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: $3,391 in Galway versus $2,522 in Wicklow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,706 in Galway versus $3,812 in Wicklow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,020 in Galway versus $5,101 in Wicklow.

Living in Galway is roughly 34% more expensive than in Wicklow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Galway 148% above, Wicklow 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.91 €19.97

$16.00 €13.94

43.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$117 €102

$91.6 €79.9

27.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.05 €14.86

$9.25 €8.06

84.32%

Cappuccino

$5.12 €4.46

$4.36 €3.80

17.43%

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

$3.04 €2.65

$2.63 €2.30

15.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.14 €1.87

5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.97

$6.86 €5.98

16.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 €6.05

$6.16 €5.37

12.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.68 €1.47

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 €2.14

$1.68 €1.47

45.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.96

$1.90 €1.66

18.42%

Eggs

$4.51 €3.93

$4.63 €4.03

-2.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 €14.90

$14.67 €12.79

16.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 €9.71

$10.53 €9.18

5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.07 €12.27

$7.87 €6.86

78.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.76

$3.28 €2.86

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 €2.05

$3.03 €2.64

-22.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 €2.79

$3.42 €2.98

-6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 €3.65

$4.77 €4.16

-12.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.34 €2.04

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.36

$1.71 €1.49

-8.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 €1.15

$1.44 €1.25

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.09 €1.82

-5.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.03 €18.33

$21.20 €18.48

-0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.18 €12.36

$13.87 €12.09

2.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 €3.68

$2.27 €1.98

85.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 €4.08

$3.49 €3.04

34.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 €1.93

$2.94 €2.56

-24.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.35 €4.66

$2.56 €2.23

108.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 €1.28

$1.58 €1.37

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.0

$33.04 €28.80

77.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.19 €1.91

0.46%

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

$40.4K €35.2K

$38.1K €33.2K

6.19%

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

$37.6K €32.8K

$38.2K €33.3K

-1.66%

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

$246 €215

$227 €197

8.63%

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

$23.03 €20.07

$22.62 €19.71

1.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.2 €45.48

$34.19 €29.80

52.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.21 €39.41

$59.7 €52.0

-24.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €20.38

Cinema Ticket

$17.46 €15.22

$13.94 €12.15

25.25%

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

$1,056 €920

$1,107 €965

-4.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,597 €4,879

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.7

$96.1 €83.8

7.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 €42.94

$35.25 €30.73

39.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$69.4 €60.5

67.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €105

$126 €110

-4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,310 €2,014

$1,746 €1,522

32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,025 €1,766

$1,408 €1,228

43.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,726 €3,248

$3,176 €2,769

17.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,813 €2,453

$2,416 €2,106

16.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,397

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,001 €2,616

$5,711 €4,978

-47.45%

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 Wicklow: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,310 in Galway and $1,746 in Wicklow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wicklow pays 90% 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 $92.0 in Wicklow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $340 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% 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: $2,310 in Galway versus $1,746 in Wicklow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,056 in Galway versus $1,107 in Wicklow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Wicklow – a meal for two runs $92.0 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. 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 34% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.