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Ireland’s cheapest student towns

The cost of being a student in Ireland is rising. Switcher.ie’s Student Cost of Living Guide 2024 reveals the cheapest Irish towns for students in 2024, comparing average fees, rent, transport, entertainment and more.

Ireland’s cheapest student towns

The cheapest Irish towns for fee-free students

Cheapest towns for international students

The cheapest student towns for international students

5 ways to save money as a student

From grants, scholarships, discounts, finance and budgeting

The cost of living was one of the most pressing concerns among 62% of 18-29 year olds in Ireland in 2024 according to a recent study by the Youth Council of Ireland, with 1 in 5 skipping meals to save money.

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 2024, students eligible for free tuition fees can expect to spend on average €15,632 going to college - €536 more per year than 2023
  • International students could fork out an average of €26,690 per annum; €924 more than last year.

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.

Rising living costs 2024

Since last year’s study, student costs have been climbing across the board, with accommodation, college fees, nights out and transport costs on the up.

  1. Nights out: the average student can expect to fork out €165 more this year on a night out; as taxi fares, cheap eats, cinema tickets and beer continue to rise.
  2. Accommodation: rent increased by 3% or around €174 per year across all on-campus and private student halls. The steepest hikes were in private accommodation in Dublin, Carlow, Limerick and Kerry, with some complexes charging an extra €500 per year.
  3. College fees: international students and those ineligible for free fees can expect to pay an overall average of €102 extra each month in 2024. They can expect to fork out an average of almost €400 more on fees this year, with top universities charging, on average, €1,260 more per year for non-EU fees.
  4. Groceries: since 2023, the monthly cost of groceries has increased by €10 to €196 per month, or €90 per year across each student town.
  5. Utilities: broadband and electricity costs which are usually included in student rent have risen by 4% or €30 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.

Ireland’s cheapest student towns

Similar to last year, Letterkenny, Sligo, Waterford and Dundalk offered some of the lowest accommodation fees in the country.

Students can head out, work out, and get around for less, too, making budgets stretch further than in any other town on our list. Unsurprisingly, the costliest spots were unsurprisingly the larger, urban hubs with bigger populations—like Dublin, Maynooth, Cork, and Limerick.

Student rent, as well as the overall cost of living, was notably higher in these areas.

Rank Town Accommodation Utilities Groceries Transport   Entertainment Gym Total monthly costs Total annual costs + fees Avg annual increase 2024 vs 2023
1 Letterkenny €381 €85 €172 €137.60 €309.87 €41.33 €1,127 €13,147 +€356 (+3%)
2 Sligo €441 €85 €163 €134.46 €308.08 €56.00 €1,191 €13,722 +€503 (+4%)
3 Waterford €486 €85 €214 €141.30 €333.38 €42.75 €1,301 €14,724 +€151 (+1%)
4 Dundalk €552 €85 €182 €137.60 €329.58 €42.00 €1,329 €14,961 +€363 (+2%)
5 Athlone €556 €85 €171 €137.46 €351.88 €50.00 €1,351 €15,163 +€458 (+3%)
6 Galway €574 €85 €205 €139.60 €333.88 €56.75 €1,395 €15,552 +€464 (+3%)
7 Tralee €586 €85 €183 €137.60 €353.88 €55.00 €1,400 €15,602 +€674 (+4%)
8 Carlow €612 €85 €189 €137.46 €330.38 €51.44 €1,406 €15,653 +€476 (+3%)
9 Limerick €606 €85 €196 €139.46 €344.37 €47.08 €1,418 €15,762 +€507 (+3%)
10 Cork €671 €85 €233 €139.60 €343.88 €63.69 €1,536 €16,826 +€856 (+5%)
11 Maynooth €692 €85 €226 €137.60 €355.88 €51.67 €1,549 €16,942 +€664 (+4%)
12 Dublin €958 €85 €219 €139.60 €386.38 €48.70 €1,836 €19,527 +€957 (+5%)

Letterkenny Ireland Student Town

1. Letterkenny

Once again, Letterkenny coined the top-spot for overall cheapest student town.

In 2024, it costs a student on average of €1,127 per month or €13,147 per academic year to attend Letterkenny Atlantic Technological University - €6,380 less than going to college in Dublin, which could cost approx €19,527 a year.

