Cost of Living Comparison Between Monaghan and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Monaghan and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,517 in Monaghan versus $3,025 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,546 in Monaghan versus $4,255 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,574 in Monaghan versus $5,485 in Galway.

Living in Monaghan costs roughly 17% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monaghan 88% above, Galway 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.59 €15.87

$18.83 €16.08

-1.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 €49.99

$94.4 €80.6

-37.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.55 €9.01

$10.50 €8.96

0.48%

Cappuccino

$3.95 €3.37

$4.38 €3.74

-9.82%

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

$2.38 €2.03

$2.40 €2.05

-0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.70

$1.62 €1.39

22.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 €5.97

$6.87 €5.87

1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 €5.55

$6.55 €5.59

-0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €0.97

$1.52 €1.30

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.59

$2.52 €2.15

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.14 €1.83

-6.54%

Eggs

$4.16 €3.55

$4.07 €3.48

2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.38 €8.87

$12.77 €10.90

-18.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.96 €9.36

$10.37 €8.86

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 €10.24

$11.80 €10.08

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 €2.57

$3.01 €2.57

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 €1.71

$2.08 €1.77

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.80 €2.39

3.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.24

$3.40 €2.91

11.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 €1.83

$1.45 €1.23

47.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.41 €1.20

7.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.45 €1.24

-7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.72

$1.67 €1.43

20.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.82 €16.07

$19.49 €16.64

-3.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 €11.77

$14.60 €12.47

-5.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.47 €2.96

$4.79 €4.09

-27.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 €3.29

$5.09 €4.35

-24.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 €2.11

$2.28 €1.95

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.5 €84.9

$68.9 €58.9

44.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 €4.35

$4.97 €4.25

2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.62

$1.38 €1.18

37.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.85 €29.76

$43.55 €37.19

-19.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.75

$2.00 €1.71

2.50%

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

$42.9K €36.7K

$42.1K €36.0K

1.92%

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

$39.6K €33.8K

$39.7K €33.9K

-0.36%

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

$217 €186

$280 €239

-22.37%

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

$21.37 €18.25

$21.99 €18.78

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.0 €43.55

$54.9 €46.86

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 €44.47

$56.5 €48.25

-7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.74 €7.46

Cinema Ticket

$13.97 €11.93

$14.15 €12.09

-1.27%

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

$1,037 €886

$1,057 €903

-1.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,784 €6,647

$7,993 €6,826

-2.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.1 €77.0

$91.9 €78.5

-1.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.10 €34.24

$39.82 €34.00

0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 €84.4

$101 €86.5

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €87.9

$108 €92.1

-4.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,463 €1,249

$2,024 €1,729

-27.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,061

$1,719 €1,468

-27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,373 €2,027

$3,303 €2,821

-28.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,928 €1,647

$2,589 €2,211

-25.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,959 €3,381

$6,276 €5,360

-36.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,813 €4,111

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,165 €3,557

$3,219 €2,749

29.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.53

4.8

-5.62%

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

Last update for Monaghan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Galway: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,463 in Monaghan and $2,024 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monaghan pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Monaghan vs $94.0 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 vs $343 per month, with Monaghan 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

Monaghan vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monaghan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Monaghan pays 29% more on average, 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: $1,463 in Monaghan versus $2,024 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Monaghan – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,517 in Monaghan versus $3,025 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Monaghan but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Monaghan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Monaghan 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, Monaghan 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 Monaghan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.