Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Nantes

For one person, living is cheaper in Nantes: $1,844 a month against $2,657 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,657
/mo nomad
Nantes
🇫🇷 France
$1,844
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Nantes

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Paris versus $1,844 in Nantes.

  • Paris $2,657
  • Nantes $1,844

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,063 in Paris versus $2,846 in Nantes.

  • Paris $4,063
  • Nantes $2,846

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,469 in Paris versus $3,848 in Nantes.

  • Paris $5,469
  • Nantes $3,848

Living in Paris is roughly 44% more expensive than in Nantes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 96% above, Nantes 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.71 €16.64
$16.51 €14.68
13.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 €70.4
$56.2 €50.0
40.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.68 €12.17
$11.36 €10.10
20.42%
Cappuccino
$5.03 €4.47
$3.67 €3.26
37.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$3.15 €2.80
42.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 €2.42
$1.63 €1.45
66.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.90 €7.03
$8.05 €7.16
-1.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.56 €5.84
$4.67 €4.15
40.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.18 €1.05
29.66%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$4.12 €3.66
-40.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$3.20 €2.85
-12.50%
Eggs
$4.38 €3.90
$3.60 €3.20
21.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.01 €19.58
$25.86 €23.01
-14.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$12.40 €11.03
12.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.35 €19.88
$15.81 €14.06
41.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 €2.84
$3.14 €2.79
1.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$2.59 €2.30
-15.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 €2.64
$2.90 €2.58
2.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 €3.86
$2.96 €2.64
46.62%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$1.86 €1.65
0.54%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$1.95 €1.73
28.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.36 €1.21
32.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.66 €0.59
36.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.64 €13.02
$14.59 €12.98
0.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 €7.81
$6.55 €5.83
34.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.46
$3.52 €3.13
-21.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.27
$2.86 €2.55
28.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Nantes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.75 €2.45
$2.03 €1.81
35.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 €91.4
$61.9 €55.0
66.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.13 €8.12
$5.64 €5.02
61.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$2.74 €2.44
-45.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.36 €40.35
$36.40 €32.38
24.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.11 €1.88
5.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.1K
$34.2K €30.4K
2.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K €33.2K
$38.3K €34.1K
-2.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 €220
$165 €147
50.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.62 €13.90
$14.33 €12.75
9.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.83
$32.52 €28.93
-7.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.08 €34.76
$28.54 €25.39
36.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.80 €16.73
$4.54 €4.04
314.10%
Cinema Ticket
$15.93 €14.17
$13.32 €11.84
19.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,822 €1,620
$1,084 €964
68.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K €23.5K
$19.4K €17.2K
36.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 €98.6
$93.3 €83.0
18.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 €46.18
$35.47 €31.55
46.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €108
$92.2 €82.0
31.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 €140
$133 €118
17.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Nantes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,579 €1,405
$826 €735
91.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 €1,094
$665 €591
84.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,384 €3,010
$1,671 €1,486
102.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 €2,040
$1,244 €1,106
84.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.7K €13.1K
$5,137 €4,570
185.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,770 €8,690
$3,640 €3,238
168.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Nantes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,574 €3,179
$2,841 €2,527
25.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
3.89
-12.60%

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

Last update for Paris: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nantes: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.2K
Nantes
$665 45.9% $565
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$401
Nantes
$384 4.3% $17
Eating Out
Paris
$333
Nantes
$279 16.1% $54
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$293
Nantes
$212 27.8% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$199
Nantes
$159 19.8% $39
Getting Around
Paris
$130
Nantes
$89 31.4% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$71
Nantes
$55 22.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Paris and $826 in Nantes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 26% 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: $79.0 in Paris vs $56.0 in Nantes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $384 per month, with Nantes cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Nantes
🕒 Local time
16:17 4:17 PM
16:17 4:17 PM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
323,204
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Nantes 340 km
From you
  • Paris
  • Nantes

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 Nantes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paris or Nantes?
Nantes wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nantes the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Paris or in Nantes?
Average pay runs 26% 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 Nantes?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Paris versus $826 in Nantes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Paris compared to Nantes?
A monthly transit pass in Nantes runs roughly 66% less than in Paris. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Paris and in Nantes?
Childcare runs $1,822 in Paris versus $1,084 in Nantes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Paris or in Nantes?
At $1,844 in Nantes versus $2,657 in Paris, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nantes but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Nantes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paris or Nantes?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nantes delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,844 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nantes hard to pass up.
How safe is Paris compared to Nantes?
Safety-wise, Paris and Nantes are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nantes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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