Donegal’s cathedral town boasts low-cost student accommodation, reasonable taxi and bus fares and cheaper eats.

Students’ well-earned dosh goes further on pints, clubbing, and cinema tickets too.

2. Sligo

Similar to Letterkenny, Sligo secured second place again this year, boasting some of the most budget-friendly accommodation rates in the country, at around €441 per month for the academic year.

Students from the Atlantic Technological University Sligo can also expect to spend approx €163 a month on food shopping for an academic year, and also pay less for taxis, nightclub entry and meals.

3. Waterford

The capital of the sunny southeast, Waterford offers more value for money than other places on our list, costing around €1,303 in total per month for those attending the South East Technological University.

It moved down one spot since last year from third to fourth third place in our study.

4. Dundalk

Dundalk was fourth cheapest student towns once again, costing students around €1,329 in total per month, or €14,961 per year to go to Dundalk IT.

Dundalk students will see their monthly budgets stretch further, with the price of a food shop, taxis and a night on the town much less than other spots in the country.

5. Athlone

A fantastic student hotspot full of bustling nightlife along the river Shannon, Athlone claimed fifth most affordable student town again in 2024. Although it is one of the more pricier places to socialise as a student, the cost of groceries and rent are on the mid to lower end of the scale.

Though it’s fifth cheapest town in our study, students can expect to fork out €1,351 per month - an extra €51 per month compared to 2023.

student town Galway ireland

6. Galway

Long hailed as one of the best college towns in Ireland, Galway has moved up from seventh place last year to earn sixth most affordable town in 2024.

Students make up almost 20% of the population in Galway, and although it costs around €1,395 per month to go to college there - €52 more per month than 2023 - with its thriving art scene, rich culture and coastline, it truly a great place to go to university.

7. Tralee

One of the tourist hotspots of Kerry, Tralee has moved from sixth place last year to seventh. The town has seen a spike in living costs over the past twelve months, meaning students could spend an extra €665 (or 4.2%) per year going to college in 2024.

Heading out for drinks or to catch a movie or a cheap meal could set you back €353 per month; an extra €48 per month compared to 2023.

Student accommodation has jumped up too, to €586 per month, though remains in the mid-range mark in our study.

8. Carlow

Carlow maintained its spot as eighth cheapest student town this year.

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

Overall, student rent has increased by an average of €28 a month or €252 per year, since 2023.

9. Limerick

Staying as ninth cheapest student town, the University of Limerick has 5-star rankings for graduate employability and innovation and the city is a hub of popular bars and food spots.

Prices of entertainment, transport fares and food are steeper here though, and the cost of accommodation increased by €24 per month in 2024 to €606 per month - making Limerick the fifth most expensive student town for rent prices.

10. Cork

On the outskirts of one of the most dynamic and exciting student cities, UCC is one of Ireland’s top universities, known for its beautiful buildings and rich history.

As one of Ireland’s biggest cities, Cork is the third most expensive place for students, costing approx €1,536 a month.

11. 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 €692 per month, while socialising and food expenses are costly too.

In total, it would cost around €16,942 per year for a Maynooth student in 2024, a hike of 4%, or €664 since last year.

12. Dublin

Unsurprisingly Dublin is the most expensive place for students, costing an average of €1,836 per month - around €106 or 5% more per month than 2023.

Driven by private student accommodation prices, as well as the rising costs of food and entertainment, students can expect to fork out around €386 a month on socialising, and €958 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 student accommodation

Letterkenny has the most affordable student accommodation of all the towns in our guide, at €381 per month - €577 less than Dublin, which costs €958 per month.

The other towns with low-cost accommodation were:

  1. Sligo: €441 per month
  2. Waterford: €486 per month
  3. Dundalk: €552 per month
  4. Athlone: €556 per month

How much have accommodation costs risen?

Many student halls - private and on-campus - have increased their rent in 2024.

The places with the most notable hikes were:

  1. Carlow: +€28 or 4.6% per month (total €612/ month)
  2. Tralee: +€21 or 3.5% per month (total €586/ month)
  3. Limerick: +€19 or 3% per month (total €606/month)
  4. Athlone: +€18 or 3.2% per month (total €556/month)

On average, students can expect to spend an extra €174 on accommodation costs in 2024.

