Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Wicklow and Dublin

For one person, living is cheaper in Wicklow: $2,448 a month against $3,729 in Dublin, rent and utilities included – about $15,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Wicklow
🇮🇪 Ireland
$2,448
/mo nomad
Dublin
🇮🇪 Ireland
$3,729
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Wicklow and in Dublin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Wicklow and in Dublin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,448 per month in Wicklow vs $3,729 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Wicklow $2,448
  • Dublin $3,729

A couple spends around $3,698 per month in Wicklow vs $5,239 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Wicklow $3,698
  • Dublin $5,239

A family of three spends $4,949 per month in Wicklow vs $6,748 in Dublin, rent included.

  • Wicklow $4,949
  • Dublin $6,748

Wicklow is about 34% cheaper than Dublin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Wicklow and Dublin sit above the global median – Wicklow by 81%, Dublin by 176%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.49 €13.78
$23.58 €20.97
-34.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$90.0 €80.1
$101 €89.6
-10.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.17 €8.16
$13.50 €12.00
-32.07%
Cappuccino
$4.01 €3.56
$4.82 €4.29
-16.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 €2.28
$2.87 €2.55
-10.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 €1.76
$2.24 €1.99
-12.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.75 €6.00
$7.80 €6.94
-13.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 €5.37
$7.32 €6.51
-17.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.51
$1.66 €1.48
2.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.52
$2.42 €2.15
-29.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 €1.71
$1.98 €1.76
-3.03%
Eggs
$4.46 €3.96
$4.90 €4.35
-8.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.21 €12.64
$10.02 €8.91
41.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.06 €8.95
$12.79 €11.38
-21.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.83 €6.96
$15.78 €14.04
-50.38%
Apples (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$2.85 €2.53
14.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.95 €2.63
$2.17 €1.93
35.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 €3.05
$2.65 €2.36
29.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.79 €4.26
$5.29 €4.71
-9.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 €2.10
$1.84 €1.64
28.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 €1.44
$1.48 €1.32
9.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 €1.23
$1.31 €1.16
6.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 €1.95
$2.02 €1.80
8.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$20.00 €17.79
$20.78 €18.48
-3.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.25 €11.78
$13.63 €12.12
-2.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.21 €1.97
$3.44 €3.06
-35.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 €3.04
$3.46 €3.07
-1.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.95 €2.62
$2.19 €1.95
34.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$109 €97.1
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.38 €2.11
$5.05 €4.49
-52.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$1.55 €1.38
-3.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.49 €28.90
$37.01 €32.92
-12.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.82
$2.15 €1.91
-4.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.7K €32.7K
$38.9K €34.6K
-5.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K €33.4K
$39.5K €35.1K
-5.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 €195
$281 €250
-21.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.11 €19.66
$17.94 €15.96
23.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.38 €29.69
$51.6 €45.88
-35.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.2 €51.8
$68.0 €60.5
-14.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.55 €18.28
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.32 €11.85
$15.45 €13.74
-13.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,054 €937
$1,281 €1,140
-17.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,338 €4,748
$14.2K €12.6K
-62.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.5 €84.9
$107 €95.0
-10.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.72 €29.99
$51.2 €45.51
-34.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.0 €59.6
$112 €99.4
-40.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 €106
$130 €115
-7.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,683 €1,497
$2,503 €2,226
-32.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,327 €1,180
$2,245 €1,997
-40.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,060 €2,722
$4,443 €3,951
-31.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,378 €2,115
$3,431 €3,051
-30.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$9,378 €8,341
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,995 €5,332
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wicklow
Dublin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,576 €4,959
$3,914 €3,481
42.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.14
3.82
8.38%

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

Last update for Wicklow: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dublin: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Wicklow
$1.3K
Dublin
$2.2K 69.2% $918
Groceries & Markets
Wicklow
$334
Dublin
$363 8.7% $29
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wicklow
$275
Dublin
$350 27.5% $76
Eating Out
Wicklow
$263
Dublin
$361 37% $98
Clothing & Footwear
Wicklow
$142
Dublin
$180 26.6% $38
Sport & Entertainment
Wicklow
$85
Dublin
$99 16.5% $14
Getting Around
Wicklow
$22 *
Dublin
$131 505% $109

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Wicklow versus $2,503 in Dublin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Wicklow, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Wicklow versus $101 in Dublin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $334 vs $363 – making Wicklow the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇪 Wicklow
🇮🇪 Dublin
🕒 Local time
10:56 10:56 AM
10:56 10:56 AM
Same time as Wicklow
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,957
588,233 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Wicklow Dublin 44 km
From you
  • Wicklow
  • Dublin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Wicklow vs Dublin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Wicklow and in Dublin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,448 in Wicklow, $3,729 in Dublin – roughly 52% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Wicklow compared to Dublin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,672 per month in Wicklow and $5,594 in Dublin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Wicklow and Dublin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wicklow, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Wicklow or Dublin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,448 in Wicklow and $3,729 in Dublin. That's a gap of about 52%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Wicklow and Dublin?
Kindergarten costs $1,054 per month in Wicklow and $1,281 in Dublin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,448 in Wicklow and $3,729 in Dublin. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
How does quality of life compare between Wicklow and Dublin?
It depends on your priorities. Dublin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,448 in Wicklow to $3,729 in Dublin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Wicklow or Dublin safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Wicklow and Dublin?
If budget matters most, go with Wicklow. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dublin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Wicklow vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?