How Cheap is Galway to Visit? – Advice from a Guide

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Galway is one of the most popular destinations in Ireland and for many good reasons. There is so much to do in this beautiful and charming city on the Atlantic Coast of Ireland. But, more than that, the city is built around bringing people togethe. Galway can be a more affordable option for visitors.

Galway can be visited for as little as €24, for a return ticket. If you are staying for a weekend, then budget to spend between €250 and €500. Galway is generally cheaper than Dublin city, but still has plenty of options for accommodation and food. It also has plenty of free entertainment available.

There are so many different options available to travelers who are either planning on staying in the city for a while or just visiting on a day-trip. There should be something to suit any budget in Galway.

Day Trips to Galway.

If your time is limited in Ireland and you are using another part of the country, like Dublin, as your base, you can still see Galway. There are plenty of tour companies that will take you over to the west coast from the capital an bring you back that day. These tours will often take guests to other, nearby attractions too.

My favorite is run by Finn McCools tours. They take daily trips from Dublin city center out to Galway and visit plenty of nearby attractions. This tour includes a visit to the famous Cliffs of Moher, Kilmacduagh Abbey and the Burren national park. It will also, of course, bring you to Galway city.

This tour is €68 per person and is excellent value for money, considering the itinerary. I would particularly recommend this experience to someone who is more limited in their time in Ireland.

You can find more information, and book the tour, through this link.

You can also visit Galway yourself on a day trip. Depending on your preferred method of transport, the return ticket to Galway will be between €24 to €79 euro. While you won’t get the help of a local guide for your trip, you will get to make the journey entirely at your own pace.

In this article, I talk in detail about how best to get from Dublin to Galway.

Accommodation Prices in Galway

There are plenty of accommodation options in Galway city and the surrounding areas. As Galway is the main city for a large geographic region of Ireland, many people will visit here for events throughout the year. Tourism has been a major part of the city’s economy for generations and it shows.

Here, I want to give you an outline as to what you can expect to pay for accommodation in Galway city. I used booking.com and Hostelworld to search prices, and they are for 2 people for 2 nights over a weekend in a shoulder month.

Affordable Accommodation

More affordable options in Galway would look like locally owned Bed and Breakfast’s or a youth hostel. There are many options for both. The cheapest bnb I found with the above criteria was for €144. The cheapest hostel was for €120.

Average

There are plenty of 4-Star hotels and BnBs in Galway. Many of which are within walking distance of the city center. The prices of this sort of accommodation would be between €250 to €400 for the above criteria.

High-End

There are also higher-end hotels and resorts in and around Galway. Generally, you will not be paying less than €300 for accommodation in places like this. I have even found places just outside of Galway that were charging upwards of €700 for a weekend for two people.

Transport Within Galway

Food and Drink Prices in Galway

Galway has some of the best restaurants and food options in Ireland. There are fantastic places to eat all over the city and you will find excellent traditional Irish food and international cuisine too. There are also too many excellent pubs to count. You really are spoilt for choice in this small city.

When it comes to prices, there are always cheaper options that are particularly popular with the many thousands of local students that live in Galway. Going to one of the many Delis will give you plenty of great options for food at reasonable prices.

You will also be able to check out some of the best restaurants in Ireland with excellent quality, locally sourced ingredients.

Please use the below information as a rough guide on what to expect to pay for food and drinks in Galway city. The prices of drinks may vary by about €.50 to €1 on average. But, you may find certain establishments charge more.

Drinks Prices Galway

If you want more advice on coffee prices in Ireland, I have a breakdown of the national prices in this guide, linked here.

Food Prices Galway

Entertainment

When it comes to things to do, there are plenty of options in Galway. While you might not be as spoilt for choice as you would be in Dublin, there will still be more to see and do than you will be able to get through in just one visit.

The city has some amazing museums and a thriving artistic scene. I have also spoken about how amazing the nightlife can be in Galway, click here for that information. Even if you just want to explore some of the natural scenery in and around the city, there will be more than enough to do. Much of it will be free.

If you don’t want to spend any money enjoying yourself in Galway, you don’t have to. I have gone into detail on many of the things you can do in Galway in this article, linked here.

In general though, if possible, allotting about €100 or so for entertainment per person for a weekend in Galway is a good amount. That should be more than enough.