Ireland’s cheapest student towns

Rising costs have increased the pressure on students, who now spend more than ever on accommodation and day-to-day costs.

Student costs have increased since last year:

• In 2025, students eligible for free tuition fees can expect to spend on average €16,179 going to college - approx €556 more per year than 2024, and €1,081 more than 2023.
• International students could fork out an average of €27,871 per annum; €1,391 more than last year, and €2,234 more than 2023.
• Dublin students may need to stump up an eye-watering €641, or 50% more per month. for accommodation , fees, nights out and groceries than students in Letterkenny, the cheapest town.

Switcher.ie’s Student Cost of Living Guide includes up-to-date student expenses in the cheapest student towns, plus some useful budgeting tips and resources.

It aims to help students, parents, teachers and third level organisations prepare for the year ahead and determine what they might need to budget, save or borrow.

Student costs climb again in 2025

Since last year’s study, student expenses continue to rise across the board, from rent and college fees to nights out and everyday essentials.

1. Nights out: The average student will shell out an extra €107 this year on socialising, with the cost of taxis, takeaways, cinema tickets and drinks all on the rise. Compared to 2023, socialising costs an extra €272 per year.
2. Accommodation: Student rents are up 4% - or roughly €192 per year - across both on-campus and private student halls. The sharpest increases are in private complexes in Letterkenny, Carlow, Waterford, Sligo, and Cork, with some places charging up to €650 extra per year. Rent now costs €364 more than 2023.
3. College fees: International students and those ineligible for free fees can expect to pay an overall average of €155 extra each month in 2025. They can expect to fork out an average of almost €835 more on fees this year, with top universities charging, on average, €2,430 more per year for non-EU fees.
4. Groceries: Monthly grocery bills have jumped by €22, bringing the average to €218 per month, or €1,962 a year.
5. Utilities: Utilities like internet, electricity, waste and security - often bundled into rent - are up 2%, adding an extra €108 per year.

Free tuition fees

Generally, most first-time undergraduate students will qualify for free tuition. However, they must pay a partial fee, known as the student contribution charge, which is €3,000.

As academic fees contribute a hefty portion of student expenses, we’ve ranked student towns for those who are eligible for free tuition, and also international or non-EU students who are expected to pay fees.

Once again, towns like Letterkenny, Sligo, Waterford and Dundalk proved to be among the cheapest places for students, thanks to a combination of lower accommodation prices and more affordable everyday costs, from nights on the town to gym memberships and eating out.

But even in more affordable towns, prices have crept up compared to last year, particularly where demand for private student accommodation is growing.

At the other end of the scale, it’s no surprise that Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Maynooth remain the priciest college towns.

Higher rents, pricier nights out and transport fees continue to drive up the cost of living in these bigger, busier hubs; putting continued financial pressure on students, even as national inflation begins to ease.

7. Galway

Renowned for its buzzing nightlife and rich culture, Galway has long been one of Ireland’s most beloved student cities. In 2025, it drops from sixth to seventh place in our affordability rankings.

A night out, trip to the cinema, or casual meal will now set students back around €352 per month; up €18 on last year. Overall, it costs roughly €1,430 per month to study here, €35 more per month than last year.

With students making up almost 20% of the city’s population, Galway still offers an unbeatable atmosphere for university life.

8. Limerick

Limerick climbed from ninth to eighth most affordable student town in 2025, costing €1,477 per month.

While it moved up the rankings, living costs here remain on the high side in certain areas, with students spending around €224 per month on groceries and €351 on socialising.

Known for its vibrant music scene, riverside walks, and strong sense of community, Limerick still offers a lively student experience; just one that comes with a slightly bigger price tag.

9. Carlow

Carlow moved down a notch to ninth cheapest student town this year.

Although it is reasonably priced when it comes to socialising and food, student accommodation was the fourth most expensive in Ireland, driven by the high cost of some private student accommodation hubs in the town.

Similar to last year, student rent continues to climb in the town, increasing by an average of €45 a month or €405 per year, since 2024 - with students now forking out €657 on monthly rental costs.

10. Maynooth

Maynooth University is an idyllic place for Irish and international students due to its proximity to the capital. Maynooth’s student accommodation fees are still second highest in the country at approx €706 per month, while socialising and food expenses are costly too.

In total, it would cost around €17,107 per year for a Maynooth student in 2025, a hike of €165 since last year.

11. Cork

Set on the outskirts of one of Ireland’s most dynamic and exciting student cities, University College Cork is renowned for its stunning campus, historic architecture, and academic excellence.

As one of the country’s largest urban hubs, Cork moves up one spot this year to coin second most expensive place for students, with costs averaging around €1,597 per month - up €60 per month from 2024.

12. Dublin

Unsurprisingly Dublin is still the most expensive place for students, costing an average of €1,897 per month - around €60 or 3% more per month than 2024.

Driven by private student accommodation prices, as well as the rising costs of food and entertainment, students can expect to fork out around €401 a month on socialising, and €974 on accommodation.

Dublin is also home to some of Ireland’s top universities, where on-campus accommodation costs are also higher than on-campus costs in other student towns.

Cheapest town for a night out

This year, Sligo maintained the top spot for cheaper entertainment in 2025, with cinema visits, meals, drinks and nightclubs costing €328 a month.

The other most affordable towns for socialising were:

1. Letterkenny: €330 per month
2. Dundalk: €343 per month
3. Carlow: €351 per month
4. Limerick : €351 per month

Like other areas on our study, the cost of having fun has increased too, with students paying €107 more on entertainment compared to last year, and €272 more than 2023.

If you’re not eligible for free fees or EU fees in Ireland, you will be subject to hefty Non-EU or international fees.

We’ve ranked the towns from most affordable to least for international students. The most affordable towns were mainly the ones with lower fees and accommodation costs, while the places with high-fee universities were the most expensive.

How much do international students pay?

On average, international students pay around €11,692 more per year on fees than those eligible for free fees.

Universities charge around €19,604 in annual fees for international students. This is significantly higher than institutes of education, who charge approx €11,747 per annum.

Non-EU fees jumped by an average of 6%, or €835 per year in 2025, compared to 2024.

Cheapest towns

Dundalk is the cheapest student town for international students, costing around €23,147 per year: 37% less than Dublin, which could cost an international student **€36,998 for one academic year.

The institutes of education in Letterkenny, Sligo, Carlow and Athlone followed with reasonable fees, while the towns themselves were overall cheaper places to live.

Priciest towns for non-EU students

Dublin, Cork, Maynooth, Galway and Limerick were the most expensive spots for non-EU undergraduates, with fees ranging from €19,921 to €15,536 per year.