Cost of Living Comparison Between Melun and Paris Cost of Living Comparison Between Melun and Paris

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,729 in Melun versus $2,617 in Paris.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,612 in Melun versus $4,087 in Paris.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,494 in Melun versus $5,557 in Paris.

Living in Melun costs roughly 34% less than in Paris, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Melun 29% above, Paris 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.35 €11.70

$17.33 €15.18

-22.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 €47.25

$71.0 €62.2

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.85 €12.14

$14.02 €12.29

-1.21%

Cappuccino

$3.27 €2.87

$4.77 €4.18

-31.45%

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

$1.71 €1.50

$4.17 €3.65

-58.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 €1.86

$3.39 €2.97

-37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 €6.43

$8.23 €7.21

-10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €5.13

$7.91 €6.93

-26.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.30

$1.57 €1.38

-5.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 €1.59

$2.09 €1.83

-13.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 €2.56

Eggs

$4.08 €3.57

$4.92 €4.31

-17.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.58 €19.78

$26.17 €22.93

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 €11.31

$14.15 €12.40

-8.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.60 €20.67

$19.45 €17.04

21.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.59 €3.14

$3.45 €3.02

4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.50 €2.19

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 €2.17

$3.42 €2.99

-27.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 €2.88

$3.85 €3.38

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 €1.67

$2.61 €2.29

-26.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.95 €2.58

-31.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.89 €1.66

-15.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.88 €0.77

-20.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 €12.11

$14.80 €12.97

-6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 €7.44

$9.24 €8.10

-8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 €2.02

$2.74 €2.40

-15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 €3.76

$4.14 €3.62

3.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.88 €2.52

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.66 €42.63

$103 €90.0

-52.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 €4.17

$9.50 €8.32

-49.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 €1.63

$2.07 €1.82

-10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.92 €27.97

$54.8 €48.01

-41.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.83

$2.15 €1.88

-2.79%

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

$37.6K €32.9K

$35.7K €31.3K

5.29%

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

$38.1K €33.3K

$36.0K €31.6K

5.69%

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

$197 €173

$253 €221

-21.92%

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

$23.63 €20.70

$17.02 €14.91

38.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 €25.81

$35.45 €31.06

-16.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 €31.93

$39.10 €34.25

-6.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 €16.37

$19.23 €16.85

-2.86%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 €9.21

$15.54 €13.62

-32.37%

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

$566 €495

$879 €770

-35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,457 €7,409

$15.0K €13.1K

-43.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.7 €77.7

$113 €98.9

-21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.24 €31.75

$47.12 €41.28

-23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 €76.0

$124 €108

-29.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €89.9

$160 €140

-35.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €671

$1,654 €1,449

-53.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 €516

$1,186 €1,039

-50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 €1,048

$3,604 €3,158

-66.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 €794

$2,274 €1,993

-60.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,004 €3,508

$14.6K €12.8K

-72.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,039 €2,663

$9,985 €8,748

-69.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,550 €2,234

$3,578 €3,135

-28.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

3.55

3.94%

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

Last update for Melun: July 20, 2026

Last update for Paris: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $766 in Melun and $1,654 in Paris. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 40% 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: $54.0 in Melun vs $71.0 in Paris for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $383 vs $413 per month, with Melun 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

Melun vs Paris: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Melun and Paris differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,729 vs $2,617 including rent). Melun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Paris. 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: $766 in Melun versus $1,654 in Paris. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,729 per month in Melun versus $2,617 in Paris – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melun runs roughly 111% less than in Paris. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,729 in Melun versus $2,617 in Paris, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Melun but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Melun 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, Melun and Paris 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 Melun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.