Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Tralee Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Tralee

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,416 in Galway versus $2,259 in Tralee.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,790 in Galway versus $3,502 in Tralee.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,164 in Galway versus $4,744 in Tralee.

Living in Galway is roughly 51% more expensive than in Tralee, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 152% above, Tralee 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.07 €19.93

$23.25 €20.08

-0.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$114 €98.5

$91.1 €78.7

25.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.61 €15.22

$13.69 €11.83

28.63%

Cappuccino

$5.04 €4.35

$5.06 €4.37

-0.40%

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

$3.15 €2.72

$2.96 €2.56

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.22 €1.92

7.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 €7.01

$7.13 €6.16

13.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 €5.87

$7.08 €6.12

-4.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.67 €1.44

8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 €2.06

$2.33 €2.01

2.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$1.77 €1.53

32.20%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.01

$3.17 €2.74

46.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.13 €14.80

$4.49 €3.88

281.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 €9.88

$11.32 €9.78

1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 €11.98

$7.11 €6.14

95.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 €2.72

$3.07 €2.65

2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 €1.93

$2.39 €2.06

-6.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.77

$2.93 €2.53

9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 €3.74

$5.56 €4.80

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.00 €1.73

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 €1.36

$1.53 €1.32

2.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 €1.17

$1.32 €1.14

2.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.03 €1.75

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.38 €18.47

$19.38 €16.74

10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 €12.43

$13.61 €11.75

5.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.13 €3.57

$3.52 €3.04

17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 €3.91

$3.43 €2.96

31.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 €1.88

$2.33 €2.01

-6.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 €54.6

$46.10 €39.82

37.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.65

$5.18 €4.48

3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.61 €1.39

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.6 €50.7

$23.07 €19.93

154.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.86

$2.09 €1.80

2.87%

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

$40.0K €34.6K

$23.3K €20.1K

71.66%

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

$37.9K €32.8K

$35.1K €30.3K

8.10%

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

$247 €214

$90.9 €78.5

172.18%

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

$23.12 €19.97

$17.43 €15.06

32.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.6 €45.46

$34.45 €29.76

52.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.04 €39.77

$91.0 €78.6

-49.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.38 €20.19

Cinema Ticket

$17.07 €14.74

$15.33 €13.24

11.35%

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

$1,043 €901

$876 €757

19.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K €12.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.4

$69.4 €59.9

45.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.05 €42.37

$45.65 €39.43

7.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.7

$81.1 €70.0

42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 €101

$90.8 €78.5

28.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,387 €2,062

$1,271 €1,098

87.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 €1,752

$1,138 €983

78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,768 €3,255

$2,304 €1,990

63.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,789 €2,409

$1,925 €1,663

44.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,120 €5,287

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,704 €4,064

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,134 €2,707

$2,475 €2,138

26.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.82

-3.66%

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

Last update for Galway: August 10, 2026

Last update for Tralee: August 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,387 in Galway and $1,271 in Tralee. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 27% 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: $114 in Galway vs $91.0 in Tralee for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $311 per month, with Tralee 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 Tralee: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tralee is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $2,387 in Galway versus $1,271 in Tralee. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tralee – a meal for two runs $91.0 versus $114 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,259 in Tralee versus $3,416 in Galway, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tralee but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Tralee the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tralee 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 Tralee 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 Tralee gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.