I was compensated for this post but all opinions are my own. 
Dublin, Ireland is a great place to visit, though it can be an expensive place to visit.
Despite the fact it’s a little on the pricey side, there are many reasons to visit Dublin, for as with most places its the people that really make the place. Ireland is known for having some of the most welcoming, fun and friendly locals on the planet!
The great thing about Dublin, is that whilst it has a fair share of tourists, it’s very much a local city and finding affordable things to do is much easier than somewhere like New York City, for instance.
Here are some ideas for exploring Dublin on a budget as well as some ideas for saving on lodging.
Affordable Activities in Dublin
Trinity College library contain the Book of Kells
In Dublin, you can experience the city like a local just by wandering into a pub and getting a hearty meal and a few pints of Guinness while watching a live band.
It doesn’t need to be expensive, and the Dublin way is not pretentious or fancy – it’s down to earth – and you’re sure to get chatting to some local people that will only be too willing to help you explore the craic.
Let’s take a look at some specific options to offer some context and direction. There’s a great pizza place called Skinflint that offer pizzas for as little as $10, or check out the atmospheric pop-up food festival, Eatyard.
After this, you could head to one of the many Open Mic Nights dotted around the city that are usually free entry, and have some surprisingly talented local singers.
There’s the option to buy a three-day bike pass, that then allows you to hire a book for just €1.50 for two-hours.
Head to Phoenix Park and take a traditional picnic of local cheese with soda bread. Then, if you want to get out of Dublin for the afternoon, you can get the reasonably priced DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to the coastal village of Dún Laoghaire.
And last, no visit to Dublin is complete without taking in the Book of Kells in the Trinity College Library. It is one of the most famous medieval manuscripts in the world and is an Irish national treasure. Children under 12 can visit the exhibit for free and adult tickets are are $15 each.
Affordable Dublin Lodging
Hotels within Dublin are on the pricey side, but you can always find a way to travel on the cheap! You can often find find good deals on Dublin hotels (especially in the fall and winter) on Orbitz.
Since many hotels in Dublin are privately owned and not part of a major chain, Orbitz promo codes will work on these properties.
As an example, I was able to find a room in Clontarf Castle Hotel for only $115/night using an Orbitz promo code!
Dublin is great place to explore no matter whether you’re staying somewhere fancy like the five star Dublin’s Marker Hotel or a back-to-basics hotel. You’re almost guaranteed a warm and friendly welcome in Dublin.
In summary, Dublin can be as cheap or expensive as you make it – yes, it’s not a cheap city where you can get a glass of decent wine for a dollar (like in Spain or Portugal) but you can certainly explore what this wonderful city has to offer without having loads of money to spend.