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: $2,655 in Paris versus $1,665 in Roubaix.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,105 in Paris versus $2,590 in Roubaix.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Paris versus $3,516 in Roubaix.

Living in Paris is roughly 59% more expensive than Roubaix, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 98% above, Roubaix 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.24

$18.26 €15.85

-3.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.8

$70.1 €60.8

4.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.24

$13.85 €12.01

1.88%

Cappuccino

$4.77 €4.14

$3.78 €3.28

26.19%

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

$4.14 €3.59

$3.30 €2.87

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.94

$2.13 €1.85

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.88

$8.33 €7.23

-4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 €6.87

$5.75 €4.99

37.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.42

$1.19 €1.04

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.60 €1.39

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.49

$2.95 €2.56

-2.71%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.33

$2.17 €1.88

129.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 €22.46

$13.42 €11.64

92.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 €12.02

$9.26 €8.03

49.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 €17.27

$14.04 €12.18

41.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.06

$1.06 €0.92

232.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.16

$1.14 €0.99

118.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.07

$2.27 €1.97

55.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.25

$2.91 €2.52

28.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.26

$0.78 €0.68

233.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 €2.61

$0.89 €0.77

238.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.63

$1.52 €1.32

23.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.22 €0.19

295.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.17

$12.28 €10.65

23.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 €8.25

$8.58 €7.45

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.34

$2.36 €2.05

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.61

$4.31 €3.74

-3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.49

$2.00 €1.73

43.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €89.5

$47.93 €41.59

115.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.93

$2.38 €2.07

284.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 €1.81

$1.81 €1.57

15.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.5 €48.11

$40.16 €34.84

38.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.01 €1.74

4.48%

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

$36.1K €31.3K

$29.5K €25.6K

22.36%

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

$37.1K €32.2K

$29.2K €25.3K

27.23%

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

$246 €214

$183 €158

34.87%

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

$16.88 €14.64

$23.46 €20.35

-28.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 €30.72

$29.47 €25.57

20.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 €34.32

$37.37 €32.42

5.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 €16.32

$18.15 €15.75

3.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.81

$11.53 €10.00

38.07%

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

$889 €771

$579 €502

53.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.3K

$8,493 €7,369

80.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €101

$92.0 €79.8

25.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.75

$36.46 €31.63

31.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$83.8 €72.7

46.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €136

$105 €91.2

48.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,406

$773 €671

109.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,050

$613 €532

97.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 €3,142

$1,408 €1,221

157.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 €1,988

$1,100 €954

108.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K €13.0K

$4,197 €3,641

257.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,784

$3,167 €2,748

219.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 €3,276

$1,853 €1,608

103.76%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Roubaix: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Paris and $773 in Roubaix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 104% 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: $74.0 in Paris vs $70.0 in Roubaix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $263 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 59% 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 104% 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: $1,621 in Paris versus $773 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 $70.0 versus $74.0 in Paris. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,655 per month in Paris versus $1,665 in Roubaix – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,665 in Roubaix versus $2,655 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 $1,665 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 59% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.