Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Waterford Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Waterford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,391 in Galway versus $2,732 in Waterford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,706 in Galway versus $4,016 in Waterford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,020 in Galway versus $5,300 in Waterford.

Living in Galway is roughly 24% more expensive than in Waterford, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Waterford 100% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$22.71 €19.80

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$97.8 €85.3

19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$12.59 €10.97

35.42%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$4.07 €3.55

25.80%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$3.00 €2.61

1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.21 €1.93

2.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$7.48 €6.52

6.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$6.00 €5.23

15.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.48 €1.29

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.44 €2.13

0.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$4.48 €3.90

0.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$15.02 €13.09

13.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$10.98 €9.57

1.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$14.06 €12.26

0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$3.10 €2.70

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$2.33 €2.03

0.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$4.34 €3.78

-3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$1.76 €1.53

17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.36 €1.18

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$1.87 €1.63

5.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$18.77 €16.36

12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$14.25 €12.43

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$3.03 €2.64

39.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.23 €2.81

44.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.56 €2.23

-13.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

$61.0 €53.2

2.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$5.33 €4.65

0.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.54 €1.35

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$57.1 €49.80

2.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$40.3K €35.2K

0.20%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$38.0K €33.1K

-1.12%

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

$246 €215

$231 €202

6.45%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$23.30 €20.31

-1.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$53.4 €46.53

-2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$51.1 €44.52

-11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

$14.33 €12.49

63.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$17.62 €15.36

-0.91%

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

$1,056 €920

$1,027 €895

2.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$73.4 €64.0

40.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$49.16 €42.85

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$114 €99.7

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$118 €103

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,720 €1,499

34.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,393 €1,214

45.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$2,669 €2,326

39.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$2,205 €1,922

27.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,397

$3,410 €2,973

81.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

$2,622 €2,286

82.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 €2,616

$3,273 €2,853

-8.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

4.14

-11.11%

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

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Last update for Waterford: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Galway and $1,720 in Waterford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterford pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $117 in Galway vs $98.0 in Waterford for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $359 per month, with Waterford 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 Waterford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Waterford. 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: $2,310 in Galway versus $1,720 in Waterford. 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 Waterford – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Waterford is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Waterford 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 Waterford 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 Waterford 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.