Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Wicklow Cost of Living Comparison Between Galway and Wicklow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,127 in Galway versus $2,702 in Wicklow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,274 in Galway versus $4,051 in Wicklow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,421 in Galway versus $5,399 in Wicklow.

Living in Galway is roughly 16% more expensive than in Wicklow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 135% above, Wicklow 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 €16.25

$17.22 €14.91

8.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.1 €84.1

$93.7 €81.1

3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.52 €9.11

$10.25 €8.88

2.63%

Cappuccino

$4.17 €3.61

$4.27 €3.70

-2.34%

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

$2.32 €2.01

$2.36 €2.04

-1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.60 €1.38

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.15

$7.08 €6.13

0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.29 €5.45

$5.91 €5.12

6.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.27 €1.10

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 €2.15

$1.91 €1.66

29.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$2.19 €1.90

-3.65%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.55

$3.97 €3.44

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 €10.90

$12.48 €10.80

0.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 €8.86

$10.60 €9.18

-3.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 €10.50

$9.60 €8.31

26.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$2.89 €2.50

2.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.08 €1.80

-0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.45

$2.80 €2.42

1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 €2.92

$3.54 €3.07

-4.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 €1.23

$1.43 €1.24

-0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.47 €1.28

0.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.44 €1.24

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.59 €1.37

5.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.74 €17.09

$18.79 €16.27

5.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 €12.17

$13.54 €11.73

3.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.96 €4.30

$2.25 €1.95

120.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 €4.20

$3.49 €3.02

38.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.47 €2.14

-6.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.2 €59.0

$99.0 €85.7

-31.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 €4.40

$2.53 €2.19

100.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 €1.19

$2.70 €2.34

-48.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.30 €37.50

$33.62 €29.12

28.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.79

$1.97 €1.71

5.08%

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

$43.1K €37.3K

$33.8K €29.3K

27.59%

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

$38.5K €33.4K

$39.3K €34.0K

-1.89%

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

$287 €248

$280 €242

2.56%

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

$21.96 €19.02

$21.81 €18.89

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.9 €48.41

$49.19 €42.60

13.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 €48.88

$60.1 €52.1

-6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 €7.38

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.17

$13.97 €12.10

0.57%

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

$1,064 €922

$1,060 €918

0.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,122 €7,034

$7,970 €6,902

1.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.3 €79.0

$91.1 €78.9

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.18 €33.93

$40.22 €34.83

-2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €88.3

$93.9 €81.3

8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €93.1

$106 €92.2

1.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 €1,720

$1,768 €1,531

12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 €1,499

$1,392 €1,206

24.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,305 €2,863

$3,105 €2,689

6.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,521 €2,183

$2,390 €2,070

5.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,992 €5,189

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,663 €4,038

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,082 €2,669

$5,732 €4,964

-46.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

3.77

27.32%

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

Last update for Galway: July 28, 2026

Last update for Wicklow: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,986 in Galway and $1,768 in Wicklow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wicklow pays 86% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $97.0 in Galway vs $94.0 in Wicklow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $309 per month, with Wicklow 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 Wicklow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Wicklow is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Wicklow. 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: $1,986 in Galway versus $1,768 in Wicklow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Wicklow – 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. Wicklow is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Wicklow 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 Wicklow 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 Wicklow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.