Education

How much does college cost?

Primary and secondary school may be expensive, but costs climb sharply at third level

Students living away from home can expect to spend at least €1,494 per month, according to DCU. Photograph: iStock

Peter McGuire
Tue Jan 14 2020 - 00:00

DCU’s student support and development office estimates that, for the year 2019-2020, students living away from home can expect to spend at least €1,494 per month, as follows:

Rent/mortgage: €620 
Daily transport to college (public transport/petrol): €148 
Transport at the weekends (travel home/work/other): €85 
Gas/ESB/oil: €80 
Groceries/food/toiletries: €180 
On-/off-campus meals: €57 
Internet: €31 
Phone/mobile: €28 
Medication: €15 
College materials (printing etc): €19 
College books: €25 
TV licence: €14 
Bin charges: €10 
Extra-curricular activities, ie gym/clubs and socs/sport: €52 
Other: clothes €50 + maximum on work/life balance social, eg cinema, €130

This does not include childcare, medical insurance, car insurance, maintenance plus NCT. It’s worth noting that digs – where students live with a homeowner and often get breakfast and dinner included – are usually cheaper than renting in a houseshare. The TV licence will be cheaper – as will most utility bills – the more people are sharing a house. Of course, with many students having laptops and tablets, there’s no need for a TV licence if you don’t have a TV.

Students living at home have the benefit of not paying rent, and will need about €652 per month to get by. This includes:

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Daily transport to college (public transport/petrol): €148 
Transport at the weekends: €40 
Groceries/food (including pizza take-outs/other €15 once/week): €125 
On-/off-campus meals (meals on campus €7.50/day x five days): €70 
Phone/mobile: €28 
Medication: €15 
College materials, ie printing etc: €19 
College books: €25 
Extra-curricular activities, ie gym/clubs and socs/sport: €52 
Other: Clothes €50 + maximum on work/life balance social, eg cinema, €130

There’s scope for further cost-cutting here if students bring their own packed lunch to college, try to get second-hand or library books and, of course, save money on pubs by drinking (pre-drinking/“prinking”) at home before going out.

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