Cheapest town for a night out

This year, Sligo surpassed Tralee as top student town for cheaper entertainment in 2024, with cinema visits, meals, drinks and nightclubs costing €308 a month.

The other most affordable towns for socialising were:

  1. Letterkenny: €310 per month
  2. Dundalk: €329 per month
  3. Carlow: €330 per month
  4. Waterford: €333 per month

Like other areas on our study, the cost of having fun has increased too, with students paying €165 more on entertainment this year.

The cheapest towns for international students

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.

Rank Town Accommodation Utilities Groceries Transport   Entertainment Gym Total monthly Fees annual Total annual + fees Avg annual increase 2024 vs 2023
1 Sligo €441 €85 €163 €137.46 €308.08 €56.00 €1,191 €10,500 €21,168 +€449
2 Waterford €486 €85 €214 €141.30 €333.38 €42.75 €1,303 €10,250 €21,974 +€151
3 Carlow €612 €85 €189 €137.46 €330.38 €51.44 €1,406 €10,250 €22,903 +€476
4 Dundalk €452 €85 €182 €137.60 €329.58 €42.00 €1,229 €10,950 €22,911 +€363
5 Letterkenny €369 €85 €172 €137.60 €309.87 €41.33 €1,115 €13,500 €23,643 +€352
6 Athlone €556 €85 €171 €137.46 €351.88 €50.00 €1,351 €12,500 €24,663 +€458
7 Tralee €586 €85 €183 €137.60 €353.88 €55.00 €1,400 €13,500 €26,102 +€674
8 Limerick €606 €85 €196 €139.46 €344.37 €47.08 €1,418 €14,073 €26,792 +€948
9 Galway €574 €85 €205 €139.60 €333.88 €56.75 €1,395 €16,463 €29,015 +€1,152
10 Maynooth €692 €85 €226 €137.60 €355.88 €51.67 €1,549 €17,265 €31,207 +€3,663
11 Cork €671 €85 €233 €139.60 €343.88 €63.69 €1,536 €19,670 €33,496 +€2,276
12 Dublin €958 €85 €219 €139.60 €386.38 €48.70 €1,836 €19,875 €36,402 +€1,660

How much do international students pay?

On average, international students pay around €11,066 more per year on fees than those eligible for free fees.

Universities charge around €17,489 in annual fees for international students. This is significantly higher than institutes of education, who charge approx €10,996 per annum.

Non-EU fees jumped by an average of 6%, or €900 per year in 2024, compared to 2023.

Cheapest towns

Sligo is the cheapest student town for international students, costing around €21,168 per year: 41% less than Dublin, which could cost an international student **€36,402 for one academic year.

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

Priciest towns for non-EU students

Dublin, Cork, Maynooth Limerick and Galway were the most expensive spots for non-EU undergraduates, with fees ranging from €16,463 to €19,875 per year.

These university towns also saw the highest fee increases, rising by an average of €1,260 in 2024.

Five ways to save money as a student or parent

If embarking on the college journey wasn’t overwhelming enough, students and parents must also face escalating living costs.

Before seeking financial support like a loan, it’s important to review things like tax relief, grants and scholarships first to see if you’re eligible.

Student grants

  • SUSI Grant: Student Universal Support Ireland awards the main student grant. The grant is means tested, and divided into maintenance (living expenses) and fee support. Depending on how far you live from college, you can get up to €3,677, while disadvantaged students can get up to €6,971. Find out more [here.]
  • The Student Assistance Fund: Helps full-time higher education students who are struggling to cover expenses. It’s for things like books, heating, rent, food, medical expenses, and childcare. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply here.
  • Laptop access: Many colleges and universities have an allocation of laptops to loan students who can’t afford one. You can apply through the school’s access office.
  • The Fund for Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability, this can cover things like technology and training, assistants/notetakers, learning and transport supports. Find out more here.

Tax relief

  • Rent: Students who pay rent in a tenancy registered with the Residential Tenancies Board can receive a €500 tax credit per year. Since October 2022, parents who pay rent for their children are now entitled to the renter’s tax credit too.
  • Fees: Unfortunately, there is no tax relief on the first €3,000 spent on tuition fees (including the Student Contribution) for each year. The maximum amount you can apply for is €7,000 per course, per year.

