By Louise Doyle

THE cost of studying in Letterkenny increased by nine per cent this year but it remains the cheapest student town in Ireland, according to new figures from switcher.ie

Soaring living costs continue to weigh heavily on Ireland’s students, who are now spending even more on accommodation and day-to-day living.

Switcher.ie’s ‘Student Cost of Living Guide 2025’, released this week, 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.

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.

The latest figures show that average annual student expenses have climbed again in 2025, driven largely by sharp rises in rental prices on the already limited supply of student housing.

In 2025, it costs €14,300 per year to go to college in Letterkenny, nine per cent or €1,157 more per year than 2024 and €1,509 or 12 per cent more than 2023.

Letterkenny remained the cheapest student county this year, costing a whopping €5,777 less per year than Dublin, the most expensive town.

A breakdown of the figures for Letterkenny show accommodation per month costs €453, groceries €207 and transport costs €140. Entertainment per month stands at €330, according to the figures.

Joseph Sweeney, Students’ Union President, Donegal ATU, said the cost of living crisis is having an impact.

“Student costs is an issue locally and nationally. It is an unfortunate byproduct of the cost of living crisis that we’re in. We have to recognise that costs for students are going up on a yearly basis,” he told the Donegal News.

Asked if students are forced to defer their studies due to costs, Mr Sweeney said this has become the reality for some.

“The financial aspect is a massive barrier for people. I know people in my year who did have to work for a year beforehand to save up the money. Costs are just so high, it needs to be addressed.

“From the top down, there needs to be a student focused approach to ensure we have good facilities to look after student welfare.”

There are exciting plans afoot for Donegal ATU, including the provision of a new library, expected to be finished in 2027, which Mr Sweeney said “will provide a better base on site for students”.

But, he added continued rising costs must be addressed