Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Montpellier Cost of Living Comparison Between Allentown, PA and Montpellier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,712 per month in Allentown, PA vs $1,960 in Montpellier, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,833 per month in Allentown, PA vs $2,922 in Montpellier, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,954 per month in Allentown, PA vs $3,884 in Montpellier, rent included.

Allentown, PA costs about 38% more than Montpellier, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Allentown, PA and Montpellier sit above the global median – Allentown, PA by 102%, Montpellier by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$17.30 €14.88

17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$124 $124

$56.9 €48.92

117.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.07 €11.24

-25.02%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$3.72 €3.20

58.87%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.72 €2.34

-15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.91 €1.64

-10.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$5.92 €5.09

-15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$4.50 €3.87

75.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.36 €1.17

-9.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.98 €2.56

-26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.62 €2.25

-7.63%

Eggs

$3.19 $3.19

$4.19 €3.60

-23.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.75 $14.75

$19.08 €16.41

-22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.49 $6.49

$15.47 €13.31

-58.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.85 $19.85

$26.43 €22.74

-24.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.24 $7.24

$3.17 €2.73

128.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.29 €1.97

-35.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.48 €2.14

12.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$3.87 €3.33

69.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.36 €2.03

10.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.65 €2.28

22.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.58 €1.36

42.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.58 €0.50

325.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$14.04 €12.08

-29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$8.12 €6.99

82.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.12 €2.68

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.80 €3.27

-28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.81 €1.55

25.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$17.41 €14.98

245.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 $4.85

$5.08 €4.37

-4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.59 €1.36

35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.96 $41.96

$33.35 €28.69

25.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.03 €1.74

-55.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.6K $29.6K

$37.5K €32.2K

-20.93%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K $26.8K

$38.0K €32.7K

-29.64%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 $151

$190 €164

-20.66%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$48.27 $48.27

$28.11 €24.18

71.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.0 $62.0

$35.06 €30.16

76.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.73 $31.73

$38.36 €33.00

-17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.35 €25.25

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 $11.58

$14.15 €12.17

-18.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$848 $848

$770 €662

10.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K $11.2K

$8,169 €7,027

36.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.25 $36.25

$103 €88.4

-64.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.43 $48.43

$44.46 €38.25

8.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 $72.8

$108 €92.9

-32.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 $59.7

$178 €153

-66.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 $1,553

$836 €719

85.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$752 €647

96.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$1,363 €1,172

80.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,073 $2,073

$1,115 €959

85.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,544 $2,544

$5,167 €4,444

-50.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,183 $2,183

$4,116 €3,541

-46.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,947 $2,947

$2,784 €2,394

5.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

3.64

76.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Allentown, PA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montpellier: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,553 in Allentown, PA versus $836 in Montpellier. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Allentown, PA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $124 in Allentown, PA versus $57.0 in Montpellier. Groceries tell a different story – $381 in Allentown, PA vs $408 in Montpellier – so Allentown, PA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Allentown, PA vs Montpellier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Allentown, PA costs about 38% more than Montpellier, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,068 per month in Allentown, PA and $2,939 in Montpellier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montpellier, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 245% less in Montpellier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $848 per month in Allentown, PA and $770 in Montpellier. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montpellier, where all-in costs run around $1,960, than in Allentown, PA at $2,712. In Montpellier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Allentown, PA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montpellier costs $1,960 versus $2,712 in Allentown, PA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Montpellier. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Allentown, PA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.