Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Melun Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Melun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,039 in Strasbourg versus $1,764 in Melun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,989 in Strasbourg versus $2,642 in Melun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,939 in Strasbourg versus $3,519 in Melun.

Living in Strasbourg is roughly 16% more expensive than Melun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Strasbourg 52% above, Melun 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.43 €14.87

$13.21 €11.27

31.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.1 €62.3

$55.4 €47.21

32.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 €10.98

$13.73 €11.71

-6.26%

Cappuccino

$3.36 €2.87

$3.15 €2.68

6.67%

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

$2.64 €2.25

$1.78 €1.51

48.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.03

$2.10 €1.79

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 €5.47

$7.56 €6.45

-15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 €4.34

$5.84 €4.98

-12.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.38

$1.52 €1.30

6.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 €2.05

$1.74 €1.48

37.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 €2.45

$3.01 €2.57

-4.32%

Eggs

$4.50 €3.84

$3.96 €3.38

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.86 €24.62

$22.15 €18.89

30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.48 €14.91

$13.00 €11.09

34.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.78 €20.29

$24.18 €20.63

-1.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.60

$3.71 €3.17

-18.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 €2.09

$2.18 €1.86

12.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.01

$2.40 €2.05

47.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 €3.24

$3.28 €2.80

15.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 €2.13

$1.91 €1.63

30.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 €2.37

$2.11 €1.80

31.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.59 €1.36

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.68 €0.58

30.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.28 €12.18

$13.46 €11.48

6.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.21 €7.86

$9.02 €7.70

2.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.74

$2.35 €2.01

-13.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.24

$4.48 €3.82

-15.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.02

$2.32 €1.98

2.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 €54.9

$49.15 €41.92

30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 €2.97

$4.70 €4.01

-25.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 €0.85

$1.90 €1.62

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.21 €32.59

$31.85 €27.17

19.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.76

$2.09 €1.78

-1.44%

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

$37.1K €31.7K

$36.9K €31.5K

0.51%

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

$36.9K €31.5K

$38.0K €32.4K

-2.81%

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

$263 €224

$198 €168

33.04%

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

$23.41 €19.97

$23.33 €19.90

0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.20 €28.32

$28.39 €24.21

16.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 €33.31

$36.63 €31.24

6.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.07 €23.09

$18.45 €15.74

46.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.10 €12.03

$10.57 €9.02

33.40%

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

$1,400 €1,194

$571 €487

145.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,147 €6,097

$8,459 €7,216

-15.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €92.1

$90.9 €77.6

18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 €33.81

$36.15 €30.84

9.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 €75.6

$86.7 €74.0

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €110

$104 €88.9

23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 €696

$771 €658

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$690 €589

$597 €509

15.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 €1,461

$1,229 €1,049

39.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 €806

$910 €776

3.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,619 €4,793

$4,209 €3,590

33.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,185 €2,717

$3,022 €2,578

5.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,040 €2,593

$2,555 €2,179

19.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.69

-1.08%

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

Last update for Strasbourg: April 19, 2026

Last update for Melun: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $816 in Strasbourg and $771 in Melun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strasbourg pays 19% 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 Strasbourg vs $55 in Melun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $385 per month, with Melun 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 Melun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Strasbourg and Melun differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($2,039 vs $1,764 including rent). Melun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Strasbourg pays 19% 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: $816 in Strasbourg versus $771 in Melun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,039 per month in Strasbourg versus $1,764 in Melun – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melun runs roughly 31% less than in Strasbourg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,764 in Melun versus $2,039 in Strasbourg, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Melun but tight or insufficient in Strasbourg. The gap between the two cities makes Melun 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 Melun 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 Melun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Strasbourg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.