Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Brest

For one person, living is cheaper in Brest: $1,397 a month against $2,657 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,657
/mo nomad
Brest
🇫🇷 France
$1,397
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Brest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Paris and in Brest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Paris versus $1,397 in Brest.

  • Paris $2,657
  • Brest $1,397

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,063 in Paris versus $2,166 in Brest.

  • Paris $4,063
  • Brest $2,166

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,469 in Paris versus $2,935 in Brest.

  • Paris $5,469
  • Brest $2,935

Living in Paris is roughly 90% more expensive than in Brest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 96% above, Brest 3% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Brest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.71 €16.64
$15.59 €13.87
20.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 €70.4
$44.43 €39.52
78.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.68 €12.17
$11.42 €10.16
19.79%
Cappuccino
$5.03 €4.47
$2.97 €2.64
69.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$2.88 €2.56
55.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 €2.42
$2.04 €1.82
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.90 €7.03
$6.63 €5.90
19.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.56 €5.84
$5.26 €4.68
24.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Brest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.16 €1.03
31.90%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.55 €1.38
57.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.60 €2.31
7.69%
Eggs
$4.38 €3.90
$3.64 €3.24
20.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.01 €19.58
$18.85 €16.77
16.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$10.07 €8.95
38.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.35 €19.88
$14.38 €12.79
55.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 €2.84
$2.93 €2.60
8.87%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.97 €1.76
11.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 €2.64
$2.59 €2.30
14.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 €3.86
$2.93 €2.60
48.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.65 €1.47
13.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$2.04 €1.81
23.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.40 €1.25
28.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.32 €0.28
181.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.64 €13.02
$13.23 €11.76
10.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 €7.81
$6.81 €6.06
28.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.46
$2.66 €2.36
3.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.27
$2.72 €2.42
35.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Brest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.75 €2.45
$1.96 €1.74
40.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 €91.4
$39.92 €35.51
157.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.13 €8.12
$8.39 €7.46
8.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$3.10 €2.75
-51.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.36 €40.35
$30.99 €27.57
46.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.12 €1.88
4.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.1K
$36.9K €32.9K
-5.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K €33.2K
$34.8K €30.9K
7.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Brest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 €220
$143 €127
73.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.62 €13.90
$28.03 €24.94
-44.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.83
$30.24 €26.90
-0.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Brest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.08 €34.76
$36.17 €32.17
8.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.80 €16.73
$15.00 €13.34
25.33%
Cinema Ticket
$15.93 €14.17
$13.63 €12.12
16.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Brest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,822 €1,620
$220 €196
727.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K €23.5K
$11.3K €10.0K
134.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Brest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 €98.6
$68.8 €61.2
61.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 €46.18
$30.40 €27.04
70.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €108
$79.9 €71.1
52.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 €140
$71.9 €64.0
118.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Brest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,579 €1,405
$507 €451
211.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 €1,094
$386 €343
218.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,384 €3,010
$895 €796
278.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 €2,040
$718 €639
219.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.7K €13.1K
$2,782 €2,475
427.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,770 €8,690
$2,515 €2,237
288.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Brest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,574 €3,179
$2,657 €2,363
34.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
3.82
-10.99%

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

Last update for Paris: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.2K
Brest
$386 68.6% $844
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$401
Brest
$304 24.2% $97
Eating Out
Paris
$333
Brest
$258 22.4% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$293
Brest
$201 31.5% $93
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$199
Brest
$113 43.1% $86
Getting Around
Paris
$130
Brest
$72 45% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$71
Brest
$63 10.6% $7.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Paris and $507 in Brest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 35% 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: $79.0 in Paris vs $44.00 in Brest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $304 per month, with Brest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Brest
🕒 Local time
05:55 5:55 AM
05:55 5:55 AM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
139,619
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Brest 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Paris
  • Brest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paris or Brest?
Brest wins on cost – living expenses run 90% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Paris or in Brest?
Average pay runs 35% higher in Paris, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Paris compared to Brest?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Paris versus $507 in Brest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Paris and in Brest?
Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $79.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Paris compared to Brest?
All in, you'll spend $2,657 per month in Paris versus $1,397 in Brest – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Paris or in Brest?
At $1,397 in Brest versus $2,657 in Paris, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brest but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Brest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paris or Brest?
Both work as nomad bases, but Brest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,397 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brest hard to pass up.
How safe is Paris compared to Brest?
Safety-wise, Paris and Brest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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