Is Castlebar cheaper than Ballina?

No. The median sale price in Castlebar was €270,500 over the last 12 months, against €215,000 in Ballina (Property Price Register).

Is Castlebar or Ballina safer?

Castlebar scores higher on safety — 74/100 vs 74/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.

Which is better for buy-to-let, Castlebar or Ballina?

Ballina has the stronger gross rental yield — 6.8% vs 5.4% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

Castlebar vs Ballina: Which Is Better to Live In? (2026)

The verdict

Ballina is the cheaper of the two — a median €215,000 against Castlebar's €270,500 (26% lower). Across the facets we measure the two are closely matched — it's a genuine toss-up, so let the categories that matter most to you decide.

Castlebar vs Ballina: common questions

Is Castlebar cheaper than Ballina?: No. The median sale price in Castlebar was €270,500 over the last 12 months, against €215,000 in Ballina (Property Price Register).
Is Castlebar or Ballina safer?: Castlebar scores higher on safety — 74/100 vs 74/100, based on Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents.
Which is better for buy-to-let, Castlebar or Ballina?: Ballina has the stronger gross rental yield — 6.8% vs 5.4% — though net returns depend on price, condition and tenancy regulation.

Dig deeper

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Methodology

Sale prices, premiums and days-to-sale are computed from the Property Price Register (rolling 12 months) matched to original listing prices. Safety scores derive from Garda-division crime rates per 1,000 residents; education and profile figures from CSO census small-area data. The Quality of Life composite averages six equally-weighted dimensions built from 40+ metrics across 13 public datasets. Figures refresh daily; both areas are scoped to their Eircode routing key (F23 and F26).