Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Tuam Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Tuam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,128 in Galway versus $2,498 in Tuam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,347 in Galway versus $3,596 in Tuam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,566 in Galway versus $4,693 in Tuam.

Living in Galway is roughly 25% more expensive than Tuam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 133% above, Tuam 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.34 €15.91

$21.25 €18.43

-13.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$94.4 €81.9

$63.2 €54.8

49.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.39 €9.01

$14.99 €13.01

-30.69%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.68

$4.35 €3.78

-2.30%

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

$2.42 €2.10

$2.47 €2.14

-2.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.91 €1.66

-15.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 €5.84

$6.77 €5.88

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.35 €5.51

$6.50 €5.64

-2.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.59 €1.38

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 €2.24

$2.05 €1.78

25.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 €1.87

$2.07 €1.80

3.86%

Eggs

$3.93 €3.41

$4.27 €3.70

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 €10.93

$10.31 €8.95

22.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.62 €9.21

$11.20 €9.72

-5.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.09 €10.49

$12.11 €10.51

-0.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 €2.52

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.99 €1.73

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 €2.48

$2.89 €2.51

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 €3.03

$3.79 €3.29

-7.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 €1.24

$2.16 €1.87

-33.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.45 €1.26

1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.36 €1.18

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.37

$1.95 €1.69

-18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.77 €17.15

$18.39 €15.95

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.39 €12.48

$13.99 €12.14

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.99 €4.33

$3.34 €2.90

49.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 €4.39

$3.83 €3.33

32.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 €1.93

$2.41 €2.09

-7.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 €59.8

$97.7 €84.7

-29.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 €4.36

$5.18 €4.50

-2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.86 €1.62

-28.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.73 €37.94

$34.95 €30.32

25.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.99 €1.72

5.03%

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

$42.2K €36.6K

$41.8K €36.3K

0.88%

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

$39.1K €34.0K

$39.2K €34.0K

-0.18%

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

$285 €247

$213 €185

33.72%

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

$21.92 €19.01

$21.92 €19.02

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.5 €48.15

$50.2 €43.52

10.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.58

$51.7 €44.82

10.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 €7.53

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 €11.97

$14.03 €12.17

-1.64%

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

$1,066 €925

$1,053 €913

1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,946 €6,894

$7,625 €6,616

4.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 €79.1

$88.8 €77.1

2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 €34.76

$39.81 €34.54

0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 €87.2

$98.7 €85.6

1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 €92.6

$103 €89.2

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,005 €1,740

$1,496 €1,298

34.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,724 €1,496

$1,266 €1,099

36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,380 €2,932

$2,378 €2,063

42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 €2,184

$1,945 €1,688

29.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,193 €5,373

$4,044 €3,508

53.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,705 €4,082

$2,868 €2,488

64.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,228 €2,801

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 1, 2026

Last update for Tuam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,005 in Galway and $1,496 in Tuam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $94.0 in Galway vs $63.0 in Tuam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $333 per month, with Tuam 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 Tuam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tuam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,692 in Galway and $3,747 in Tuam 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: $2,005 in Galway versus $1,496 in Tuam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tuam – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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

For families, Tuam 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 Tuam 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 Tuam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.