Cost of Living In Ireland 2025 for International Students

Ireland has always been a top destination for students from around the world, thanks to its bustling cities, gorgeous natural landscapes, and welcoming environment. What adds more value is the shared language and the common travel area between the UK and Ireland. Before coming to Ireland, international students must have a solid strategy and budget in place.

Ireland is the world's 13th most expensive country to live in, especially for students. The cost of living in Ireland is estimated to be EUR 842 per month, excluding accommodation. Scholarships in Ireland are one of the ways to pay for your expenditures. You can also work part-time occupations that are compliant with government rules. Aside from that, you can save money on your living expenses in Ireland by taking advantage of the different student discounts.

In order to plan your expenditure, let's discuss the living cost in Ireland for international students in detail.

The average cost of living in Ireland for an international student is EUR 12,000/ INR 9,54,000 per year. Cost of living in Ireland for students includes rent, electricity, food, books, laundry, medicine, travel, and social expenses but excludes tuition fees. The average cost of living in Ireland is almost 220% higher in India. Basically, an estimate of how much it costs to live as an international student for one academic year (nine months) is what comprises the cost of living in Ireland for Indian students.

Let’s explore the expenses based on a month: 

Now, let’s explore the cost to live in Ireland in detail. 

1. Transportation & Travel

Student discounts are provided on services like Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, DART, LUAS, and Bus Eireann. The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service is a crucial site to visit after arriving and completing your university registration (INIS). Monthly expenses in Ireland on travel is around EUR 135/ INR 10,726, using any of the following modes of transportation:

Essential Tip: One of the most effective ways to reduce the average cost of living in Ireland for international students is to get a Student Travelcard. This provides discounts of up to 40% on these services as well as at many retail outlets throughout the country. You can purchase the card for EUR 12/ INR 954 and add any amount to it as needed.

2. Accommodation Expenses

Off-campus housing is an option if you are too far behind on the waiting list for on-campus housing or if you choose to live independently. This can be done through the university's Accommodations Office or through websites that list available rental properties in Ireland. Let’s explore what the accommodation living expenses in Ireland for Indian students include. 

• A large number of undergraduate students prefer to reside in homestays (cost around EUR 180/ INR 14,309 per month), sometimes known as 'digs' in Ireland.
• The advantages of this arrangement include lower costs because the host family covers the cost of utilities, meals, and activities as part of the rent.
• Private rentals are offered in the form of apartments, studio apartments, houses, and other structures, with rents varying substantially based on the number of rooms and amenities desired. You can expect to pay between EUR 350 to EUR 3,000/ INR 27,810 to 2,38,372 per month in rent.
• Long-term student hostels are an affordable option to manage living costs in Ireland for international students in Ireland, despite their limited number. Hostels are usually maintained by housing businesses and offer similar amenities to halls of residence, with prices ranging from EUR 5 to 112/ INR 2,781 to 8,899 per night.
• Purpose-built student housing is comparable to halls, with the exception that the number of people sharing is less than in hostels. It costs between EUR 150 to EUR 273/ INR 11,919 to 21,691 each week. 

3. Food Expenses

Cost of food is an essential aspect of planning, while studying abroad. Tabulated below are general food expenses a student bears whole studying in Ireland:

4. Health Insurance 

Residents who are not citizens of another EU country will be denied reciprocal access to public health care. In Ireland, unless you have your own health insurance, you will need to purchase private health insurance.

Now you know the living expenses in Ireland for Indian students. On May 1, 2015, new rules went into effect that introduced Lifetime Community Rating. Community rating has been changed under the new law to reflect the age at which a person purchases private health insurance. 

Read: Education System in Ireland

Firstly, international students will have to procure a student visa for studying in Ireland. This will cost you around EUR 60/ INR 4,767 for a single entry and EUR 100/ INR 7,945 for multiple entries. 

Ireland has some of the world's most renowned universities. Before, exploring their per year tuition fees, let’s check out the cost of studying in Ireland for different degrees:

• Undergraduate: EUR 9,850-25,500/ INR 7,82,653-20,26,158 annually
• Postgraduate: EUR 9,500-24,500/ INR 7,54,843-19,46,712 annually
• Doctoral Degree: EUR 10,000-35,000/ INR 7,94,572-27,81,002 annually

Now let’s check out the universities in Ireland with their average tuition fees. 

Read: Cost of Studying in Ireland

Now you know the cost of studying in Ireland in brief. Next, let’s explore the Ireland living cost of students in different cities. 

Living expenses in Ireland for international students range between EUR 7,000 and EUR 12,000/ INR 5,56,200 to 9,53,486, depending on where you stay. You'll need to budget for a monthly rent of EUR 427/ INR 33,928, as well as other monthly expenses in Ireland. For instance, keep at least EUR 168/ INR 13,348 every month for food, though the prices may vary on campus and outside.

Read: Scholarships in Ireland 

These costs can be a lot of accumulated to 2-4 years depending on your course of study in Ireland. Therefore, let’s check out a few methods to reduce Ireland living cost for students. 

The cost of living in Ireland for Indian students varies based on where you reside, the sort of housing you pick, your transportation options, and a variety of other considerations. Here are some of the tips on how one can save money and make the most out of their budget from the Ireland cost of living for students. 

• Saving on Food: Supermarkets provide the best bargain for most everyday items as they have "own brand" food, which is usually cheaper than name brands. However, if you shop carefully, street markets such as Moore Street and Camden Street in Dublin can provide value in fruit and vegetables. Budget shops like Aldi and Lidl have lower prices than other supermarkets. This can save your overall cost to live in Ireland. 
• Student Discounts: Whenever you’re going to restaurants, supermarkets, cinema halls, gyms, and eateries, always carry your Student ID. You can often ask for student discounts by showing your ID card. By asking for student discounts, you can reduce the living expenses in Ireland for international students.
• Travel Cards: It's a good idea to get a Student Leap Card. For students enrolled in an Irish college or university, the Student Leap card provides discounted fares and other discounts. Cycling in city centres can be risky, especially during rush hour, so if you do decide to pedal, make sure you wear a bicycle helmet.
• Saving on Phone Services: Mobile phone rates are normally higher than landline rates, particularly for international calls, however, there are numerous discounts available. Pre-pay phones allow you to purchase credit in advance and manage average living cost in Ireland.
• Claim the Tax Back: Non-EU/Non-EEA visitors to Ireland may be entitled to tax-free shopping on some goods being taken home, especially those purchased through department stores, provided they have been purchased within the final two months of the stay. Refunds can be obtained via the Cashback system at the airport before leaving Ireland.

Read: Study Loan for Ireland 2022

Now you know how to reduce Ireland cost of living for students. Hope this blog has clarified all of the important aspects regarding the cost of living in Ireland for students. If you're still having trouble, here is a complete guide to study in Ireland to guide you through the process of choosing the ideal scholarship and university for you.

However, even after reading the blogs, you still need end-to-end expert guidance from our counsellors on this and other aspects of the study abroad journey like the selection of a university/course, visa application, scholarships, etc, subscribe to Yocket premium.