Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Limerick and Dundalk

For one person, living is cheaper in Dundalk: $2,531 a month against $2,991 in Limerick, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Limerick, Ireland
Dundalk, Ireland
Limerick
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,991
/mo nomad
Dundalk
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,531
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Limerick and in Dundalk

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,991 in Limerick versus $2,531 in Dundalk.

  • Limerick $2,991
  • Dundalk $2,531

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,185 in Limerick versus $3,726 in Dundalk.

  • Limerick $4,185
  • Dundalk $3,726

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,379 in Limerick versus $4,922 in Dundalk.

  • Limerick $5,379
  • Dundalk $4,922

Living in Limerick is roughly 18% more expensive than in Dundalk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Limerick 120% above, Dundalk 86% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.09 €18.00
$18.08 €16.20
11.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.6 €75.0
$89.8 €80.4
-6.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.36 €11.97
$12.31 €11.03
8.53%
Cappuccino
$4.49 €4.02
$3.88 €3.48
15.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 €2.33
$2.06 €1.84
26.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 €1.99
$1.27 €1.14
74.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.35 €6.59
$6.78 €6.07
8.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.63 €5.94
$5.43 €4.87
22.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.52
$1.39 €1.25
22.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.79 €1.60
$0.93 €0.83
92.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.81 €1.62
$1.35 €1.21
34.07%
Eggs
$5.25 €4.70
$4.54 €4.07
15.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.25 €7.39
$13.92 €12.47
-40.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.82 €11.49
$13.20 €11.83
-2.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.47 €12.96
$16.55 €14.83
-12.57%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 €3.63
$2.18 €1.96
85.78%
Banana (1kg)
$2.62 €2.34
$2.25 €2.02
16.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 €3.54
$2.26 €2.03
74.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.99 €3.57
$4.87 €4.37
-18.07%
Potato (1kg)
$4.37 €3.92
$1.10 €0.99
297.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.68 €2.40
$1.80 €1.61
48.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 €1.11
$1.41 €1.26
-12.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 €2.07
$2.16 €1.93
6.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.85 €18.68
$19.78 €17.72
5.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.80 €15.05
$13.50 €12.09
24.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.96 €2.65
$4.15 €3.72
-28.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86 €3.46
$3.50 €3.13
10.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.48 €2.22
$2.28 €2.04
8.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.1 €59.2
$112 €101
-41.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.69 €5.09
$5.21 €4.67
9.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.42 €1.28
6.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$66.0 €59.1
$18.55 €16.62
255.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.85
$2.06 €1.85
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K €34.5K
$38.4K €34.4K
0.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K €34.8K
$33.2K €29.7K
16.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 €146
$235 €211
-31.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.34 €19.12
$21.48 €19.25
-0.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.47 €40.75
$55.5 €49.76
-18.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.8 €46.38
$48.91 €43.83
5.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.16 €22.54
$25.01 €22.41
0.60%
Cinema Ticket
$11.15 €9.99
$13.18 €11.81
-15.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$851 €763
$1,092 €978
-22.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,233 €2,001
$5,208 €4,667
-57.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.3 €79.1
$96.4 €86.4
-8.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.24 €32.47
$27.90 €25.00
29.89%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 €81.6
$66.5 €59.6
37.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.3 €87.2
$121 €108
-19.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,167 €1,942
$1,734 €1,553
25.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,760 €1,577
$1,228 €1,100
43.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,147 €2,820
$2,466 €2,210
27.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,531 €2,268
$1,993 €1,786
26.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,397 €3,940
$5,598 €5,016
-21.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,835 €3,436
$5,128 €4,595
-25.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Limerick
Dundalk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,268 €2,928
$2,477 €2,219
31.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.6
4.14
-13.04%

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

Last update for Limerick: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dundalk: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Limerick
$1.8K
Dundalk
$1.2K 30.2% $532
Groceries & Markets
Limerick
$374
Dundalk
$355 5.1% $19
Eating Out
Limerick
$324
Dundalk
$286 11.6% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Limerick
$229
Dundalk
$312 36.3% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Limerick
$141
Dundalk
$140 0.5% $0.7
Getting Around
Limerick
$89
Dundalk
$134 50.1% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Limerick
$74
Dundalk
$75 1.6% $1.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,167 in Limerick and $1,734 in Dundalk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Limerick pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $84 in Limerick vs $90 in Dundalk. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $355, with Dundalk cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Limerick
🇮🇪 Dundalk
🕒 Local time
07:59 7:59 AM
07:59 7:59 AM
Same time as Limerick
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
94,192
43,112
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Limerick Dundalk 210 km
From you
  • Limerick
  • Dundalk

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
Limerick vs Dundalk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dundalk cheaper than Limerick?
Dundalk is about 15% cheaper overall, especially in eating out and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Limerick or Dundalk?
Average pay runs 32% higher in Limerick, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Limerick and Dundalk?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,167 in Limerick versus $1,734 in Dundalk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Limerick or in Dundalk?
Dining out is cheaper in Limerick – a meal for two runs $84 versus $90 in Dundalk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Limerick and in Dundalk?
All in, you’ll spend $2,991 per month in Limerick versus $2,531 in Dundalk – Dundalk is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $2,500 enough to cover costs in Limerick or in Dundalk?
Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Dundalk is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Limerick or in Dundalk?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Limerick or Dundalk?
Safety-wise, Limerick and Dundalk are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Dundalk wins on affordability, Limerick on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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