Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Metz

For one person, living is cheaper in Metz: $1,859 a month against $2,693 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris, France
Metz, France
Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,693
/mo nomad
Metz
🇫🇷 France
$1,859
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Metz

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

A single person spends $2,693 per month in Paris vs $1,859 in Metz, rent included.

  • Paris $2,693
  • Metz $1,859

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Paris vs $2,789 in Metz, rent included.

  • Paris $4,133
  • Metz $2,789

A family of three spends $5,574 per month in Paris vs $3,719 in Metz, rent included.

  • Paris $5,574
  • Metz $3,719

Paris costs about 45% more than Metz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Paris and Metz sit above the global median – Paris by 98%, Metz by 37%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Metz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.26 €17.26
$16.52 €14.80
16.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.9 €69.8
$67.5 €60.5
15.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.64 €12.22
$11.07 €9.92
23.22%
Cappuccino
$4.95 €4.44
$3.58 €3.21
38.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.67 €4.18
$3.92 €3.51
19.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.63 €2.36
$2.36 €2.11
11.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.65 €6.85
$4.90 €4.40
56.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 €6.12
$5.73 €5.13
19.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Metz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.40
$1.11 €1.00
41.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.50 €2.24
$2.52 €2.26
-0.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.51
$2.65 €2.37
5.66%
Eggs
$4.42 €3.96
$4.46 €3.99
-0.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.02 €19.73
$21.84 €19.57
0.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.61 €12.20
$13.69 €12.27
-0.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.85 €19.58
$21.86 €19.59
-0.05%
Apples (1kg)
$3.16 €2.83
$3.19 €2.86
-0.94%
Banana (1kg)
$2.26 €2.02
$2.20 €1.97
2.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 €2.63
$2.87 €2.57
2.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 €3.75
$4.11 €3.68
1.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 €1.65
$1.82 €1.63
1.10%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 €2.28
$2.56 €2.30
-0.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 €1.68
$1.86 €1.67
0.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$0.92 €0.83
-3.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.57 €13.05
$14.35 €12.86
1.53%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.12 €8.17
$9.10 €8.15
0.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68 €2.40
$2.74 €2.46
-2.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 €3.13
$3.55 €3.18
-1.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Metz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.77 €2.48
$2.20 €1.97
25.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$102 €91.2
$57.0 €51.1
78.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.84 €7.92
$8.99 €8.06
-1.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.42 €1.28
$1.49 €1.33
-4.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$46.04 €41.26
$44.00 €39.43
4.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.10 €1.88
6.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.2K
$34.5K €30.9K
1.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.9K €33.9K
$38.1K €34.1K
-0.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Metz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$252 €226
$154 €138
63.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.85 €14.20
$15.72 €14.09
0.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.53 €26.46
$23.14 €20.73
27.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Metz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.09 €35.03
$19.57 €17.54
99.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.15 €16.27
$11.16 €10.00
62.63%
Cinema Ticket
$15.69 €14.06
$11.19 €10.03
40.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Metz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,749 €1,567
$1,764 €1,580
-0.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.8K €23.2K
$25.9K €23.2K
-0.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Metz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$95.1 €85.2
18.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 €46.18
$21.91 €19.63
135.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 €106
$95.0 €85.2
24.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162 €145
$162 €145
0.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Metz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,622 €1,453
$746 €668
117.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,263 €1,131
$711 €637
77.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,788 €3,394
$1,133 €1,015
234.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,402 €2,152
$1,073 €961
123.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.3K €12.8K
$3,703 €3,318
285.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,642 €8,640
$2,960 €2,652
225.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Metz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,556 €3,187
$3,278 €2,938
8.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.45
3.45
-

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

Last update for Paris: October 27, 2026

Last update for Metz: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.3K
Metz
$711 43.7% $552
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$399
Metz
$394 1.2% $4.9
Eating Out
Paris
$336
Metz
$269 19.7% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$297
Metz
$193 35.1% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$200
Metz
$168 16% $32
Getting Around
Paris
$129
Metz
$82 36.2% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$70
Metz
$42 40.5% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Paris versus $746 in Metz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Paris, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Paris versus $68 in Metz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $394 – making Metz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Metz
🕒 Local time
05:02 5:02 AM
05:02 5:02 AM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
120,874
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Metz 280 km
From you
  • Paris
  • Metz

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 Metz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metz cheaper than Paris?
Yes – Paris is pricier by about 45%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,040 per month in Paris and $2,788 in Metz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Metz, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $746 there versus $1,622 in Paris.
Is eating out cheaper in Paris or in Metz?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Paris and $68 in Metz. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 44% less in Metz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Paris or in Metz?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Metz, where all-in costs run around $1,859, than in Paris at $2,693. In Metz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paris it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Paris or in Metz?
It depends on your priorities. Paris has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,859 in Metz to $2,693 in Paris. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Paris or Metz?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Metz. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Paris makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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