PhD in Ireland - is a stipend of €16,000 really substantial to live off in 2026 ?
I have applied for a PhD (and it is one that I would really like to do) but I was kind of surprised to see that the stipend was considerably lower than other stipends of PhD's I have seen (which are largely now €25,000). I searched around on here and maybe 7 years ago a stipend of €16,000 was *barely* enough to get by in Ireland, however, with the cost of living and extortionate renting prices, trying to live with this stipend seems pretty difficult. I do have a part time barista job that I plan to keep if I am successful in my application, and I would supplement myself through teaching/demonstrating. My main concern is that when I look for accommodation surrounding the university, the rental prices are similar to Dublin (which is insane for a small town in the midlands). Does anyone else have experience with this, and if so, what advice do you have ?