Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Bordeaux Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Bordeaux

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,705 per month in Paris vs $2,151 in Bordeaux, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,140 per month in Paris vs $3,322 in Bordeaux, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,575 per month in Paris vs $4,492 in Bordeaux, rent included.

Paris costs about 26% more than Bordeaux, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Paris and Bordeaux sit above the global median – Paris by 97%, Bordeaux by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.53 €15.99

$21.04 €18.16

-11.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 €70.6

$81.7 €70.5

0.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €12.05

$14.43 €12.45

-3.26%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.30

$4.07 €3.51

22.36%

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

$4.73 €4.08

$3.09 €2.67

53.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.57

$1.49 €1.29

99.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 €7.20

$8.11 €7.00

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €6.00

$6.86 €5.92

1.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.27 €1.10

21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 €2.16

$2.02 €1.74

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 €2.44

$3.05 €2.63

-7.54%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$3.83 €3.30

23.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.28 €20.09

$14.44 €12.46

61.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 €12.88

$16.46 €14.20

-9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.94 €19.79

$22.41 €19.33

2.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.54 €3.05

-0.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.38 €2.05

-3.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.76 €3.24

-19.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 €3.70

$4.48 €3.87

-4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.34 €2.02

-13.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.00 €2.59

-14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.40 €1.21

43.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.87

$0.52 €0.45

92.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 €12.89

$13.46 €11.61

11.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.48 €8.18

$10.36 €8.94

-8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.44

$4.27 €3.69

-33.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.23

$4.40 €3.80

-15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.19 €1.89

36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 €90.7

$50.6 €43.64

107.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 €8.06

$2.26 €1.95

313.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.97 €1.70

-22.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.24 €40.76

$38.98 €33.63

21.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.09 €1.80

11.48%

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

$36.0K €31.1K

$35.9K €31.0K

0.39%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$35.3K €30.4K

3.30%

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

$273 €236

0.00%

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

$17.34 €14.96

$15.85 €13.68

9.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 €26.33

$32.61 €28.14

-6.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.60 €36.76

$34.70 €29.94

22.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.23 €17.46

$29.47 €25.43

-31.35%

Cinema Ticket

$15.38 €13.27

$12.35 €10.66

24.53%

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

$1,893 €1,633

$829 €715

128.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K €22.8K

$13.7K €11.8K

92.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €98.8

$121 €105

-5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.92

$47.14 €40.67

12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$110 €95.2

11.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €142

$145 €126

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 €1,389

$906 €781

77.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,067

$790 €682

56.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,557 €3,070

$1,802 €1,555

97.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 €1,957

$1,443 €1,245

57.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K €12.7K

$7,249 €6,255

103.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,708

$4,790 €4,134

110.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 €3,116

$3,014 €2,601

19.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

3.92

-16.58%

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

Last update for Paris: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bordeaux: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Paris versus $906 in Bordeaux. 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 20% higher in Paris, 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 $82.0 in Paris versus $82.0 in Bordeaux. Groceries tell a different story – $421 in Paris vs $398 in Bordeaux – so Bordeaux 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

Paris vs Bordeaux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paris costs about 26% more than Bordeaux, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,058 per month in Paris and $3,227 in Bordeaux. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 108% less in Bordeaux. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,893 per month in Paris and $829 in Bordeaux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bordeaux, where all-in costs run around $2,151, than in Paris at $2,705. In Bordeaux it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paris it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bordeaux costs $2,151 versus $2,705 in Paris. 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 Bordeaux. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paris makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.