Average rents for new tenancies in Cork rise 6% in a year

Property prices across Cork city and county continue to rise, and there is still a large price difference between average monthly rents for new and existing tenancies, a new report has shown.

The Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) Rent Index for Q2 2025 reveals that average rents for new tenancies in Cork are up to €1,546, a rise of 4.1% from the previous quarter, with rental prices growing considerably faster in Cork county than city.

The index shows that in Cork the standard average rent of €1,546 is 6% higher than the previous year, while for existing tenancies the standard average rent was €1,238, a 2.6% quarter-on-quarter and 3.4% year-on-year increase.

The average rents for new tenancies were €1,666 in Cork city and €1,380 in Cork county, while existing tenancy rents were €1,388 in the city and €1,054 in the county.

Cork county saw rates for new tenancies jump 8.2% compared to the first three months of 2025, and 8.3% compared to the same period in 2024. In the city the increases were much smaller, at 1.6% and 3.5% respectively. Existing rents increased 3.3% and 4.3% in Cork county for new and existing tenancies, and 1.5% and 3% in the city.

Rents for new tenancies in Dublin city in Q2 2025 were €327 per month higher than those in Galway city and €512 more than those in Cork city. Since Q2 2022, new tenancy rents in Galway city have been persistently higher than Cork city and the gap to Dublin has narrowed slightly.

The three local electoral areas in the southside of Cork city had the three most expensive average rents for new tenancies, while some areas of Cork county have higher rents than those on the northside of Cork city.

The priciest was Cork City South West, at €1,915 for a new tenancy and €1,528 for an existing, followed by €1,778 and €1,498 in Cork City South East, €1,738 and €1,414 in South Central and €1,728 and €1,261 in Carrigaline.

This was followed by Bandon/Kinsale with rents of €1,496 and €1,114 for new any existing rentals respectively, Cobh with €1,474 and €1,162, Cork City North West with €1,460 and €1,286, Midleton with €1,431 and €1,041, and Cork City North East with €1,427 and €1,209.

Among the cheapest areas for new rentals were Mallow at €1,317 and €1,030 for existing tenancies, Macroom where rents were €1,270 and €986, Skibbereen/West Cork with €1,263 and €1,022 and Fermoy with €1,168 and 991. No details on average rents for new tenancies in Kanturk or Bantry/West Cork were provided, due to a low number of new rental tenancies during the quarter, but average rents for existing tenancies in the two areas were €903 and €818 respectively.