Waterford ranks among the cheapest student towns in Ireland

Waterford is among the most affordable places to study in Ireland, according to a recent study.

Analysing a range of student costs and ranking Ireland's student towns from cheapest to most expensive, research from Switcher.ie found that Waterford is the third cheapest student town in Ireland behind Letterkenny and Sligo.

The monthly cost for a student living in Waterford is €1,286 on average, while it is around €1,730 in Dublin. While students in Waterford have cheaper rents, their weekly food shop could be up to 50% more than those in Sligo and Letterkenny.

Soaring inflation has meant student budgets have been hit hard -  with rents, utilities, food and entertainment costs skyrocketing. In the last year the cost of a pint has risen nearly 10%, pizza is up by 16%, and a trip to the movies costs 5% more. Closer to home, energy bills have spiked and many students could be paying on average 8% more for their mobile and broadband.

The research also found that 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.

In order, the top five cheapest towns are Letterkenny, Sligo, Waterford, Dundalk, and Athlone. Unsurprisingly, Dublin tops the table as the most expensive place to study in Ireland for Irish, EU and International students. Dublin students spend €642 more per month on rent and living costs  - with groceries, eating out, drinking and gym memberships all costing more in the City.

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

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.