Rising living costs continue to weigh heavily on Ireland’s students, with accommodation, utilities and everyday expenses pushing up the price of going to college.
Cork remains the second most expensive place to study according to Switcher.ie’s ‘Student Cost of Living Guide 2026’, with average costs reaching €1,667 per month, or €17,503 over the academic year.
To show how costs have changed over a typical four-year degree, the study compared 2026 expenses with 2023, when many students now entering their final year began college. This figure from Cork is €634 more than in 2025 and €1,533 more than in 2023. While Cork is still €2,487 cheaper than Dublin over the academic year, students in the city could spend €1,345 more than the national average.
Student costs climb again in 2026
While the overall increase was softer than last year, students are still paying more across most major expenses.
Average increases include: Utilities: +9% (+€70 per year), Entertainment: +4% (+€139 per academic year), Groceries: +4% (+€82 per academic year), Accommodation: +3% (+€183 per year) and Non-EU university fees: +3% (+€525 per year).
Average costs
Overall, students could now spend an average of €16,158 going to college in 2026, around €479 more than in 2025 and €1,060 more than in 2023.
Accommodation remains one of the biggest costs facing students, with average annual rent up €183 on last year and €547 since 2023. Students in private accommodation also pay around €976 more per year than those living on campus.
The heftiest increase was recorded in Tralee, followed by Cork, Dundalk and Sligo, largely due to higher prices at private student accommodation providers.
Rent averages €725 per month in Cork, second only to Dublin, after annual accommodation costs rose by around €334.
Utilities added to the squeeze, rising across both private and on-campus housing, while food and socialising costs continued to creep up. Transport and gym membership were among the few expenses to remain broadly unchanged.
Cheapest student towns
Letterkenny, Sligo, Dundalk, Waterford, Athlone and Tralee were Ireland’s six cheapest student towns in 2026.
Letterkenny and Sligo continue to lead the affordability table, helped by some of the lowest accommodation costs in the country.
Dundalk, Waterford and Athlone also offer comparatively good value, while Tralee remains in the top six of Cheapest student towns, despite a sizeable increase in rental prices.
But even the cheapest towns have not been spared. As well as Tralee, private student accommodation also drove up costs in Dundalk and Sligo, while rising utility and socialising expenses continued to erode student budgets across the country.
Most expensive student towns
Dublin, Cork, Maynooth, Carlow, Limerick and Galway remain the six most expensive places to study. Dublin sits firmly at the top, costing students an average of €1,943 per month, with rent alone reaching €989 per month.
Having fun also costs more in the capital. Dublin students could spend around €70 more per month than those in Sligo or Letterkenny, where the average monthly cost of a night out is €330.
Rent remains a major drain on student budgets in Cork and Maynooth, while Carlow’s comparatively high private accommodation costs keep it among the least affordable towns.
Limerick and Galway complete the bottom half of the table as rising rent, utility and socialising expenses place further strain on day-to-day budgets.
