Despite a multitude of offers, finding a place to stay in Dublin can be long process. Before you start your search, there are several points you should consider:

• Do you wish to rent or buy?
• Do you wish to make an advance trip to Ireland for house hunting or initially move into a hostel or a short-term rental and take your time finding a permanent place?
• Do you want to live in the city centre despite higher prices or would a place in one of the suburbs be more suitable?
• What is your ideal size for the accommodation in terms of rooms and square meters?
• If buying, do you prefer a newly renovated place or are you ready to buy cheaper and renovate it yourself?

See that rent for a house or flat in Ireland is payable monthly but the price can be shown weekly (i.e., by calculating rent x 52 weeks / 12 month, you should be able to find the price monthly). Most of the time, modern convenience is available such as dryer or Internet, but other charges may not be included in the price. For example, you should add electricity, gas and TV licence fees when estimating your budget.

Most rooms, flats, apartments, or houses are advertised on accommodation websites. You can search for a particular type of accommodation and set up alerts for your specific requirements.

Other sources include the accommodation sections of newspapers; advertisements in shops; college notice boards etc. Most student unions keep accommodation lists as well. You may also find available accommodation through word of mouth or 'To Let' signs on properties.

Accommodation agencies or letting agencies are commercial organisations that help you find private rented accommodation. They may charge you a fee.

Flatsharing in Dublin

Flatsharing is most popular among students who are not able to afford a flat by themselves. A good reference is the Daft, the most popular Irish website for buying and rental accommodation.

However, flatshares are usually the result of networking in the circle of friends and acquaintances or through social networks groups.

Youth hostel

If for any reason you don't want to share a flat, for example if you would prefer not to pay a two month deposit for a flat or if you are in Ireland for just few weeks, a good solution is a youth hostel. There's thousand of them in Dublin, and most of the hostel purpose some night, weekly or monthly price. The main advantage is that you will meet people from all around the world.

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