is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,691 in Galway and $3,792 in Swords to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,986 in Galway versus $1,494 in Swords. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Swords – a meal for two runs $94.0 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 $3,000. Swords is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Swords 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 Swords 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 Swords gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.