Flatsharing in Dublin
Dublin has the tightest room market on this list. Supply is the whole story here: everything else — how fast rooms go, how many people view at once, how little room there is to negotiate — follows from it.
What a room costs in Dublin
€1,035
The national average is €1,035. Dublin is around the national average.
Average asking price according to Daft.ie, data from 2026-08. Daft.ie
What to budget for
On top of the room you need bills, usually £40–80 or €40–80 a month per person in a flatshare, plus a deposit, normally one month. Budgeting for rent alone is the most common mistake.
Where people share flats in Dublin
Dublin prices fall sharply as you move out from the canals, and the transport link matters more than the distance.
Rathmines and Ranelagh
The classic flatshare areas, close to the centre.
Drumcondra
Near DCU, well served by bus.
Stoneybatter
Popular and central, with prices rising fast.
Phibsborough
Between the centre and DCU, good value for the location.
Blanchardstown and Tallaght
Considerably cheaper, further out.
Who shares a flat in Dublin
Students at Trinity, UCD and DCU, and a very large international workforce in tech and pharma. Dublin has one of the oldest average flatsharing ages in Europe.
A genuine shortage, and 'digs'
Dublin has the tightest room market in this index and rooms are often let within hours of being posted. One local particularity worth knowing: 'digs' means renting a room in a family home Monday to Friday only, usually cheaper, and it remains common with students. It's a real option if you go home at weekends.
When the market moves
August and September, and both are extremely competitive. Have documents and a deposit ready before you start.
Small centre, long suburbs
Dublin’s core is walkable and the Luas, DART and bus network cover the rest, though the city sprawls further than its centre suggests. The DART line along the coast and the Luas lines are where the reliable commutes are; areas between them can look close on a map and take much longer in practice.
What the price doesn't include
- Bills
- Electricity, gas, waste and broadband are usually split separately from rent. Ask early whether the figure you were quoted includes them.
- Heating
- Older housing stock and a damp climate make heating a bigger line than newcomers expect, and it runs for most of the year rather than a season.
- Deposit
- One month is typical for a room. Because demand is so high, you may be asked to decide quickly — but never send a deposit for a room you have not seen in person or on a video call.
Depending on why you're moving to Dublin
If you are coming to study
Rathmines, Ranelagh and Drumcondra are the traditional student areas and they fill first. Start in July: by September the search is far harder, and that is when people take rooms they would otherwise have turned down.
If you are coming for work
The tech employers cluster around the docklands and the south of the city, which shapes where rooms are scarcest. Searching outside the September peak is the single biggest advantage you have.
Price is the easy part
Two rooms at the same price on the same street can mean two completely different years, and the difference isn't the square metres. Before deciding on price, look at who you'll share a kitchen, a bathroom and eleven at night with.
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Frequently asked questions about flatsharing in Dublin
Why is it so hard to find a room in Dublin?
Because demand has grown for years while supply has not. It is not a matter of searching badly: it means starting earlier, being ready to view quickly, and treating a room you like as something to decide on rather than to think over for a week.
What should I never do when renting a room in Dublin?
Send money for a room you have not seen. Scarcity is exactly what scams exploit, and urgency — "someone else is interested, pay today" — is the most reliable warning sign there is.
How much is a room in Dublin?
Around €1,035 a month in August 2026 according to Daft.ie: the highest figure in this index.
What are 'digs' in Ireland?
Renting a room in a family home on a Monday-to-Friday basis. It's cheaper than a full tenancy and common among students who go home at weekends.
Why is Dublin so expensive?
Years of undersupply combined with strong demand from a large multinational workforce concentrated in a relatively small city.