Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Roubaix

For one person, living is cheaper in Roubaix: $1,656 a month against $2,657 in Paris, rent and utilities included – about $12,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Paris
🇫🇷 France
$2,657
/mo nomad
Roubaix
🇫🇷 France
$1,656
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Paris and in Roubaix

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,657 in Paris versus $1,656 in Roubaix.

  • Paris $2,657
  • Roubaix $1,656

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,063 in Paris versus $2,580 in Roubaix.

  • Paris $4,063
  • Roubaix $2,580

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,469 in Paris versus $3,505 in Roubaix.

  • Paris $5,469
  • Roubaix $3,505

Living in Paris is roughly 60% more expensive than in Roubaix, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 96% above, Roubaix 22% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.71 €16.64
$18.17 €16.16
2.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.2 €70.4
$74.0 €65.8
7.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.68 €12.17
$13.62 €12.11
0.44%
Cappuccino
$5.03 €4.47
$3.83 €3.41
31.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.48 €3.98
$3.19 €2.84
40.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 €2.42
$1.64 €1.46
65.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.90 €7.03
$7.59 €6.75
4.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.56 €5.84
$5.67 €5.04
15.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 €1.36
$1.14 €1.02
34.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 €2.17
$1.59 €1.41
53.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.80 €2.49
$2.82 €2.51
-0.71%
Eggs
$4.38 €3.90
$2.04 €1.81
114.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.01 €19.58
$12.71 €11.30
73.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.93 €12.39
$9.01 €8.01
54.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.35 €19.88
$13.08 €11.64
70.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.19 €2.84
$0.98 €0.88
225.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.96
$1.11 €0.98
98.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 €2.64
$2.19 €1.95
35.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.34 €3.86
$2.70 €2.40
60.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.87 €1.66
$0.76 €0.67
146.05%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$0.92 €0.82
172.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.80 €1.60
$1.68 €1.49
7.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 €0.80
$0.22 €0.19
309.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.64 €13.02
$11.66 €10.37
25.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 €7.81
$8.48 €7.55
3.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.46
$2.37 €2.10
16.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 €3.27
$4.27 €3.80
-13.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.75 €2.45
$1.94 €1.72
41.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$103 €91.4
$48.11 €42.80
113.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$9.13 €8.12
$2.21 €1.97
313.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 €1.33
$2.15 €1.91
-30.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$45.36 €40.35
$24.07 €21.41
88.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.07 €1.84
7.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K €31.1K
$28.3K €25.1K
23.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.3K €33.2K
$27.7K €24.6K
34.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$248 €220
$176 €157
40.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.62 €13.90
$15.18 €13.50
2.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.16 €26.83
$30.56 €27.18
-1.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.08 €34.76
$35.62 €31.68
9.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.80 €16.73
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.93 €14.17
$10.97 €9.76
45.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,822 €1,620
$629 €560
189.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.5K €23.5K
$8,319 €7,399
217.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$111 €98.6
$87.0 €77.4
27.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.9 €46.18
$40.20 €35.76
29.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €108
$101 €89.5
20.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 €140
$102 €91.1
53.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,579 €1,405
$756 €672
109.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,230 €1,094
$604 €537
103.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,384 €3,010
$1,360 €1,209
148.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,294 €2,040
$1,132 €1,007
102.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$14.7K €13.1K
$3,956 €3,519
271.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,770 €8,690
$3,007 €2,675
224.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Paris
Roubaix
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,574 €3,179
$1,761 €1,566
102.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.4
3.92
-13.27%

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

Last update for Paris: October 19, 2026

Last update for Roubaix: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Paris
$1.2K
Roubaix
$604 50.9% $626
Groceries & Markets
Paris
$401
Roubaix
$254 36.8% $148
Eating Out
Paris
$333
Roubaix
$301 9.5% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Paris
$293
Roubaix
$222 24.3% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Paris
$199
Roubaix
$149 25.2% $50
Getting Around
Paris
$130
Roubaix
$69 47.2% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Paris
$71
Roubaix
$58 18.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Paris and $756 in Roubaix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 103% 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 $74.0 in Roubaix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $254 per month, with Roubaix cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Paris
🇫🇷 Roubaix
🕒 Local time
18:23 6:23 PM
18:23 6:23 PM
Same time as Paris
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,133,111 Capital
98,892
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Paris Roubaix 210 km
From you
  • Paris
  • Roubaix

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 Roubaix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Paris or Roubaix?
Roubaix wins on cost – living expenses run 60% 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.
Are salaries higher in Paris or in Roubaix?
Average pay runs 103% 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 Roubaix?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,579 in Paris versus $756 in Roubaix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Paris and in Roubaix?
Dining out is cheaper in Roubaix – a meal for two runs $74.0 versus $79.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Paris compared to Roubaix?
All in, you'll spend $2,657 per month in Paris versus $1,656 in Roubaix – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Paris or in Roubaix?
At $1,656 in Roubaix versus $2,657 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Paris or Roubaix?
Both work as nomad bases, but Roubaix delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,656 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Roubaix hard to pass up.
How safe is Paris compared to Roubaix?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Roubaix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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