Going to college in Carlow costs over €16k a year

STUDENTS heading to college in Carlow face costs of €16,645 for the coming academic year – which is €348 more than in 2025 and almost €1,500 more than three years ago, according to new research from Switcher.ie.

The figures, published on the price comparison site’s Student Cost of Living Guide 2026, places Carlow as the fourth most expensive place in Ireland to study, behind Dublin, Cork and Maynooth. That leaves Carlow costing €487 more than the national average, but almost €3,350 less than Dublin.

Accommodation is the largest single expense for Carlow students, with average rents standing at €673 a month, the fourth-highest figure in the study. Switcher.ie says the cost is linked partly to the town’s reliance on private student accommodation, which tends to be more expensive than on-campus housing.

Nationally, students in private accommodation pay around €976 more per year than those living on campus and rents have risen by €183 since last year.

Carlow recorded one of the smaller increases in this year’s report, with students paying roughly €39 more per month than in 2025, a smaller rise than in Tralee, Cork, Dundalk and Sligo, where rent increases were the highest recorded.

Other costs also rose nationally, including utilities, up 9%, along with groceries and entertainment.

Eoin Clarke, commercial director at Switcher.ie, said comparatively high private accommodation costs remain the main factor behind Carlow’s position among the more expensive college towns, despite the town recording a smaller increase than others this year. He said students and families should consider financial supports such as SUSI grants, scholarships and the Student Assistance Fund before taking out education loans, and should claim any tax relief available on tuition fees and rent.

“Planning a realistic budget before term begins can help identify any shortfall early and reduce the need for expensive, last-minute borrowing,” he said.