Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Caen Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Caen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,265 in Strasbourg versus $1,734 in Caen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,334 in Strasbourg versus $2,647 in Caen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,403 in Strasbourg versus $3,560 in Caen.

Living in Strasbourg is roughly 31% more expensive than in Caen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Strasbourg 65% above, Caen 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €14.82

$17.53 €15.09

-1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 €66.0

$58.2 €50.1

31.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €11.90

$13.89 €11.95

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$4.63 €3.99

$3.06 €2.63

51.31%

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

$3.21 €2.76

$3.32 €2.85

-3.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.16 €1.86

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.13

$8.91 €7.66

-7.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 €5.10

$5.68 €4.89

4.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.40 €1.20

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.75 €1.50

14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 €2.60

$2.05 €1.77

47.32%

Eggs

$4.18 €3.60

$4.08 €3.51

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$34.56 €29.74

$10.47 €9.01

230.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 €16.01

$11.31 €9.73

64.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.34 €20.08

$16.36 €14.08

42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 €2.25

$3.24 €2.79

-19.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$3.22 €2.77

-19.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 €2.91

$1.52 €1.31

122.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 €3.20

$4.38 €3.77

-15.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$1.87 €1.61

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 €2.37

$2.00 €1.72

38.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.63 €1.40

-11.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 €0.62

$0.15 €0.13

386.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.06 €12.10

$13.56 €11.67

3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.36 €8.06

$5.95 €5.12

57.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 €1.89

$1.48 €1.27

48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 €4.13

$1.66 €1.43

189.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.83 €1.58

25.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 €56.1

$52.1 €44.85

25.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 €3.02

$2.32 €2.00

51.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 €1.89

$1.20 €1.04

82.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 €23.71

$34.10 €29.34

-19.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$2.14 €1.84

0.47%

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

$36.1K €31.1K

$36.3K €31.3K

-0.67%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$33.3K €28.6K

5.72%

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

$342 €294

$140 €121

143.26%

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

$17.08 €14.69

$15.58 €13.41

9.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.12 €29.36

$33.26 €28.62

2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.57 €31.46

$33.14 €28.51

10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.52 €23.68

$23.34 €20.09

17.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.69 €11.78

$10.39 €8.94

31.76%

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

$1,111 €956

$928 €799

19.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €101

$112 €96.3

5.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 €44.43

$40.96 €35.25

26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$103 €88.7

13.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 €128

$153 €131

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 €883

$760 €654

35.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 €647

$630 €542

19.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,908 €1,642

$1,605 €1,381

18.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 €1,014

$1,085 €934

8.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,574 €4,796

$4,655 €4,006

19.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,174 €2,731

$2,652 €2,282

19.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,051 €2,625

$2,442 €2,101

24.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.79

-0.79%

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

Last update for Strasbourg: September 1, 2026

Last update for Caen: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,026 in Strasbourg and $760 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strasbourg pays 25% 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: $77.0 in Strasbourg vs $58.0 in Caen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $457 vs $297 per month, with Caen 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

Strasbourg vs Caen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Strasbourg and Caen differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($2,265 vs $1,734 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Strasbourg, 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: $1,026 in Strasbourg versus $760 in Caen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Caen runs roughly 25% less than in Strasbourg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,111 in Strasbourg versus $928 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,734 in Caen versus $2,265 in Strasbourg, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Strasbourg. The gap between the two cities makes Caen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Strasbourg and Caen 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 Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Strasbourg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.