Life & The Cost of Living in Dublin
For centuries, Ireland, the gateway to Europe, has been renowned for its rich heritage in music, literature and art. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, Dublin has a young and cosmopolitan population of about 1.5 million people who are known for being friendly, open, and welcoming. A UNESCO City of Literature, the city bustles with energy and a thriving social scene.
The CASA program offers students the opportunity to be fully immersed in life in Dublin city. Located in the heart of Dublin, Trinity’s 47-acre campus sits at the very center of everything. For over 425 years Dublin City has grown and developed around the Trinity campus. Blending a high-energy, multinational professional culture with traditional Irish warmth and hospitality, Dublin has sprawling parks, cosy cafés and quirky restaurants for the daytime, with classic pubs, fashionable clubs, music gigs and theater by night. Dublin is not just a vibrant capital city, it is an international center of excellence for business, culture and the arts.
Dublin Program Estimated Costs 2024-2025
| EXPENSE | EXPENSE TYPE | COST | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| Program Fee | Set Cost | Set and billed by CASA to Home University based on relevant rate and then billed to student | Includes: onsite tuition and fees (including access to the Trinity Sports Centre), related academic programming and program sponsored excursions. It also covers the onsite orientation program, emergency travel assistance, and the services of the onsite program staff. |
| Housing | Billed to student by housing location | €313 or €328 per week during contract period | Rate per week depends on room type booked by student during the housing application process. Room types are subject to availability. Fall 2024 contract dates are September 7 - December 28, Spring 2025 contract dates are December 29 - June 21. Fall 2024 students will have an additional early move-in period they will be responsible for paying outside of the contract dates. Rate and room type for this period may vary from room booked for the semester. Please note: board is not included as meal plans are not available at Trinity or in the accommodation. |
| Immigration Registration | Direct Student Cost | €300 | Due at time of immigration appointment. Students from visa required countries will need to pay additional fees to procure a visa prior to arrival in Ireland. |
| Setting up your housing | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €250 | Some housing locations offer kitchen and bedding packs for students, or students can opt to pick up items needed for housing locally in Dublin (e.g. bedding, kitchen items, etc.) |
| Food | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €360 - 600 per month | These costs will vary very widely depending on individual budgets and lifestyle. €150-200 per week is an approximate cost from previous students which includes a combination of buying and making food, but this can be done cheaper by eating out less frequently and shopping at budget shops. (Note: Meal plans are not offered in Ireland or at Trinity, but there are several cafes and options for eating on campus: Accommodation: College Catering). 10% discount is given if using your TCard for payment. It is normal for university students to cook/prepare the majority of their food in Ireland rather than relying on eating out or meal plans. Please note that this costs just reflects meals and does not reflect entertainment. |
| Local Transportation | Direct Student Cost | €50-150 per month | €10 Euro to purchase Student Leap Card. Amount students spend on transportation varies widely from student to student depending on where you live in the city and personal habits. Low end assumes mix of walking and public transport, high end assumes public transport daily and weekly taxi rides. Travel using Young Adult Leap Card for all local transport is capped at €16 weekly or €11 weekly if just using the bus. Please note the approximations do not include independent travel outside Dublin. |
| Phone | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €20 per month if using Irish plan | For Irish SIM plan, you can get a pay-as-you-go plan for €20 per month or less. Some students have phone plans that do not permit using an international SIM, in which case an international addition to the current phone plan is required which would be more expensive. |
| Health Insurance | Direct Student Cost | Varies | Varies based on private provider or home university plan. For more info, ask your home university what they recommend/require for students studying abroad. |
| Books, Materials and Printing | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €150 total per semester | Note: university bookstores are not common in Europe. Most students use books from the library and buy only the occasional book as needed. Printing facilities available at TCD libraries. |
| Laundry | Direct Student Cost | €150 - 300 per semester | Can be between 6 and 9 Euro for each load of laundry, depending on your location and frequency of loads per week. |
| Clubs & Societies Fees | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €20-30 per month | Clubs and societies have a small registration fee to join (some as little as €1, some are €5), and the member cards often provide additional student discounts. |
| Personal/Social | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €100-300 per month | This will depend on how many activities you decide to do and how much you decide to go out. This is not accounting for trips outside of Dublin or internationally. |
| Incidentals and Hygiene | Direct Student Cost | Approx. €120-200 per month | This will depend on personal preference and use. |
WITHDRAWALS
Students should also bear in mind the following fees associated with a withdrawal from the program as outlined below.
| IF YOU WITHDRAW: | YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR: |
|---|---|
| 61+ days prior to the start of the program | $0 |
| 60 - 31 days prior to the start of the program | $375 |
| 30 - 1 day prior to the start of the program | $500 |
| Program start date or after | Full programme fee (check with your home university for the amount) |
Transportation
Student Leap Card (also known as Student Travelcard)
For discounted travel within Ireland, students need to get a Student Leap Card, the National Student Travel and Discount Card. It is a reusable smartcard that can be used instead of paper tickets to pay for transport in Dublin. It is the only card accepted by Irish Rail, Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and LUAS (tram) for student fares. It is also a discount card for hundreds of goods and services nationwide. The Student Travelcard is accepted as authentic proof of student status and costs 10 Euro.
Buses
Dublin has an extensive bus route network. Routes and timetables can be found here. There is also a night service called Nitelink, which runs from the city center to the suburbs and are a cheap and safe alternative to taxis.
Bus Eireann is the Irish bus system with a nationwide network connecting all major Irish cities and towns. Buses leave and arrive in Dublin at Busaras (Central Bus Station), which is close to Connolly Station.
Luas
The Luas (Irish for ‘speed’), is a tram/light rail system with two lines, which connect the suburbs and intersect in the city center. The Luas has a stop right outside Trinity’s front gates.
DublinBikes
Dublin has a popular and growing bike-sharing scheme, allowing people to collect a bike from any DublinBikes stand and return it to any other stand. They offer low-cost annual memberships.
DART
The DART train (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) is a commuter rail that runs along the coast from Howth and Malahide in the north to Greystones in the south. The main DART stations close to Trinity are Tara Street Station and Pearse Station.
Iarnrod Eireann (Irish Rail)
Irish Rail operates train services to Irish cities from two train stations in Dublin: Heuston Station and Connolly Station, both of which are located in the city center.
