Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Melun Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Melun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Paris versus $1,764 in Melun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Paris versus $2,642 in Melun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,400 in Paris versus $3,519 in Melun.

Living in Paris is roughly 49% more expensive than Melun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 96% above, Melun 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €14.77

$13.21 €11.27

31.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 €62.3

$55.4 €47.21

31.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €11.74

$13.73 €11.71

0.22%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.86

$3.15 €2.68

43.49%

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

$3.94 €3.36

$1.78 €1.51

121.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.77

$2.10 €1.79

54.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 €6.72

$7.56 €6.45

4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 €6.94

$5.84 €4.98

39.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.52 €1.30

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.74 €1.48

18.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.55

$3.01 €2.57

-1.00%

Eggs

$5.19 €4.42

$3.96 €3.38

31.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.52 €21.77

$22.15 €18.89

15.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 €11.77

$13.00 €11.09

6.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 €16.95

$24.18 €20.63

-17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.01

$3.71 €3.17

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.18 €1.86

9.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 €2.92

$2.40 €2.05

42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.34

$3.28 €2.80

19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.23

$1.91 €1.63

36.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 €2.63

$2.11 €1.80

45.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.59 €1.36

16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.68 €0.58

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.28 €13.03

$13.46 €11.48

13.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 €8.13

$9.02 €7.70

5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.34

$2.35 €2.01

16.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 €3.46

$4.48 €3.82

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.40

$2.32 €1.98

21.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 €88.6

$49.15 €41.92

111.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 €8.03

$4.70 €4.01

100.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.90 €1.62

4.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.6 €48.25

$31.85 €27.17

77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.80

$2.09 €1.78

0.96%

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

$34.9K €29.8K

$36.9K €31.5K

-5.46%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$38.0K €32.4K

-3.06%

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

$254 €217

$198 €168

28.86%

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

$17.12 €14.60

$23.33 €19.90

-26.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 €31.26

$28.39 €24.21

29.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.50 €32.84

$36.63 €31.24

5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 €15.89

$18.45 €15.74

0.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.46 €13.19

$10.57 €9.02

46.26%

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

$875 €747

$571 €487

53.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.6K

$8,459 €7,216

75.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.3

$90.9 €77.6

24.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 €40.50

$36.15 €30.84

31.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €104

$86.7 €74.0

40.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 €134

$104 €88.9

51.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 €1,420

$771 €658

115.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 €1,000

$597 €509

96.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,596 €3,067

$1,229 €1,049

192.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,977

$910 €776

154.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K €12.7K

$4,209 €3,590

254.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,738 €8,307

$3,022 €2,578

222.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,008 €3,419

$2,555 €2,179

56.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.69

-3.79%

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

Last update for Paris: April 20, 2026

Last update for Melun: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,664 in Paris and $771 in Melun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 57% 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: $73 in Paris vs $55 in Melun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $385 per month, with Melun 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 Melun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paris and Melun differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($2,626 vs $1,764 including rent). Melun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Paris pays 57% 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: $1,664 in Paris versus $771 in Melun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,626 per month in Paris versus $1,764 in Melun – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melun runs roughly 111% less than in Paris. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,764 in Melun versus $2,626 in Paris, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Melun but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Melun 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 Melun 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 Melun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.