Cost of Living Comparison Between Shannon and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Shannon and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,112 in Shannon versus $3,062 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,519 in Shannon versus $4,298 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,927 in Shannon versus $5,534 in Galway.

Living in Shannon costs roughly 31% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Shannon 57% above, Galway 128% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.45 €17.62

$18.19 €15.67

12.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$115 €99.0

$94.8 €81.6

21.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.54 €9.08

$10.27 €8.85

2.63%

Cappuccino

$4.35 €3.75

$4.33 €3.73

0.46%

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

$2.09 €1.80

$2.42 €2.09

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$1.55 €1.34

44.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 €5.99

$6.79 €5.85

2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 €5.88

$6.39 €5.51

6.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.50 €1.29

12.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 €1.60

$2.51 €2.16

-25.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.22 €1.91

-20.72%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.08

$4.06 €3.50

16.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.23 €9.68

$12.60 €10.86

-10.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 €11.12

$10.41 €8.97

24.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 €11.04

$11.70 €10.08

9.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$2.98 €2.56

14.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.10

$2.10 €1.81

15.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 €3.01

$2.72 €2.35

28.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 €3.86

$3.37 €2.90

32.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.18

$1.39 €1.20

82.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 €1.83

$1.40 €1.21

51.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.45 €1.25

-5.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 €2.10

$1.65 €1.42

47.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.28 €15.75

$19.77 €17.03

-7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 €12.15

$14.13 €12.17

-0.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.89 €2.49

$4.74 €4.08

-39.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.85

$4.87 €4.20

-32.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.82 €5.02

$2.22 €1.91

162.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.8 €86.0

$69.1 €59.5

44.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 €4.97

$4.89 €4.21

18.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 €1.31

$1.38 €1.19

9.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.28 €25.23

$43.42 €37.41

-32.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.78

$1.97 €1.70

4.57%

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

$38.8K €33.4K

$43.1K €37.1K

-9.87%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$39.7K €34.2K

0.97%

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

$186 €160

$286 €246

-35.00%

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

$23.05 €19.86

$21.68 €18.68

6.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.5 €43.53

$55.1 €47.45

-8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.06 €36.24

$57.2 €49.31

-26.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.89 €40.40

$8.31 €7.16

464.26%

Cinema Ticket

$11.54 €9.94

$13.88 €11.96

-16.86%

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

$970 €836

$1,052 €906

-7.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,269 €1,955

$8,072 €6,955

-71.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 €68.0

$89.5 €77.1

-11.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 €32.50

$39.49 €34.02

-4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 €87.0

$103 €88.5

-1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 €68.8

$108 €92.7

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 €788

$1,977 €1,704

-53.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$865 €746

$1,745 €1,504

-50.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 €1,472

$3,360 €2,895

-49.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,499

$2,497 €2,151

-30.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,963 €2,553

$6,209 €5,350

-52.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,172 €2,733

$4,644 €4,001

-31.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,204 €2,760

$3,248 €2,798

-1.35%

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 Shannon: June 9, 2026

Last update for Galway: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $915 in Shannon and $1,977 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: $115 in Shannon vs $95.0 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $340 per month, with Galway 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

Shannon vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shannon is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% 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: $915 in Shannon versus $1,977 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Galway pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Shannon – a meal for two runs $115 versus $95.0 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,112 in Shannon versus $3,062 in Galway, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Shannon but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Shannon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shannon 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, Shannon 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 Shannon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.