Whether your children are in primary, secondary or third level education, chances are you are underestimating the cost of sending them to school and college.
Counting the cost
Zurich’s annual Cost of Education survey1 highlights the cost of education in Ireland for primary, secondary and third level. It also reveals that 78% of parents with children in primary or secondary school would like their children to go onto third level education, and shows families are now more likely to start a savings fund to plan financially for their children’s educational needs.
At Zurich we understand that planning for your children’s education is important to you. We have been carrying out research into the cost of education in Ireland since 2018. In those nine years, we have collected valuable data on the costs for primary, secondary school and third level education. We have also garnered insights into how much parents spend on their children’s education, how they cover these costs and the factors influencing how much they save.
The cost of putting just one child through school can easily run into tens of thousands of euro. If you have two or more children then you're going to have to dig even deeper to sustain the cost of their educational needs over the long-term. The 2026 Zurich Cost of Education in Ireland1 reveals what parents estimate the cost of education to be and what the actual cost is. The research also highlights that expenses incurred for children in secondary school almost double that of primary and third level expenditure is triple that of secondary. When it comes to financing children’s education, the need for sacrifices follows the same upward trend – the higher the educational level, the higher the necessity for making sacrifices to cover education costs.
The average annual & lifetime cost of education
| Education Tier | Annual Cost | Lifetime Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Primary School | €1,794 |
€14,352 |
| Secondary School | €2,928 |
€17,568 |
| College | €14,451 |
€57,804 |
The cost of primary school education
Parents estimate that it costs €1,140 to keep their child in primary school education each year. However, the actual cost per year for primary education for one child is €1,794. The highest spend during a child’s primary school year is on lunches (€382), then transport (€250), followed by after school activities (€232) and clothing (€221). More than one-in-four (27%) of primary school parents have taken out a loan to help pay for their children’s primary school costs, up 12% from 2025. Of those parents who save the child benefit, 57% save the full amount each month.
Source: 1Zurich Cost of Education Survey 2026
The cost of secondary school education
Parents of secondary school children estimate they spend €1,685 on average per school year, however, the actual cost per year for secondary education for one child is €2,928. The highest spend items for parents with children in secondary school are grinds (€620), lunches (€353), trips (€284), and after school activities (€250). Zurich's Cost of Education report also finds that in order to fund their children's education, 36% of parents have taken out a loan to help pay for their children’s secondary school costs, up 12% compared to 2025.
Source: 1Zurich Cost of Education Survey 2026
The cost of college education
College doesn't come cheap and by the time a teenager reaches third level, parents are really feeling the cost of putting their children through university or college. Zurich's Cost of Education survey reveals the true cost of third level education in Ireland, and it's not surprising to learn that accommodation and college fees are the highest spend items during the college year. The cost of accommodation for the college year ranges from €7,000 to €9,000, depending on if you are paying for rented or student accommodation. Parents are also providing financial support to their children by giving them €2,457 during the college year.
Source: 1Zurich Cost of Education Survey 2026
Saving for education
A great education is the best possible start in life and for most parents ensuring they can provide for their children's education, from primary school right through to third level, is crucially important. With a Regular Savings plan you can gradually build up the funds necessary to support your children's education and future.
Cost of education calculators
Our Cost of Secondary School Calculator is a tool that helps you work out how much you need to save to cover the costs of putting children through secondary school.
Cost of Secondary School Calculator
Use our Cost of College Education Calculator to work out the estimated costs of sending your children to college and to see how much you might need to save each month to meet these college costs.
Read more about the cost of education
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