Cost of Living?

LolaLuv

Hi, everyone! I'm an American student who's going to be spending next academic year studying at Trinity. I hope you all can help me with a question I've got. The program I'm doing the study abroad through has recommended we take the equivalent of 6,100 Euros for all living expenses except tuition and housing. So, this amount is meant to cover meals, travel, books, phone bills, transportation, etc. from October through June. I don't plan on living extravagantly by any means, but seems a bit low to me. I thought maybe you would all have a better idea of whether or not it's realistic.
Cheers!

jdivision

It's quite possible that amount will only cover your rent if you opt for a double room in a city centre apartment.

LolaLuv

jdivision wrote: »

It's quite possible that amount will only cover your rent if you opt for a double room in a city centre apartment.

Luckily, that amount doesn't include rent. That's the most expensive thing behind tuition, but I'm not sure if €6100 will be enough to cover everything else.

RoryW

From website for Trinity College

http://www.tcd.ie/international/pre-arrival/cost-of-living/

Cost of living in Ireland – based on 2007–08
The following average figures represent approximate living costs for one academic year and depend on a student's lifestyle and living standards. They exclude items such as holidays, travel to and from Ireland, laundry, clothes and toiletries.


Rent, electricity, heating 5,000
Food 3,200
Books 1,000
Miscellaneous 1,300
Total 10,500

LolaLuv

RoryW wrote: »

From website for Trinity College

http://www.tcd.ie/international/pre-arrival/cost-of-living/

Cost of living in Ireland – based on 2007–08
The following average figures represent approximate living costs for one academic year and depend on a student's lifestyle and living standards. They exclude items such as holidays, travel to and from Ireland, laundry, clothes and toiletries.


Rent, electricity, heating 5,000
Food 3,200
Books 1,000
Miscellaneous 1,300
Total 10,500

Thanks! Actually I think I might have read that, but I'm always a bit skeptical of official budgets. Personal experiences are generally more trustworthy.

jdivision

PillyPen wrote: »

Luckily, that amount doesn't include rent. That's the most expensive thing behind tuition, but I'm not sure if €6100 will be enough to cover everything else.

Sorry misread, much depends on whether you cook yourself. eating out is much more expensive in general than in the States, clothing is too. I'd also buy books online, much cheaper.

LolaLuv

jdivision wrote: »

Sorry misread, much depends on whether you cook yourself. eating out is much more expensive in general than in the States, clothing is too. I'd also buy books online, much cheaper.

Thanks! Very good points! I'm going to try to buy all of the clothes I need before I leave the US and am planning on cooking mostly my own meals. Can't stay at home all the time, though, or what's the point of traveling? I think I should search the boards for cheap eats in Dublin once I'm actually there.

jimi_t

PillyPen wrote: »

Thanks! Very good points! I'm going to try to buy all of the clothes I need before I leave the US and am planning on cooking mostly my own meals. Can't stay at home all the time, though, or what's the point of traveling? I think I should search the boards for cheap eats in Dublin once I'm actually there.

Wouldn't be the worst idea. Plenty of cheap/studenty places about. You realise that theres a very active Trinity students forum on boards?

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=468

Crash

PillyPen, come on over to the TCD forum and ask the same, I'm sure we can help you out. I'm trying to work out in my head how much I spent ex rent a year and if I can come out with a figure i'll let you know

LolaLuv

jimi_t wrote: »

Wouldn't be the worst idea. Plenty of cheap/studenty places about. You realise that theres a very active Trinity students forum on boards?

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=468

I knew there was a board, but I didn't realize it was active so I didn't even bother posting there. Thanks for the heads up, I'll go check it now!

crash_000 wrote:

PillyPen, come on over to the TCD forum and ask the same, I'm sure we can help you out. I'm trying to work out in my head how much I spent ex rent a year and if I can come out with a figure i'll let you know

On my way there now, thanks a bunch!

John Mason

you might be okay, as long as you stay away from pubs and clubs

LolaLuv

I was kinda hoping it would be enough to cover occasional drunken foolishness. How much are mixed drinks and pints in Dublin, on average?

x in the city

too much, stay drinking at home

over 8e for vodka red bull

pint over a fiver.

prob get the wrong change back also a few times...

LolaLuv

Eek, thanks. Not much of a club girl anyway so I guess now I'll have an excuse for staying at home besides just being lame.

jdivision

Cheapest place to drink in Dublin City centre is probably the bar in Trinity so you'll be fine