Cost of Living Comparison Between Malahide and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Malahide and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,592 in Malahide versus $3,424 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,531 in Malahide versus $4,759 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,469 in Malahide versus $6,094 in Galway.

Living in Malahide is roughly 5% more expensive than in Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Malahide 161% above, Galway 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.32 €21.77

$23.08 €19.85

9.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.7

$114 €98.2

-9.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.39 €10.65

$17.51 €15.05

-29.24%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.98

$5.00 €4.30

-7.40%

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

$3.07 €2.64

$3.05 €2.63

0.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.37 €2.04

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 €5.85

$8.18 €7.03

-16.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.99 €6.01

$6.85 €5.89

2.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.66 €1.42

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.45 €2.10

-5.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.35 €2.02

-16.17%

Eggs

$4.61 €3.96

$4.56 €3.92

1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 €9.37

$17.17 €14.76

-36.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.07 €11.24

$11.29 €9.70

15.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 €12.02

$14.02 €12.06

-0.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 €2.74

$3.18 €2.73

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$2.32 €2.00

-1.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 €2.85

$3.23 €2.78

2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.05 €4.34

$4.22 €3.63

19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 €1.75

$2.06 €1.77

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.30 €1.12

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.98 €1.71

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.25 €18.27

$21.00 €18.05

1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 €12.16

$14.68 €12.62

-3.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.49 €3.00

$4.27 €3.67

-18.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 €3.26

$4.78 €4.11

-20.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.15 €1.85

17.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$114 €98.3

$64.6 €55.6

77.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 €4.67

$5.54 €4.76

-1.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.48 €1.27

4.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.38 €29.56

$58.7 €50.4

-41.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.12 €1.83

-0.47%

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

$40.4K €34.8K

$40.3K €34.6K

0.36%

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

$39.4K €33.9K

$38.2K €32.8K

3.34%

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

$250 €215

$256 €220

-2.44%

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

$23.08 €19.84

$23.34 €20.07

-1.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 €45.67

$53.4 €45.92

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.0 €50.8

$45.60 €39.21

29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.36 €20.08

Cinema Ticket

$14.18 €12.19

$17.67 €15.20

-19.75%

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

$1,101 €947

$1,032 €887

6.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,668 €4,874

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.4 €85.4

$105 €90.0

-5.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.17 €38.83

$50.2 €43.15

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.0

$114 €97.9

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 €104

$119 €102

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,665 €1,432

$2,337 €2,009

-28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 €1,812

$2,030 €1,745

3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,574 €2,213

$3,697 €3,179

-30.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 €1,935

$2,799 €2,407

-19.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,297 €5,414

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,725 €4,063

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,714 €4,913

$3,040 €2,614

87.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

3.68

12.50%

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

Last update for Malahide: September 6, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,665 in Malahide and $2,337 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malahide pays 88% 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: $103 in Malahide vs $114 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $381 per month, with Malahide 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

Malahide vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galway is cheaper overall, especially in Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Malahide, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,665 in Malahide versus $2,337 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Malahide pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Galway – a meal for two runs $114 versus $103 in Malahide. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Galway is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Galway is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Malahide, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Malahide 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 Galway gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Malahide. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.