Sligo among cheapest student towns in Ireland

Sligo is among the most affordable places to study in Ireland. Switer.ie’s latest research found from the cheapest to most expensive places to study in Ireland and the monthly costs of University in each town in 2023.

Students, like everyone else, have been hit hard by soaring inflation. The price of a pint is up by 9%, a takeaway pizza now costs 16% more than last year, whilst energy bills and rents have gone through the roof.

In the last year, energy bills have spiked, and on average, many students could be paying 8% more for their mobile and broadband, consequently with 1 in 3 students in financial difficulty. 

Students eligible for free tuition fees can expect to fork out €15,096 on average going to college in 2023, while international students may spend around €25,766 per year. The research revealed that Sligo is the cheapest destination for international students, with fees and accommodation almost half the cost of studying in Dublin. 

In order, the top five cheapest towns are Letterkenny, Sligo, Waterford, Dundalk, and Athlone. While Dublin tops the table as the most expensive place to study for Irish, EU and International students, Sligo students get fees and accommodation at nearly half the cost. 

Eoin Clarke, Commercial Director at Switcher.ie, said that the cost of living crisis had walloped Ireland’s students and left many with the stark choice between heating and eating or skipping lectures for paid work to cover living costs. “Although University fees have remained steady for most students thanks to the free fee initiative”, he added. 

The monthly cost for a student living in Sligo is €1,135 on average, while it is around €1,730 in Dublin. The highest accommodation costs are found in Dublin, with students, on average, paying twice as much as those in Letterkenny and Sligo. 

The survey found that the most expensive regions for a student are Dublin, Maynooth, Cork, Limerick and Carlow.