Scholarships

There are a wealth of bursary and scholarship schemes in Ireland, offered by government departments, third level institutions, private organisations, charities or financial institutions like the credit union.

Each provides a lump sum ranging from €1,000 to €5,000 or €10,000 a year on the basis of things like exam merit, sporting ability, and language proficiency. Here’s a non-exhaustive list of scholarships in Ireland..

Student discounts

Although some student discounts may encourage splurging on items you may not need - like beauty products or new clothes - student cards can also help cover helpful things like free newspaper subscriptions, or discounted travel on buses and trains.

If you’re buying a laptop, keep an eye out for discounts of up to 20% on certain brands.

Budgeting

Take control - account for all expenses ahead of your first year and set a budget each month for peace of mind and no nasty surprises.

For more ways to save and for budgeting advice at home and on the go, read Switcher.ie’s best money saving tips.

Student finance

Although it’s a good idea to apply for student grants and scholarships wherever possible, if you are considering financial support in the form of a personal loan, it’s important to shop around, find the lowest rate and the right loan for your budget.

  • Use a personal loan calculator, a loan comparison tool or a broker to help you work out the best deal, so you don’t pay more than you have to.
  • Make sure you only borrow what you need, keep the repayment term as short as possible, check you’re getting the lowest interest rate, and check overall cost of the loan including any extra fees or charges.

For more information, read our complete guide to loans in Ireland.

Methodology

To work out the cheapest student towns we took price data from a range of sources for each student town, then averaged and ranked them from lowest to highest. The metrics included;

  • Third level academic fees
  • Student accommodation costs
  • Entertainment costs (Pint price, night club entry, cinema ticket, eating out, takeaway)
  • Transport (Taxi and bus ticket)
  • Gym membership fee
  • Groceries

The data was collected and analysed in August 2024.

Things of note

  • Data is based on 28 of the main universities and ITs in Ireland.
  • Total, annual costs are calculated as total monthly cost x 9 months, with an additional 3,000 added for fees.
  • Academic fees are for one year/per annum and based on full-time, undergraduate courses (BA honours, level 8.) Total fees for each institution are based on an average across all listed courses.
  • Where possible, fees were taken for the year 2023/24 and are approximate, up-to-date quotes from each college, based on available data. They are all subject to change and review from each college.
  • Accommodation type varies across each college. Where possible, accommodation costs are based on-campus university halls of residence, as well as privately-owned student residencies as listed on the institution’s website. Where on-campus and/or student accommodation was not an option, an average price across all locally advertised student accommodation as listed on Daft.ie was used.
  • Accommodation is based on available data and prices in May 2024.
  • Accommodation costs were taken as an average across all Iisted room types (single, double, ensuite, share bathroom).
  • Where accommodation fees were set for a stipulated period (e.g. 41 weeks/9 months) the total cost for that time was recorded. Where there was no exact time period listed, the academic year of 9 months was used.
  • All accommodation costs are listed excluding utility fees.
  • Utility fees were calculated separately by taking an average from all advertised utilities fees across each third level institution and private student accommodation. Fees include broadband, waste, water and electricity.

Sources

Accommodation and utility prices

  • Taken from 32 sources in total including: 6 main universities, 4 ITs and 23 private student accommodation websites.
  • Actual source URLs available upon request.

Academic Fees

  • Taken from 18 sources in total including: 6 main universities and 12 ITs
  • Actual source URLs available upon request.

Entertainment

  • Transport fees: https://about.leapcard.ie/dublin-bus / https://www.transportforireland.ie/fares/taxi-fare-estimator/
  • National cinema prices (2024): https://data.cso.ie/table/CPM01
  • Pint, groceries, gym membership per town: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/

Survey on student cost of living pressure

  • https://www.youth.ie/articles/majority-of-young-irish-concerned-over-housing-and-cost-of-living-nyci-report-finds/
Warning: The cost of your monthly repayments may increase. Warning: you may have to pay charges if you pay off a fixed rate loan early. Warning: If you do not keep up your repayments you may lose your home. Warning: If you do not meet the repayments on your loan, your account will go into arrears. This may affect your credit rating, which may limit your ability to access credit in the future. Information provided and Interest rates quoted valid at 03/10/2024