Cost of Living Comparison Between Portlaoise and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Portlaoise and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,503 in Portlaoise versus $3,128 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,575 in Portlaoise versus $4,347 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,647 in Portlaoise versus $5,566 in Galway.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Portlaoise 87% above, Galway 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 €16.10

$18.34 €15.77

2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €60.4

$94.4 €81.2

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.62 €9.13

$10.39 €8.94

2.21%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$4.25 €3.65

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

$2.44 €2.10

$2.42 €2.08

0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 €1.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 €5.80

$6.73 €5.79

0.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 €4.96

$6.35 €5.46

-9.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.50 €1.29

-2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 €0.91

$2.58 €2.22

-59.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 €1.85

$2.15 €1.85

0.47%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.37

$3.93 €3.38

-0.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$12.59 €10.83

-79.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.60 €9.12

$10.62 €9.13

-0.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.39 €9.80

$12.09 €10.40

-5.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 €2.55

$2.91 €2.50

2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.09 €1.79

-3.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 €2.44

$2.86 €2.46

-1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 €3.06

$3.49 €3.00

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.43 €1.23

0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.47 €1.26

-4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 €1.19

$1.40 €1.20

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$1.58 €1.36

5.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.18 €14.78

$19.77 €17.01

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.75 €11.83

$14.39 €12.38

-4.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.80 €4.13

$4.99 €4.30

-3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 €4.21

$5.06 €4.35

-3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.04

$2.22 €1.91

7.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.3 €84.6

$68.9 €59.3

42.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 €4.22

$5.03 €4.32

-2.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.29

$1.33 €1.15

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.46 €37.39

$43.73 €37.61

-0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.79

$2.09 €1.80

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

$42.5K €36.6K

$42.2K €36.3K

0.88%

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

$38.9K €33.5K

$39.1K €33.7K

-0.50%

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

$283 €244

$285 €245

-0.44%

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

$21.90 €18.83

$21.92 €18.85

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 €46.79

$55.5 €47.74

-2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 €45.46

$57.2 €49.16

-7.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.68 €7.47

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 €9.32

$13.80 €11.87

-21.45%

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

$1,062 €914

$1,066 €917

-0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,030 €6,908

$7,946 €6,835

1.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.8 €77.3

$91.2 €78.4

-1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.86 €33.43

$40.06 €34.46

-3.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 €85.4

$100 €86.4

-1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 €92.9

$107 €91.8

1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 €1,281

$2,005 €1,725

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,249 €1,074

$1,724 €1,483

-27.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,345 €2,017

$3,380 €2,907

-30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 €1,674

$2,517 €2,165

-22.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,193 €5,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,705 €4,047

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,210 €2,761

$3,228 €2,777

-0.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

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

Last update for Portlaoise: June 1, 2026

Last update for Galway: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,489 in Portlaoise and $2,005 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Galway pays 1% 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: $70.0 in Portlaoise vs $94.0 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $344 per month, with Portlaoise 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

Portlaoise vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portlaoise is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Galway earns 1% less. 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: $1,489 in Portlaoise versus $2,005 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Galway. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Portlaoise – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $94.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Portlaoise is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Portlaoise 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, Portlaoise 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 Portlaoise gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.