Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Saint-Etienne Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Saint-Etienne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,142 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,498 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,331 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,118 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,164 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

Johnson City, TN costs about 43% more than Saint-Etienne, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Johnson City, TN and Saint-Etienne sit above the global median – Johnson City, TN by 55%, Saint-Etienne by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 $13.87

$17.52 €15.10

-20.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.3 $55.3

$59.3 €51.1

-6.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.63 $10.63

$13.82 €11.91

-23.08%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$2.19 €1.89

137.44%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$3.57 €3.08

-26.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.75 €1.51

17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.18 €4.47

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.56 $7.56

$5.86 €5.05

29.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.40 €1.20

-27.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.19 €1.03

201.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.23 €1.92

57.85%

Eggs

$3.12 $3.12

$3.10 €2.67

0.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 $7.42

$18.00 €15.51

-58.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.59 $13.59

$11.82 €10.19

14.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 $12.97

$16.98 €14.64

-23.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.59 €3.10

44.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$2.76 €2.38

-47.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.59 €2.23

52.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.98 €2.57

21.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.67 €1.44

103.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.78 €1.53

73.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.19 €1.03

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.34 €1.16

73.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$12.61 €10.87

-20.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.97 $12.97

$10.29 €8.87

26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.52 €3.03

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.58 €3.09

1.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.91 €1.65

33.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.99 $37.99

$40.08 €34.55

-5.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.99 €2.57

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.14 $30.14

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.09 €1.80

-61.24%

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

$31.4K $31.4K

$20.6K €17.8K

52.25%

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

$22.0K $22.0K

$32.7K €28.2K

-32.79%

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

$171 $171

$174 €150

-1.95%

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

$66.8 $66.8

$30.17 €26.01

121.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$20.07 €17.30

227.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.51 $47.51

$31.85 €27.45

49.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.63 $19.63

$7.07 €6.09

177.65%

Cinema Ticket

$12.88 $12.88

$10.32 €8.90

24.81%

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

$1,217 $1,217

$1,068 €921

13.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$16.8K €14.5K

-12.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.75 $36.75

$73.1 €63.0

-49.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.54 $36.54

$32.41 €27.93

12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 $96.6

$109 €94.1

-11.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$156 €134

-35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 $1,105

$552 €476

99.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 $934

$373 €321

150.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,978 $1,978

$919 €792

115.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$760 €655

109.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,186 $2,186

$1,795 €1,547

21.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,161 $2,161

$1,659 €1,430

30.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,547 $3,547

$2,306 €1,988

53.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.97

3.67

62.67%

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

Last update for Johnson City, TN: September 5, 2026

Last update for Saint-Etienne: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,105 in Johnson City, TN versus $552 in Saint-Etienne. 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 54% higher in Johnson City, TN, 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 $55.0 in Johnson City, TN versus $59.0 in Saint-Etienne. Groceries tell a different story – $368 in Johnson City, TN vs $346 in Saint-Etienne – so Saint-Etienne 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

Johnson City, TN vs Saint-Etienne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,214 per month in Johnson City, TN and $2,247 in Saint-Etienne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Johnson City, TN and $59.0 in Saint-Etienne. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,142 in Johnson City, TN and $1,498 in Saint-Etienne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Etienne, where all-in costs run around $1,498, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,142. In Saint-Etienne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Etienne – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Saint-Etienne. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.