Cork city is now the second-most expensive place in Ireland to live as a university student, with the average annual cost rising to more than €17,500, according to new estimates.

When the figure is compared with last year, it represents a €634 increase in the cost of living for students, and a €1,533 jump from 2023.

This year’s Student Cost of Living Index from Switcher.ie shows Dublin remains the most expensive city for college, with students spending almost €20,000 a year.

Cork takes second place, with students spending an average of €1,667 a month on groceries, rent, utilities and entertainment.

On Lunchtime Live, members of the University of Galway and University College Cork students' unions spoke with Andrea about their ongoing struggle to source accommodation for the new college year.

John, who spends just under five hours commuting to college, said that the issue is "the cost, but it is also the availability."

"I think last year when I decided I wanted to go to Cork, moving to a new city where I didn't know anybody, it was quite daunting," John continued.

"You have to shop around endlessly for a place, and, you're very lucky if you land on a place".

"In the end, I did the maths and I figured out that commuting was probably the way for me to go."

Nationwide issue

In Galway, homeowners across the county are being asked to open their homes to students with the offer of up to €14,000 per year, tax-free, subject to Revenue conditions, in return.

Sean DeBurca, Galway University Student Union President said that "in Galway, it's particularly dire, as it has been every year for the last number of years."

He continues: "Look at the amount of Airbnbs around, you find over 1,000 in Galway. At the same time, you look at the amount of them that are actually legal and have planning permission to be a short-term let, and I think that figure is still in single digits.

"There's laws around us that aren't being enforced that are absolutely worsening the housing situation, and that's something that we're really feeling as students."

Students’ unions in Cork City met on Wednesday to promote a bill aimed at preventing student accommodation providers from avoiding rent controls by imposing additional compulsory charges on tenants as fees.

If passed, the bill would close a loophole in student rental laws by ensuring mandatory service charges are included upfront in rental prices.