Cost of Living Comparison Between Loughrea and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Loughrea and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,702 in Loughrea versus $3,391 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,007 in Loughrea versus $4,706 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,312 in Loughrea versus $6,020 in Galway.

Living in Loughrea costs roughly 20% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Loughrea 98% above, Galway 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 €21.96

$22.91 €19.96

10.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €91.0

$117 €102

-10.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 €12.14

$17.05 €14.85

-18.30%

Cappuccino

$3.54 €3.09

$5.12 €4.46

-30.86%

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

$2.28 €1.99

$3.04 €2.65

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.99

$2.26 €1.97

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 €5.10

$8.00 €6.97

-26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.70 €4.10

$6.94 €6.05

-32.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.63 €1.42

2.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.45 €2.14

-7.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 €1.82

$2.25 €1.96

-7.11%

Eggs

$5.09 €4.43

$4.51 €3.93

12.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.40 €2.96

$17.09 €14.89

-80.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 €5.89

$11.14 €9.70

-39.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 €10.23

$14.07 €12.26

-16.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 €2.60

$3.17 €2.76

-5.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.09

$2.35 €2.04

1.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 €2.54

$3.20 €2.79

-9.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 €4.11

$4.19 €3.65

12.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.07 €1.80

-2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.56 €1.36

-3.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.32 €1.15

-37.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.97 €1.72

1.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.17 €19.31

$21.03 €18.32

5.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.62 €11.86

$14.18 €12.36

-3.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 €3.12

$4.22 €3.68

-15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.07

$4.68 €4.07

-24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 €2.12

$2.21 €1.93

9.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$113 €98.4

$62.6 €54.6

80.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 €4.53

$5.35 €4.66

-2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.35

$1.46 €1.27

6.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.50 €33.54

$58.5 €51.0

-34.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.60

$2.20 €1.92

-16.36%

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

$41.0K €35.7K

$40.4K €35.2K

1.39%

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

$40.7K €35.4K

$37.6K €32.7K

8.25%

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

$165 €144

$246 €214

-32.75%

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

$19.29 €16.81

$23.03 €20.06

-16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 €46.75

$52.2 €45.45

2.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 €52.0

$45.21 €39.38

31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.6 €45.83

$23.37 €20.36

125.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 €13.79

$17.46 €15.21

-9.39%

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

$1,339 €1,167

$1,056 €920

26.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,616 €4,893

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 €81.9

$103 €89.7

-8.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 €45.03

$49.26 €42.92

4.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €100

$116 €101

-0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 €115

$120 €105

10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 €1,453

$2,310 €2,012

-27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 €1,194

$2,025 €1,765

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 €2,271

$3,726 €3,246

-30.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,236 €1,948

$2,813 €2,451

-20.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,191 €5,394

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,169

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,664 €2,321

$3,001 €2,614

-11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.68

2.99%

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

Last update for Loughrea: September 15, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in Loughrea and $2,310 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 13% 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: $104 in Loughrea vs $117 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $378 per month, with Loughrea 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

Loughrea vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Loughrea is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $1,668 in Loughrea versus $2,310 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Loughrea – a meal for two runs $104 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. Loughrea is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Loughrea 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, Loughrea 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 Loughrea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.