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.
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Average Cost of Living in Ireland for International Students
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:
|
Factor |
Monthly Average Cost |
|
Accommodation Expenses (shared rooms) |
EUR 400-850/ INR 33,372-67,538 |
|
Transport & travel |
EUR 135/ INR 10,726 |
|
Food |
EUR 167/ INR 13,269 |
|
Utilities |
EUR 28/ INR 2,224 |
|
Books/ Study Materials |
EUR 70/ INR 5,562 |
|
Clothes/ Medical Facilities |
EUR 41/ INR 3,257 |
|
Social Life/ Miscellaneous |
EUR 75/ INR 5,959 |
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:
|
Type of Transportation |
Cost |
|
Bus Ticket |
EUR 1.55 to EUR 3.80/ INR 123.16 to 301.94 |
|
Trams Ticket |
EUR 1.54 to EUR 3.20/ INR 122.36 to 254.26 |
|
Train Ticket |
EUR 1.70 and EUR 7.00/ INR 135.08 to 135.08 |
|
Ferries |
EUR 190/ INR 15,096 |
|
Car Rental |
EUR 49.3 per day/ INR 3,917 a day |
|
Taxis |
EUR 0.40-0.50 per minute/ INR 31.78 to 39.73 per minute |
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:
|
Grocery Products |
Average Cost |
|
Fruits |
EUR 0.30 - EUR 1/ INR 23.84 to 24.63 |
|
Butter (250g) |
EUR 1 - EUR 2/ INR 24.63 to 158.91 |
|
Milk (1 liter) |
EUR 1 - EUR 1.30/ INR 24.63 to 103.29 |
|
A pack of 6 eggs |
EUR 1.50/ INR 119.19 |
|
A loaf of bread |
EUR 1.50/ INR 119.19 |
|
Chicken breast (300 grams) |
EUR 3.50 - EUR 4/ INR 278.10 to 317.83 |
|
Soft drinks |
EUR 0.80/ INR 63.57 |
|
Coffee (100 grams) |
EUR 3/ INR 238.37 |
|
Half kg of pasta |
EUR 1.80/ INR 143.02 |
|
A pack of 1kg potatoes |
EUR 2/ 158.91 |
|
A pack of white rice (1kg) |
EUR 2.50/ INR 198.64 |
|
A pack of 3kg detergent |
EUR 4.50/ INR 357.56 |
|
Toothpaste (100 grams) |
EUR 3/ INR 238.37 |
|
Toilet paper roll |
EUR 2/ INR 158.91 |
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.
|
The cost of a basic annual policy starts at EUR 394/ INR 31,306. Individuals in Ireland pay the same premium for a health insurance plan regardless of their age, gender, or current/future health status. This is known as "community rating." |
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
Universities Tuition Fees 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.
|
University |
Average Annual Tuition Fee (INR) |
|
INR 13.18 - 39.8 Lakhs |
|
|
INR 2.43 - 43.69 Lakhs |
|
|
INR 9.8 - 42.36 Lakhs |
|
|
INR 12.1 - 18.07 Lakhs |
|
|
INR 10.33 - 15.1 Lakhs |
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.
Cost of Living in Ireland 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.
|
City |
Monthly Cost of Living in EUR |
Monthly Accommodation in EUR |
|
Dublin |
893/ INR 70,955 |
1,357-1,637/ INR 107,823-130,071 |
|
Galway |
848/ INR 67,379 |
838-1,080/ INR 66,585-85,813 |
|
Cork |
864/ INR 68,651 |
969-1,171/ INR 76,994-93,044 |
|
Maynooth |
811/ INR 64,439 |
766-1,066/ INR 60,864-84,701 |
|
Limerick |
787/ INR 62,532 |
865-1,016/ INR 68,730-80,728 |
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.
How to Reduce Cost of Living in Ireland: 5 Money-Saving Hacks
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.
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