Cost of Living Comparison Between Sligo and Galway Cost of Living Comparison Between Sligo and Galway

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,933 in Sligo versus $3,391 in Galway.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,911 in Sligo versus $4,706 in Galway.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,889 in Sligo versus $6,020 in Galway.

Living in Sligo costs roughly 43% less than in Galway, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sligo 41% above, Galway 148% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.03

$22.91 €19.97

-24.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 €69.1

$117 €102

-32.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 €8.03

$17.05 €14.86

-45.92%

Cappuccino

$3.90 €3.40

$5.12 €4.46

-23.83%

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

$3.00 €2.62

$3.04 €2.65

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.26 €1.97

-12.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.48 €5.65

$8.00 €6.97

-19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$6.94 €6.05

-7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 €1.26

$1.63 €1.42

-11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 €1.36

$2.45 €2.14

-36.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.25 €1.96

-27.11%

Eggs

$3.65 €3.18

$4.51 €3.93

-19.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 €9.20

$17.09 €14.90

-38.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 €7.83

$11.14 €9.71

-19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 €9.91

$14.07 €12.27

-19.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$3.17 €2.76

-34.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 €1.57

$2.35 €2.05

-23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 €2.55

$3.20 €2.79

-8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.45

$4.19 €3.65

-32.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 €1.52

$2.07 €1.81

-15.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 €1.01

$1.56 €1.36

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.32 €1.15

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.97 €1.72

-13.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.65 €15.39

$21.03 €18.33

-16.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.38 €9.92

$14.18 €12.36

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.43

$4.22 €3.68

-34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 €3.25

$4.68 €4.08

-20.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.07

$2.21 €1.93

7.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.6 €54.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.38 €4.69

$5.35 €4.66

0.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.46 €1.28

9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.06 €29.69

$58.5 €51.0

-41.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 €1.76

$2.20 €1.92

-8.18%

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

$39.6K €34.5K

$40.4K €35.2K

-1.96%

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

$38.4K €33.4K

$37.6K €32.8K

2.06%

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

$244 €213

$246 €215

-0.90%

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

$22.38 €19.51

$23.03 €20.07

-2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 €48.94

$52.2 €45.48

7.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 €57.8

$45.21 €39.41

46.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.37 €9.91

$23.37 €20.38

-51.35%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 €12.20

$17.46 €15.22

-19.82%

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

$820 €715

$1,056 €920

-22.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,642 €4,918

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 €84.6

$103 €89.7

-5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 €25.37

$49.26 €42.94

-40.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 €66.1

$116 €101

-34.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 €80.6

$120 €105

-23.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 €1,242

$2,310 €2,014

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 €718

$2,025 €1,766

-59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,385 €2,079

$3,726 €3,248

-35.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 €1,186

$2,813 €2,453

-51.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,149 €1,873

$6,191 €5,397

-65.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,786 €4,172

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,162 €3,628

$3,001 €2,616

38.68%

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 Sligo: September 12, 2026

Last update for Galway: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,425 in Sligo and $2,310 in Galway. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sligo pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Sligo vs $117 in Galway for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $378 per month, with Sligo 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

Sligo vs Galway: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sligo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Sligo, 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: $1,425 in Sligo versus $2,310 in Galway. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $820 in Sligo versus $1,056 in Galway. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sligo – a meal for two runs $79.0 versus $117 in Galway. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,933 in Sligo versus $3,391 in Galway, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Sligo but tight or insufficient in Galway. The gap between the two cities makes Sligo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sligo 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, Sligo 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 Sligo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Galway. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.