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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Paris vs $2,096 in Bordeaux, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,094 per month in Paris vs $3,169 in Bordeaux, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,544 per month in Paris vs $4,242 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 98%, Bordeaux by 57%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.95

$20.78 €18.18

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 €62.3

$64.8 €56.7

10.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.07 €12.31

$11.35 €9.93

23.96%

Cappuccino

$4.78 €4.18

$3.82 €3.34

25.13%

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

$4.10 €3.59

$2.91 €2.55

40.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.85

$1.74 €1.52

87.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 €7.26

$8.02 €7.02

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 €6.89

$7.13 €6.24

10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.41

$1.29 €1.13

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.82

$2.15 €1.88

-3.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 €2.60

$3.00 €2.63

-1.00%

Eggs

$4.94 €4.32

$5.17 €4.53

-4.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.97 €22.72

$15.14 €13.24

71.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.99 €12.24

$16.35 €14.30

-14.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.60 €17.15

$22.63 €19.80

-13.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 €2.99

$3.48 €3.04

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$2.37 €2.07

0.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 €3.03

$3.95 €3.45

-12.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.81 €3.34

$4.62 €4.04

-17.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 €2.32

$2.38 €2.09

11.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 €2.59

$2.93 €2.56

1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.75

$0.70 €0.62

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 €12.98

$13.35 €11.68

11.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.37 €8.20

$10.06 €8.80

-6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.41

$4.27 €3.74

-35.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 €3.63

$4.45 €3.89

-6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.46

$2.13 €1.86

31.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €90.3

$45.73 €40.01

125.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.48 €8.30

$4.62 €4.04

105.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.67 €1.46

19.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$54.5 €47.68

$47.78 €41.80

14.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.84

$2.07 €1.81

1.45%

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

$35.7K €31.3K

$37.5K €32.8K

-4.65%

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

$36.3K €31.8K

$35.9K €31.4K

1.26%

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

$250 €219

$255 €223

-2.02%

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

$16.64 €14.56

$24.67 €21.58

-32.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.68 €31.21

$32.61 €28.53

9.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.50 €33.68

$37.78 €33.05

1.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.13 €16.74

$28.49 €24.93

-32.85%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 €13.77

$14.00 €12.25

12.43%

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

$899 €787

$852 €746

5.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.9K

$9,305 €8,141

58.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €100

$108 €94.8

5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.80 €41.82

$44.79 €39.18

6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 €109

$95.4 €83.4

31.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 €140

$147 €129

8.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 €1,406

$882 €771

82.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,059

$713 €624

69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,530 €3,089

$1,585 €1,386

122.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,264 €1,981

$1,196 €1,046

89.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.1K €13.2K

$7,026 €6,147

114.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.3K €8,980

$4,719 €4,128

117.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,599 €3,149

$3,017 €2,639

19.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.79

-6.33%

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

Last update for Paris: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bordeaux: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,607 in Paris versus $882 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 19% 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 $71.0 in Paris versus $65.0 in Bordeaux. Groceries tell a different story – $412 in Paris vs $412 in Bordeaux – so Paris 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 $3,968 per month in Paris and $3,144 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 126% less in Bordeaux. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $899 per month in Paris and $852 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 $2,096, than in Paris at $2,645. 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 $2,096 versus $2,645 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.