Cost of Living Comparison Between Caen and Fayetteville, NC Cost of Living Comparison Between Caen and Fayetteville, NC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Caen versus $2,881 in Fayetteville, NC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,572 in Caen versus $3,432 in Fayetteville, NC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,488 in Caen versus $3,982 in Fayetteville, NC.

Living in Caen costs roughly 43% less than in Fayetteville, NC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Caen 24% above, Fayetteville, NC 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.34 €13.08

$15.15 $15.15

1.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.1 €48.74

$60.6 $60.6

-5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 €9.91

$10.97 $10.97

5.93%

Cappuccino

$2.60 €2.22

$4.97 $4.97

-47.69%

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

$3.75 €3.20

$2.17 $2.17

72.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.69 $1.69

-13.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 €6.72

$4.02 $4.02

96.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.25 €5.33

$6.43 $6.43

-2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.04

$0.94 $0.94

28.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 €1.15

$3.25 $3.25

-58.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 €1.92

$3.03 $3.03

-25.74%

Eggs

$3.50 €2.98

$3.50 $3.50

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 €9.02

$7.91 $7.91

33.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 €9.68

$8.36 $8.36

35.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.94 €17.01

$12.30 $12.30

62.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.96

$4.21 $4.21

-45.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 €1.77

$2.19 $2.19

-5.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 €1.98

$4.87 $4.87

-52.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 €2.16

$4.63 $4.63

-45.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 €1.57

$2.45 $2.45

-24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 €1.91

$2.87 $2.87

-21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.81 $1.81

-28.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$1.82 $1.82

-66.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.64 €10.78

$7.68 $7.68

64.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 €5.63

$12.42 $12.42

-46.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 €2.07

$1.69 $1.69

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.47 $1.47

5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.82 €1.55

$2.04 $2.04

-10.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.7 €44.07

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 €2.55

$1.99 $1.99

50.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.89 $1.89

-6.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.30 €31.81

$50.6 $50.6

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 €1.73

$0.78 $0.78

160.26%

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

$25.8K €22.0K

$29.5K $29.5K

-12.68%

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

$35.0K €29.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

38.35%

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

$168 €143

$145 $145

15.41%

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

$23.80 €20.31

$74.3 $74.3

-67.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.09 €23.11

$72.7 $72.7

-62.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.38 €27.62

$23.13 $23.13

39.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.27 €17.29

$40.38 $40.38

-49.80%

Cinema Ticket

$15.47 €13.20

$12.03 $12.03

28.60%

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

$173 €148

$901 $901

-80.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,746 €7,461

$25.3K $25.3K

-65.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €93.4

$54.2 $54.2

102.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.58 €31.20

$40.01 $40.01

-8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 €77.2

$63.7 $63.7

42.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €127

$87.8 $87.8

69.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$649 €554

$1,487 $1,487

-56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 €467

$1,820 $1,820

-69.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 €1,164

$1,778 $1,778

-23.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 €913

$1,640 $1,640

-34.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,519 €3,855

$1,671 $1,671

170.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,695 €2,299

$1,717 $1,717

56.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,519 €2,149

$2,982 $2,982

-15.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

6.45

-43.88%

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

Last update for Caen: April 20, 2026

Last update for Fayetteville, NC: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $649 in Caen and $1,487 in Fayetteville, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fayetteville, NC pays 18% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $57 in Caen vs $61 in Fayetteville, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $326 per month, with Caen cheaper across the board.

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

Caen vs Fayetteville, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caen and Fayetteville, NC differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,656 vs $2,881 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Fayetteville, NC earns 18% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $649 in Caen versus $1,487 in Fayetteville, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $173 in Caen versus $901 in Fayetteville, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Caen – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $61.0 in Fayetteville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,656 in Caen versus $2,881 in Fayetteville, NC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Fayetteville, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Caen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Caen and Fayetteville, NC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Fayetteville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.