Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Roubaix Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Roubaix

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in Paris versus $1,686 in Roubaix.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,013 in Paris versus $2,559 in Roubaix.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,400 in Paris versus $3,432 in Roubaix.

Living in Paris is roughly 56% more expensive than Roubaix, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 96% above, Roubaix 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.32 €14.77

$17.91 €15.28

-3.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 €62.3

$69.0 €58.8

5.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 €11.74

$13.79 €11.76

-0.22%

Cappuccino

$4.52 €3.86

$3.80 €3.24

18.95%

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

$3.94 €3.36

$3.31 €2.83

19.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.77

$2.09 €1.78

55.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 €6.72

$8.31 €7.09

-5.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.14 €6.94

$5.75 €4.90

41.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.18 €1.01

37.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.67 €1.42

23.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.55

$3.08 €2.62

-3.25%

Eggs

$5.19 €4.42

$2.14 €1.82

142.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.52 €21.77

$13.25 €11.30

92.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 €11.77

$9.32 €7.95

48.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 €16.95

$13.73 €11.71

44.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.01

$1.02 €0.87

246.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$1.18 €1.01

102.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 €2.92

$2.27 €1.94

50.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.34

$2.90 €2.47

34.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 €2.23

$0.79 €0.67

230.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 €2.63

$0.90 €0.76

242.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.58

$1.59 €1.35

16.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.22 €0.19

286.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.28 €13.03

$12.03 €10.26

27.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.53 €8.13

$8.85 €7.55

7.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 €2.34

$2.39 €2.04

14.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 €3.46

$4.24 €3.62

-4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 €2.40

$1.98 €1.69

41.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$104 €88.6

$48.34 €41.24

114.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 €8.03

$2.40 €2.05

292.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 €1.69

$1.82 €1.56

8.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.6 €48.25

$40.82 €34.82

38.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.80

$2.00 €1.70

5.50%

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

$34.9K €29.8K

$28.8K €24.6K

21.04%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$29.3K €25.0K

25.75%

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

$254 €217

$180 €153

41.63%

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

$17.12 €14.60

$22.88 €19.51

-25.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.65 €31.26

$29.68 €25.31

23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.50 €32.84

$37.21 €31.74

3.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.63 €15.89

$18.31 €15.62

1.75%

Cinema Ticket

$15.46 €13.19

$11.57 €9.87

33.62%

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

$875 €747

$571 €487

53.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K €12.6K

$8,620 €7,353

71.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.3

$89.2 €76.1

26.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 €40.50

$36.43 €31.07

30.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €104

$84.2 €71.8

44.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 €134

$105 €89.3

50.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 €1,420

$779 €665

113.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,172 €1,000

$626 €534

87.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,596 €3,067

$1,414 €1,206

154.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,318 €1,977

$1,077 €919

115.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.9K €12.7K

$4,268 €3,641

249.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,738 €8,307

$3,111 €2,653

213.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,008 €3,419

$1,879 €1,602

113.36%

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 Roubaix: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,664 in Paris and $779 in Roubaix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 113% 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 $69 in Roubaix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $264 per month, with Roubaix 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 Roubaix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roubaix wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Roubaix the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Paris pays 113% 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 $779 in Roubaix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Roubaix – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $73.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,626 per month in Paris versus $1,686 in Roubaix – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,686 in Roubaix versus $2,626 in Paris, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Roubaix but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Roubaix the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Roubaix delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,686 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Roubaix hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Paris and Roubaix 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 Roubaix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.