Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Fontainebleau

For one person, living is cheaper in Fontainebleau: $1,897 a month against $2,693 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris, France
Fontainebleau, France
Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,693
/mo nomad
Fontainebleau
🇫🇷 France
$1,897
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Fontainebleau

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,693 in Paris versus $1,897 in Fontainebleau.

  • Paris $2,693
  • Fontainebleau $1,897

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Paris versus $3,005 in Fontainebleau.

  • Paris $4,133
  • Fontainebleau $3,005

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,574 in Paris versus $4,112 in Fontainebleau.

  • Paris $5,574
  • Fontainebleau $4,112

Living in Paris is roughly 42% more expensive than in Fontainebleau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 98% above, Fontainebleau 39% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.26 €17.26
$16.90 €15.14
13.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.9 €69.8
$61.2 €54.8
27.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.64 €12.22
$13.67 €12.25
-0.22%
Cappuccino
$4.95 €4.44
$3.87 €3.46
27.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67 €4.18
$3.19 €2.86
46.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.36
$1.67 €1.49
57.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.65 €6.85
$8.04 €7.20
-4.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 €6.12
$5.73 €5.13
19.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.26 €1.13
24.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 €2.24
$1.91 €1.71
30.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$2.94 €2.64
-4.76%
Eggs
$4.42 €3.96
$4.23 €3.79
4.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.02 €19.73
$21.21 €19.01
3.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.61 €12.20
$12.26 €10.98
11.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.85 €19.58
$23.39 €20.96
-6.58%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.83
$3.49 €3.13
-9.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.02
$2.19 €1.96
3.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 €2.63
$2.29 €2.05
27.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 €3.75
$3.06 €2.74
36.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.65
$1.83 €1.64
0.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$1.99 €1.79
27.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.53 €1.37
22.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$0.64 €0.57
39.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.57 €13.05
$14.00 €12.54
4.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.12 €8.17
$7.98 €7.16
14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.40
$2.43 €2.18
10.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 €3.13
$4.14 €3.71
-15.70%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.77 €2.48
$2.29 €2.05
20.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 €91.2
$83.8 €75.1
21.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.84 €7.92
$2.17 €1.95
307.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 €1.28
$2.16 €1.94
-34.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.04 €41.26
$23.72 €21.25
94.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.14 €1.92
4.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.2K
$34.9K €31.3K
-0.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €33.9K
$37.8K €33.8K
0.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 €226
$208 €186
21.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.85 €14.20
$15.07 €13.51
5.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.53 €26.46
$30.33 €27.18
-2.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.09 €35.03
$22.14 €19.84
76.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.15 €16.27
$13.32 €11.93
36.26%
Cinema Ticket
$15.69 €14.06
$11.06 €9.91
41.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,749 €1,567
$632 €566
176.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K €23.2K
$4,955 €4,440
421.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$85.9 €77.0
31.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 €46.18
$41.00 €36.74
25.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 €106
$99.9 €89.5
18.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 €145
$103 €92.6
56.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,622 €1,453
$925 €829
75.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 €1,131
$681 €610
85.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,788 €3,394
$1,817 €1,629
108.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,402 €2,152
$1,434 €1,285
67.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.3K €12.8K
$6,354 €5,694
124.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,642 €8,640
$3,987 €3,573
141.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Fontainebleau
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,556 €3,187
$2,958 €2,651
20.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.45
3.5
-1.43%

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

Last update for Paris: October 27, 2026

Last update for Fontainebleau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.3K
Fontainebleau
$681 46.1% $582
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$399
Fontainebleau
$370 7.1% $28
Eating Out
Paris
$336
Fontainebleau
$294 12.5% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$297
Fontainebleau
$253 14.7% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$200
Fontainebleau
$149 25.8% $52
Getting Around
Paris
$129
Fontainebleau
$106 17.8% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$70
Fontainebleau
$44 37.2% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,622 in Paris and $925 in Fontainebleau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 20% 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: $78 in Paris vs $61 in Fontainebleau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $370 per month, with Fontainebleau cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Fontainebleau
🕒 Local time
03:16 3:16 AM
03:16 3:16 AM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
15,945
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Fontainebleau 56 km
From you
  • Paris
  • Fontainebleau

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 Fontainebleau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paris or Fontainebleau?
Fontainebleau wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Fontainebleau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Paris or in Fontainebleau?
Average pay runs 20% 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 Fontainebleau?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,622 in Paris versus $925 in Fontainebleau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Paris or in Fontainebleau?
Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Paris. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Paris and in Fontainebleau?
Dining out is cheaper in Fontainebleau – a meal for two runs $61 versus $78 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Paris or Fontainebleau?
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.
How safe is Paris compared to Fontainebleau?
Safety-wise, Paris and Fontainebleau are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Fontainebleau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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