Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Chartres

For one person, living is cheaper in Chartres: $1,745 a month against $2,693 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris, France
Chartres, France
Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,693
/mo nomad
Chartres
🇫🇷 France
$1,745
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Chartres

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 Chartres actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,693 per month in Paris vs $1,745 in Chartres, rent included.

  • Paris $2,693
  • Chartres $1,745

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Paris vs $2,654 in Chartres, rent included.

  • Paris $4,133
  • Chartres $2,654

A family of three spends $5,574 per month in Paris vs $3,562 in Chartres, rent included.

  • Paris $5,574
  • Chartres $3,562

Paris costs about 54% more than Chartres, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Paris and Chartres sit above the global median – Paris by 98%, Chartres by 28%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.26 €17.30
$14.66 €13.17
31.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.9 €70.0
$49.78 €44.72
56.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.64 €12.25
$10.72 €9.63
27.24%
Cappuccino
$4.95 €4.45
$2.65 €2.38
86.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67 €4.19
$3.10 €2.79
50.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.36
$1.53 €1.37
71.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.65 €6.87
$8.61 €7.73
-11.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 €6.13
$5.68 €5.10
20.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.35 €1.21
16.30%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 €2.25
$1.74 €1.57
43.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.52
$2.57 €2.31
8.95%
Eggs
$4.42 €3.97
$3.98 €3.58
11.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.02 €19.78
$10.19 €9.15
116.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.61 €12.23
$11.82 €10.61
15.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.85 €19.63
$16.18 €14.54
35.04%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.83
$3.08 €2.77
2.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.03
$3.14 €2.82
-28.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 €2.63
$1.46 €1.31
100.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 €3.76
$4.31 €3.87
-2.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.65
$1.80 €1.62
2.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$2.09 €1.88
21.53%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.64 €1.48
14.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$0.13 €0.12
584.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.57 €13.08
$12.69 €11.40
14.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.12 €8.19
$5.52 €4.96
65.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.40
$1.40 €1.26
91.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 €3.13
$1.57 €1.41
122.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Chartres
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.77 €2.49
$1.97 €1.77
40.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 €91.4
$49.28 €44.27
106.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.84 €7.94
$2.33 €2.09
279.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 €1.28
$1.11 €1.00
27.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.04 €41.36
$32.85 €29.51
40.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.17 €1.95
2.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.3K
$16.9K €15.2K
105.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €34.0K
$23.9K €21.5K
58.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 €226
$203 €182
24.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.85 €14.24
$21.60 €19.40
-26.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.53 €26.53
$32.27 €28.98
-8.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.09 €35.11
$35.65 €32.02
9.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.15 €16.31
$13.16 €11.82
37.92%
Cinema Ticket
$15.69 €14.09
$15.46 €13.89
1.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,749 €1,571
$886 €796
97.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K €23.2K
$12.0K €10.8K
115.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$128 €115
-11.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 €46.30
$46.44 €41.71
10.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 €106
$102 €91.4
16.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 €145
$97.5 €87.6
65.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Chartres
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,622 €1,457
$756 €679
114.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 €1,134
$639 €574
97.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,788 €3,402
$1,445 €1,298
162.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,402 €2,158
$1,170 €1,051
105.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.3K €12.8K
$4,188 €3,762
240.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,642 €8,662
$2,043 €1,835
372.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Chartres
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,556 €3,195
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.45
3.9
-11.54%

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

Last update for Paris: October 27, 2026

Last update for Chartres: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.3K
Chartres
$639 49.4% $624
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$399
Chartres
$296 25.7% $103
Eating Out
Paris
$336
Chartres
$254 24.2% $81
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$297
Chartres
$256 13.7% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$200
Chartres
$168 15.9% $32
Getting Around
Paris
$129
Chartres
$65 49.5% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$70
Chartres
$67 5.5% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Paris versus $756 in Chartres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Paris versus $50 in Chartres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $296 – making Chartres the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Chartres
🕒 Local time
16:52 4:52 PM
16:52 4:52 PM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
38,447
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Chartres 78 km
From you
  • Paris
  • Chartres

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 Chartres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paris or Chartres?
Paris costs about 54% more than Chartres, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Paris and in Chartres?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,040 per month in Paris and $2,618 in Chartres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Paris or Chartres?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chartres, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $756 there versus $1,622 in Paris.
How do childcare costs compare in Paris and in Chartres?
Kindergarten costs $1,749 per month in Paris and $886 in Chartres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Paris or in Chartres?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Paris, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Paris or in Chartres?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chartres, where all-in costs run around $1,745, than in Paris at $2,693. In Chartres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paris it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Chartres – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Paris compared to Chartres?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Chartres is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 54% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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