Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Bourges Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Bourges

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,629 in Paris versus $2,039 in Bourges.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,039 in Paris versus $3,074 in Bourges.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,450 in Paris versus $4,109 in Bourges.

Living in Paris is roughly 29% more expensive than Bourges, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 95% above, Bourges 51% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.44 €14.84

$17.27 €14.70

0.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €62.6

$73.7 €62.8

-0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 €11.69

$12.50 €10.64

9.92%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €3.98

$3.86 €3.28

21.24%

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

$4.10 €3.49

$2.91 €2.48

40.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 €2.91

$1.77 €1.51

93.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.30 €7.07

$8.28 €7.04

0.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.25 €7.02

$6.96 €5.92

18.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 €1.32

$1.47 €1.25

6.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.76

$2.55 €2.17

-18.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 €2.54

$2.68 €2.28

11.57%

Eggs

$5.14 €4.38

$4.17 €3.55

23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.08 €22.19

$24.15 €20.55

7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.13 €12.03

$15.86 €13.50

-10.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.01 €17.03

$25.31 €21.54

-20.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 €2.92

$2.72 €2.31

26.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.09

$2.57 €2.18

-4.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €2.98

$3.49 €2.97

0.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.31

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 €2.20

$2.76 €2.35

-6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 €2.59

$2.79 €2.38

9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.60

$1.48 €1.26

27.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.79

$0.87 €0.74

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.09 €12.84

$13.72 €11.67

9.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 €8.21

$8.38 €7.13

15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 €2.43

$3.16 €2.69

-9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 €3.48

$3.13 €2.67

30.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 €2.48

$1.93 €1.64

51.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 €86.1

$49.60 €42.21

103.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.53 €8.11

$5.89 €5.02

61.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.91 €1.63

3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.0 €47.67

$57.4 €48.80

-2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.83

$2.10 €1.79

2.38%

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

$34.9K €29.7K

$37.7K €32.1K

-7.52%

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

$35.9K €30.5K

$37.9K €32.3K

-5.40%

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

$248 €211

$284 €242

-12.71%

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

$16.93 €14.41

$22.27 €18.95

-23.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.92 €30.57

$37.15 €31.61

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.95 €33.14

$38.25 €32.55

1.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 €15.95

$18.44 €15.69

1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$15.38 €13.09

$14.10 €12.00

9.08%

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

$873 €743

$291 €247

200.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K €12.5K

$11.9K €10.1K

23.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €97.5

$110 €93.7

4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.49 €39.56

$49.93 €42.49

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 €106

$123 €104

1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 €134

$163 €139

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,660 €1,413

$770 €655

115.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 €1,029

$606 €516

99.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,599 €3,063

$1,225 €1,042

193.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,313 €1,968

$1,105 €940

109.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.5K €12.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,822 €8,358

$1,047 €891

837.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,001 €3,405

$2,993 €2,547

33.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.76

-5.59%

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

Last update for Paris: April 12, 2026

Last update for Bourges: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,660 in Paris and $770 in Bourges. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 34% 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: $74 in Paris vs $74 in Bourges for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $427 per month, with Paris 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

Paris vs Bourges: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bourges wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bourges the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Paris pays 34% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,660 in Paris versus $770 in Bourges. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bourges – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $74.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,629 per month in Paris versus $2,039 in Bourges – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,039 in Bourges versus $2,629 in Paris, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bourges but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Bourges the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bourges delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,039 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bourges hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Paris and Bourges 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 Bourges gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.