By Lisa Geraghty
Galway remained the sixth most expensive student county this year costing €2,405 more than Letterkenny, the cheapest town, a report has revealed.
In 2024, it costs €15,552 per year to go to college in Galway, 3% or €464 more per year than 2023. Soaring living costs have put increased pressure on hard-pressed students, who are now spending even more on accommodation and day-to-day living. One in five young people is reported to be skipping meals in 2024 to save money, according to a new study by the Youth Council of Ireland.
In Galway, accommodation per month cost €556, groceries cost €205 per month, entertainment cost €334 per month and transport costs €140 per month.
Eoin Clarke, commercial director of Switcher.ie said that even though the rate of inflation has eased, the cost of living is still soaring, leaving hard-pressed students skipping meals just to make ends meet.
“Essentials like rent, food shops, and energy bills have skyrocketed in the past few years, and additional costs for gym membership, cheap eats, and the price of a pint are on the up, too.
“The good news is that students can avoid breaking the bank of mum and dad with supports like grants, tax relief, scholarships, and student discounts, while weekly budgets, tracking spending, and savvy shopping can help their income go that bit further,” he said.
In 2024, students eligible for free tuition fees can expect to spend an average of €15,632 on college — €536 more per year than in 2023. International students could fork out an average of €26,690 per annum, €924 more than last year.
Colleges in Dublin, Cork and Maynooth had the highest jump in average expenses this year, costing up to €168 more each month.
Letterkenny, Sligo, and Waterford remain the top three cheapest towns. Switcher.ie’s Student Cost of Living Guide 2024 reveals the cheapest student towns in Ireland, up-to-date expenses in each place, and how much student costs have jumped in the past year.
This year, the cheapest student rents are available in Sligo, Waterford, Dundalk and Athlone, while Dublin, Maynooth and Cork top the table.
The most significant hikes in student rent were seen in Carlow, Tralee, Limerick and Athlone, which jumped by around 4%, mainly due to the increasing prices of private accommodation.
Best - value groceries were found in Sligo, Athlone, Letterkenny, Dundalk and Tralee, but students in Cork, Maynooth, Dublin and Waterford could be paying as much as 50% more for their weekly shop.
A night out on the town could set the average student back €165 or 5% more than last year. The average spend on a typical student month of drinks, eating out, takeaways, cinema and nightclubbing is lowest in Letterkenny, Dundalk, Carlow and Sligo.
The study 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.
