Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilkenny and Dublin

For one person, living is cheaper in Kilkenny: $2,340 a month against $3,629 in Dublin, rent and utilities included – about $15,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kilkenny, Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
Kilkenny
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,340
/mo nomad
Dublin
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,629
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kilkenny and in Dublin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kilkenny and in Dublin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,340 per month in Kilkenny vs $3,629 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $2,340
  • Dublin $3,629

A couple spends around $3,280 per month in Kilkenny vs $5,130 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $3,280
  • Dublin $5,130

A family of three spends $4,221 per month in Kilkenny vs $6,631 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Kilkenny $4,221
  • Dublin $6,631

Kilkenny is about 36% cheaper than Dublin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Kilkenny and Dublin sit above the global median – Kilkenny by 72%, Dublin by 167%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.55 €14.87
$23.23 €20.87
-28.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4 €60.5
$102 €91.6
-33.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.02 €9.01
$13.28 €11.93
-24.55%
Cappuccino
$4.28 €3.85
$4.91 €4.41
-12.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 €2.68
$2.98 €2.68
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 €1.96
$2.18 €1.95
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.57 €5.90
$7.92 €7.12
-17.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.50 €5.84
$7.76 €6.98
-16.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.20
$1.63 €1.46
-18.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.35 €2.11
$2.42 €2.18
-2.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 €1.37
$2.06 €1.85
-25.73%
Eggs
$4.38 €3.94
$4.92 €4.42
-10.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.50 €9.43
$9.86 €8.86
6.49%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.72 €5.14
$12.50 €11.24
-54.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.82 €6.13
$16.23 €14.59
-57.98%
Apples (1kg)
$2.27 €2.04
$2.81 €2.52
-19.22%
Banana (1kg)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.22 €1.99
0.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.03 €2.72
$2.81 €2.53
7.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.85 €2.56
$5.15 €4.63
-44.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 €1.11
$1.86 €1.68
-33.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.14 €1.03
$1.46 €1.31
-21.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 €0.76
$1.32 €1.18
-35.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 €1.65
$2.11 €1.89
-13.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.42 €18.35
$20.86 €18.74
-2.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.18 €12.74
$13.24 €11.90
7.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.82 €3.43
$3.43 €3.08
11.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 €3.93
$3.51 €3.15
24.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.71 €2.44
$2.29 €2.06
18.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$106 €95.3
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 €4.80
$5.27 €4.73
1.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.49 €1.34
-5.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.4 €50.7
$38.05 €34.19
48.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.83
$2.10 €1.89
-2.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K €34.4K
$38.4K €34.5K
-0.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.4K €34.5K
$37.8K €33.9K
1.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 €162
$269 €241
-32.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.72 €18.62
$18.56 €16.67
11.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.8 €46.56
$53.1 €47.73
-2.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$69.4 €62.4
$63.8 €57.3
8.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.38 €20.11
$20.81 €18.70
7.54%
Cinema Ticket
$13.53 €12.16
$15.64 €14.05
-13.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$877 €788
$1,269 €1,140
-30.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$14.4K €13.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.4
$105 €94.7
-3.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.88 €33.14
$51.1 €45.88
-27.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 €100
$114 €102
-2.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.0 €84.5
$131 €118
-28.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,534 €1,378
$2,475 €2,223
-38.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,252 €1,125
$2,162 €1,942
-42.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,620 €2,354
$4,319 €3,881
-39.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,818 €1,634
$3,331 €2,993
-45.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,172 €7,342
$8,467 €7,608
-3.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,279 €2,047
$5,920 €5,319
-61.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kilkenny
Dublin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,765 €2,484
$3,706 €3,330
-25.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.68
3.81
-3.41%

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

Last update for Kilkenny: October 27, 2026

Last update for Dublin: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kilkenny
$1.3K
Dublin
$2.2K 72.7% $910
Eating Out
Kilkenny
$280
Dublin
$360 28.5% $80
Groceries & Markets
Kilkenny
$280
Dublin
$363 29.8% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kilkenny
$253
Dublin
$340 34.5% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Kilkenny
$155
Dublin
$181 16.7% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Kilkenny
$96
Dublin
$95 1.5% $1.4
Getting Around
Kilkenny
$23 *
Dublin
$128 451% $105

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,534 in Kilkenny versus $2,475 in Dublin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in Dublin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67 in Kilkenny versus $102 in Dublin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $363 – making Kilkenny the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Kilkenny
🇮🇪 Dublin
🕒 Local time
17:45 5:45 PM
17:45 5:45 PM
Same time as Kilkenny
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
26,500
588,233 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kilkenny Dublin 100 km
From you
  • Kilkenny
  • Dublin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kilkenny vs Dublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kilkenny and in Dublin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,340 in Kilkenny, $3,629 in Dublin – roughly 55% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Kilkenny compared to Dublin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,509 per month in Kilkenny and $5,444 in Dublin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kilkenny and Dublin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilkenny, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,534 there versus $2,475 in Dublin.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kilkenny or Dublin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,340 in Kilkenny and $3,629 in Dublin. That’s a gap of about 55%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kilkenny and Dublin?
Kindergarten costs $877 per month in Kilkenny and $1,269 in Dublin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Where should families live: Kilkenny or Dublin?
Families tend to lean toward Kilkenny – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Kilkenny or Dublin safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Kilkenny and Dublin?
If budget matters most, go with Kilkenny. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Kilkenny vs other spots: cost of living compared

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