Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilkenny and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilkenny and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,321 in Kilkenny versus $3,424 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,214 in Kilkenny versus $4,759 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,107 in Kilkenny versus $6,094 in Galway.

Living in Kilkenny costs roughly 32% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kilkenny 68% above, Galway 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.13 €13.87

$23.08 €19.85

-30.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 €59.3

$114 €98.2

-39.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.37 €8.91

$17.51 €15.05

-40.78%

Cappuccino

$4.27 €3.67

$5.00 €4.30

-14.60%

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

$2.38 €2.04

$3.05 €2.63

-21.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.46

$2.37 €2.04

-28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 €5.16

$8.18 €7.03

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.91

$6.85 €5.89

0.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 €1.16

$1.66 €1.42

-18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 €2.10

$2.45 €2.10

-0.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$2.35 €2.02

-18.30%

Eggs

$4.20 €3.61

$4.56 €3.92

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.72 €9.22

$17.17 €14.76

-37.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 €9.93

$11.29 €9.70

2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.73 €10.09

$14.02 €12.06

-16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 €0.97

$3.18 €2.73

-64.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 €1.43

$2.32 €2.00

-28.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$3.23 €2.78

-0.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.96

$4.22 €3.63

-46.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 €1.10

$2.06 €1.77

-37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.52 €1.31

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 €0.82

$1.30 €1.12

-26.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.98 €1.71

-40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.83 €17.91

$21.00 €18.05

-0.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 €11.84

$14.68 €12.62

-6.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 €2.56

$4.27 €3.67

-30.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.96

$4.78 €4.11

-28.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.15 €1.85

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 €55.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 €4.74

$5.54 €4.76

-0.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.48 €1.27

-0.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.0 €49.01

$58.7 €50.4

-2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.12 €1.83

-7.08%

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

$38.2K €32.8K

$40.3K €34.6K

-5.17%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$38.2K €32.8K

0.25%

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

$183 €157

$256 €220

-28.68%

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

$23.17 €19.92

$23.34 €20.07

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.8 €46.27

$53.4 €45.92

0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 €52.3

$45.60 €39.21

33.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 €20.08

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 €11.85

$17.67 €15.20

-21.96%

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

$1,055 €907

$1,032 €887

2.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 €81.0

$105 €90.0

-10.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 €43.17

$50.2 €43.15

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 €81.4

$114 €97.9

-16.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 €102

$119 €102

-0.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,488 €1,279

$2,337 €2,009

-36.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 €1,039

$2,030 €1,745

-40.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,415 €2,076

$3,697 €3,179

-34.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,654 €1,422

$2,799 €2,407

-40.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,498 €7,306

$6,297 €5,414

34.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,344 €2,015

$4,725 €4,063

-50.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,796 €2,404

$3,040 €2,614

-8.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

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

Last update for Kilkenny: September 5, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,488 in Kilkenny and $2,337 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $69.0 in Kilkenny vs $114 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $381 per month, with Kilkenny 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

Kilkenny vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kilkenny is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Galway. 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: $1,488 in Kilkenny versus $2,337 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,055 in Kilkenny versus $1,032 in Galway. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kilkenny – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $114 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,321 in Kilkenny versus $3,424 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Kilkenny but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Kilkenny the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kilkenny 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, Kilkenny and Galway 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 Kilkenny gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.