Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Chico, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Chico, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,655 in Paris versus $2,626 in Chico, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,105 in Paris versus $3,916 in Chico, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Paris versus $5,206 in Chico, CA.

Living in Paris is roughly 1% more expensive than Chico, CA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 98% above, Chico, CA 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.13

$24.94 $24.94

-29.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.3

$59.4 $59.4

23.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.14

$12.97 $12.97

8.79%

Cappuccino

$4.77 €4.11

$5.89 $5.89

-19.02%

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

$4.14 €3.57

$2.52 $2.52

64.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.19 $2.19

54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.82

$6.97 $6.97

13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 €6.82

$8.39 $8.39

-5.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.29 $1.29

26.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

$3.63 $3.63

-42.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.63 $3.63

-20.94%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.29

$5.41 $5.41

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 €22.29

$13.30 $13.30

94.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 €11.93

$10.61 $10.61

30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 €17.14

$16.78 $16.78

18.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$5.64 $5.64

-37.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.17 $2.17

14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.96 $3.96

-10.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.23

$5.64 $5.64

-33.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$4.57 $4.57

-43.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$3.48 $3.48

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.14 $2.14

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$2.38 $2.38

-63.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.07

$8.22 $8.22

84.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 €8.19

$12.02 $12.02

-20.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.32

$1.69 $1.69

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.58

$5.34 $5.34

-22.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.95 $2.95

-2.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €88.8

$35.48 $35.48

190.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.87

$3.42 $3.42

167.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.98 $1.98

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.5 €47.74

$39.63 $39.63

39.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.20 $1.20

75.00%

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

$36.1K €31.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

52.31%

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

$37.1K €32.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

48.10%

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

$246 €212

$188 $188

31.25%

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

$16.88 €14.53

$52.9 $52.9

-68.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 €30.48

$71.5 $71.5

-50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 €34.06

$60.5 $60.5

-34.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 €16.20

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$13.90 $13.90

14.53%

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

$889 €765

$1,867 $1,867

-52.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$38.1K $38.1K

-59.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €99.8

$58.6 $58.6

97.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.42

$31.99 $31.99

50.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$79.6 $79.6

54.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €135

$98.4 $98.4

59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,395

$1,447 $1,447

12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,042

$1,223 $1,223

-1.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 €3,118

$2,761 $2,761

31.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 €1,973

$2,259 $2,259

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K €12.9K

$3,247 $3,247

361.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,716

$2,994 $2,994

238.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 €3,250

$3,867 $3,867

-2.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

6.55

-45.80%

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

Last update for Paris: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Paris and $1,447 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Paris vs $59.0 in Chico, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $415, with Paris cheaper for home cooking.

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 Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chico, CA is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Chico, CA earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,621 in Paris versus $1,447 in Chico, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chico, CA – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $74.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,655 per month in Paris versus $2,626 in Chico, CA – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Chico, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Chico, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Paris, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Paris and Chico, CA 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 Chico, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.