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 $2,069 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,502 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,019 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,293 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,968 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,084 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

Johnson City, TN costs about 38% 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 54%, Saint-Etienne by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 $12.78

$16.63 €14.30

-23.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.26 $49.26

$45.66 €39.28

7.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$13.36 €11.49

-11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.79 $3.79

$2.05 €1.77

84.88%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$2.72 €2.34

-22.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.18 €1.01

47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.94 €3.39

28.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$4.52 €3.89

29.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.25 €1.08

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.18 €1.01

224.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.62 €2.26

16.79%

Eggs

$3.28 $3.28

$3.56 €3.07

-7.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$18.35 €15.79

-59.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$15.48 €13.32

-45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$20.63 €17.75

-35.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.23 €2.77

24.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$2.24 €1.93

-27.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.51 €2.16

57.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.45 €2.97

4.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.37 €2.04

2.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.72 €2.34

34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.56 €1.34

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.36 €0.31

516.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 $7.33

$12.88 €11.08

-43.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 $13.20

$8.00 €6.88

65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.11 €2.67

-47.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.81 €3.28

7.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.57 €1.35

63.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 $37.08

$48.08 €41.36

-22.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 $5.40

$5.17 €4.45

4.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.76 €1.52

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.1 $64.1

$32.95 €28.35

94.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.99 €1.71

-60.80%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$37.8K €32.6K

-20.97%

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$37.4K €32.2K

-40.08%

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

$151 $151

$122 €105

24.00%

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

$74.6 $74.6

$27.75 €23.87

168.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 $52.1

$34.01 €29.25

53.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 $47.39

$31.67 €27.24

49.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 $20.31

$6.92 €5.95

193.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 $12.94

$10.55 €9.07

22.65%

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

$909 $909

$782 €672

16.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$8,188 €7,044

79.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.32 $39.32

$80.9 €69.6

-51.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.77 $36.77

$44.05 €37.89

-16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 $62.7

$85.2 €73.3

-26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$114 €98.2

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$575 €495

105.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 $1,023

$451 €388

126.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$902 €776

125.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$691 €595

136.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,156 $2,156

$1,765 €1,519

22.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$1,707 €1,469

29.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 $3,409

$2,319 €1,995

46.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.15

3.64

68.96%

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

Last update for Johnson City, TN: June 2, 2026

Last update for Saint-Etienne: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,182 in Johnson City, TN versus $575 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 47% 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 $49.00 in Johnson City, TN versus $46.00 in Saint-Etienne. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Johnson City, TN vs $363 in Saint-Etienne – so Johnson City, TN 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 38%, 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 $3,104 per month in Johnson City, TN and $2,254 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 $49.00 in Johnson City, TN and $46.00 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 $2,069 in Johnson City, TN and $1,502 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 $1,502, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,069. 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.