Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Rouen Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Rouen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,655 in Paris versus $1,609 in Rouen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,105 in Paris versus $2,417 in Rouen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Paris versus $3,225 in Rouen.

Living in Paris is roughly 65% more expensive than Rouen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Paris 98% above, Rouen 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.11

$13.91 €11.97

26.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.3

$57.4 €49.37

28.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.13

$10.33 €8.88

36.59%

Cappuccino

$4.77 €4.10

$3.40 €2.92

40.29%

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

$4.14 €3.56

$2.61 €2.25

58.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.75 €1.51

93.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.82

$7.24 €6.23

9.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 €6.81

$5.86 €5.04

35.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.19 €1.03

36.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.15 €0.99

80.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$1.88 €1.62

52.66%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.29

$3.05 €2.62

63.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 €22.27

$14.87 €12.79

74.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 €11.92

$9.96 €8.57

39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 €17.13

$20.92 €18.00

-4.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.34 €2.01

50.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$1.87 €1.61

33.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$1.69 €1.46

108.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.23

$3.54 €3.04

5.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.34 €2.02

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$3.79 €3.26

-20.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.61

$1.72 €1.48

9.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.74 €0.64

17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.06

$14.09 €12.12

7.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 €8.18

$6.47 €5.56

46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.32

$2.25 €1.94

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.58

$1.75 €1.51

137.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.02 €1.74

42.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €88.7

$51.3 €44.14

100.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.86

$4.68 €4.02

95.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.97 €1.70

6.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.5 €47.70

$36.13 €31.07

53.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.07 €1.78

1.45%

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

$36.1K €31.0K

$35.9K €30.9K

0.53%

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

$37.1K €31.9K

$38.8K €33.4K

-4.23%

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

$246 €212

$167 €144

47.06%

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

$16.88 €14.52

$28.20 €24.26

-40.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 €30.46

$33.45 €28.77

5.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 €34.03

$37.92 €32.62

4.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 €16.19

$17.41 €14.97

8.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.69

$13.65 €11.74

16.63%

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

$889 €765

$916 €788

-2.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$8,664 €7,453

77.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €99.7

$82.8 €71.2

40.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.39

$25.57 €22.00

88.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$88.5 €76.1

38.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €135

$105 €90.0

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,394

$565 €486

186.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,041

$528 €454

129.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 €3,115

$1,053 €906

244.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 €1,971

$867 €745

164.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K €12.9K

$4,083 €3,512

267.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,709

$2,393 €2,058

323.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 €3,248

$2,722 €2,342

38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.62

-1.93%

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

Last update for Paris: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rouen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Paris and $565 in Rouen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paris pays 39% 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 $57.0 in Rouen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $306 per month, with Rouen 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 Rouen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rouen wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Paris. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rouen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Paris pays 39% 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 $565 in Rouen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rouen – a meal for two runs $57.0 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 $1,609 in Rouen – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,609 in Rouen versus $2,655 in Paris, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rouen but tight or insufficient in Paris. The gap between the two cities makes Rouen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rouen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,609 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rouen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Paris and Rouen 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 Rouen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Paris. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.