Cost of Living Comparison Between Limerick and Ballina Cost of Living Comparison Between Limerick and Ballina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,851 per month in Limerick vs $2,627 in Ballina, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,902 per month in Limerick vs $3,711 in Ballina, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,953 per month in Limerick vs $4,796 in Ballina, rent included.

Limerick costs about 9% more than Ballina, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Limerick and Ballina sit above the global median – Limerick by 113%, Ballina by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.05 €17.54

$17.13 €14.99

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.0 €79.6

$70.2 €61.4

29.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 €9.25

$12.55 €10.98

-15.78%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.78

$3.96 €3.47

9.09%

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

$2.11 €1.85

$1.60 €1.40

31.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 €1.45

$1.36 €1.19

21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 €6.21

$5.76 €5.04

23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.78 €5.94

$6.86 €6.00

-1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.43

$1.72 €1.51

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 €1.87

$2.11 €1.84

1.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.99 €1.74

-22.11%

Eggs

$4.50 €3.94

$3.14 €2.74

43.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 €6.60

$11.23 €9.82

-32.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.23 €11.58

$11.57 €10.12

14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 €10.90

$13.92 €12.18

-10.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 €3.14

$3.28 €2.87

9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.77 €2.42

$1.65 €1.44

67.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 €3.17

$2.97 €2.60

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 €3.82

$5.30 €4.64

-17.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 €1.99

$2.14 €1.87

6.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 €1.37

$1.78 €1.55

-11.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.37 €1.20

-8.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 €2.11

$2.03 €1.78

18.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.61 €16.28

$20.57 €18.00

-9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.02 €14.89

$10.43 €9.12

63.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.40

$3.51 €3.07

-21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 €2.90

$3.83 €3.35

-13.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.50 €2.19

-0.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.5 €46.80

$99.0 €86.6

-45.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.88 €5.15

$4.79 €4.19

22.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 €1.01

$2.79 €2.44

-58.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.5 €61.7

$39.37 €34.45

79.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.99 €1.74

1.51%

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

$43.0K €37.6K

$36.4K €31.9K

17.97%

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

$39.1K €34.2K

$37.8K €33.0K

3.43%

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

$189 €165

$276 €242

-31.72%

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

$22.70 €19.86

$23.97 €20.98

-5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 €44.18

$40.04 €35.03

26.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 €46.43

$52.5 €45.89

1.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.66 €6.70

Cinema Ticket

$11.46 €10.03

$12.83 €11.22

-10.68%

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

$977 €855

$1,338 €1,170

-26.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,277 €1,993

$9,498 €8,309

-76.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 €67.1

$105 €92.0

-27.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.82 €33.09

$48.72 €42.63

-22.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 €86.8

$116 €101

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 €65.4

$116 €101

-35.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,056 €1,799

$1,446 €1,265

42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 €1,453

$1,223 €1,070

35.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,619 €2,291

$2,427 €2,123

7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 €1,975

$2,006 €1,755

12.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,401 €2,975

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,057 €2,675

$2,802 €2,451

9.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,284 €2,874

$3,349 €2,930

-1.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.04

12.13%

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

Last update for Limerick: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ballina: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,056 in Limerick versus $1,446 in Ballina. 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 2% higher in Ballina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Limerick versus $70.0 in Ballina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $343 – making Ballina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Limerick vs Ballina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Limerick costs about 9% more than Ballina, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,276 per month in Limerick and $3,940 in Ballina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ballina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Ballina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $977 per month in Limerick and $1,338 in Ballina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ballina, where all-in costs run around $2,627, than in Limerick at $2,851. In Ballina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Limerick it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ballina costs $2,627 versus $2,851 in Limerick. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ballina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Limerick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.