Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Caen Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Caen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,655 in Paris versus $1,610 in Caen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,105 in Paris versus $2,575 in Caen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Paris versus $3,539 in Caen.

Living in Paris is roughly 65% more expensive than Caen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 98% above, Caen 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.24

$15.07 €13.07

16.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.8

$57.8 €50.2

27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.24

$11.37 €9.87

24.10%

Cappuccino

$4.77 €4.14

$2.68 €2.32

77.99%

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

$4.14 €3.59

$3.65 €3.17

13.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.94

$1.43 €1.24

137.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.88

$8.15 €7.07

-2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 €6.87

$6.55 €5.68

20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.23 €1.07

32.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.35 €1.17

54.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.49

$2.28 €1.98

25.88%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.33

$3.40 €2.95

46.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 €22.46

$10.43 €9.05

148.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 €12.02

$11.33 €9.83

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 €17.27

$20.01 €17.36

-0.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.06

$2.28 €1.98

54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.16

$2.06 €1.78

20.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.07

$2.34 €2.03

50.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.25

$2.42 €2.10

54.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$1.86 €1.62

39.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 €2.61

$2.26 €1.96

33.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.35 €1.17

39.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.55 €0.48

58.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.17

$12.75 €11.06

19.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 €8.25

$6.58 €5.71

44.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.34

$2.40 €2.09

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.61

$1.56 €1.35

166.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.49

$1.83 €1.58

56.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €89.5

$50.1 €43.47

105.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.93

$2.96 €2.57

208.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.81 €1.57

15.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.5 €48.11

$36.44 €31.61

52.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.07 €1.79

1.45%

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

$36.1K €31.3K

$26.4K €22.9K

36.55%

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

$37.1K €32.2K

$34.6K €30.0K

7.32%

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

$246 €214

$172 €149

42.94%

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

$16.88 €14.64

$23.41 €20.31

-27.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 €30.72

$27.48 €23.84

28.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 €34.32

$31.20 €27.07

26.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 €16.32

$20.43 €17.73

-7.88%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.81

$15.57 €13.51

2.25%

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

$889 €771

$171 €148

420.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.3K

$8,661 €7,515

77.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €101

$111 €96.1

4.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.75

$36.42 €31.60

32.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$90.1 €78.1

36.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$145 €126

7.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,406

$651 €565

149.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,050

$556 €482

117.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 €3,142

$1,375 €1,193

163.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 €1,988

$1,056 €916

117.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K €13.0K

$4,640 €4,025

223.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,784

$2,601 €2,257

289.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 €3,276

$2,582 €2,240

46.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.62

-1.93%

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

Last update for Paris: June 1, 2026

Last update for Caen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Paris and $651 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 46% 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: $74.0 in Paris vs $58.0 in Caen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $292 per month, with Caen 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 Caen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paris and Caen differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($2,655 vs $1,610 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Paris pays 46% 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: $1,621 in Paris versus $651 in Caen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Caen runs roughly 106% less than in Paris. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $889 in Paris versus $171 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,610 in Caen versus $2,655 in Paris, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Caen 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, Paris and Caen 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 Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.