Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Montpellier Cost of Living Comparison Between Strasbourg and Montpellier

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,024 in Strasbourg versus $1,960 in Montpellier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,027 in Strasbourg versus $2,922 in Montpellier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,031 in Strasbourg versus $3,884 in Montpellier.

Living in Strasbourg is roughly 3% more expensive than Montpellier, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Strasbourg 51% above, Montpellier 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.41 €14.98

$17.30 €14.88

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.3

$56.9 €48.92

29.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.98 €11.16

$13.07 €11.24

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$3.48 €2.99

$3.72 €3.20

-6.45%

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

$2.78 €2.39

$2.72 €2.34

2.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

$1.91 €1.64

27.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.54 €5.63

$5.92 €5.09

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 €4.61

$4.50 €3.87

19.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.36 €1.17

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.98 €2.56

-16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.40

$2.62 €2.25

6.49%

Eggs

$4.56 €3.93

$4.19 €3.60

8.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.86 €24.82

$19.08 €16.41

51.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.96 €15.45

$15.47 €13.31

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.37 €20.96

$26.43 €22.74

-7.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 €2.69

$3.17 €2.73

-1.58%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.17

$2.29 €1.97

10.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.48 €2.14

38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 €3.30

$3.87 €3.33

-1.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.36 €2.03

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.65 €2.28

0.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.58 €1.36

-13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.58 €0.50

46.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 €12.02

$14.04 €12.08

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.78

$8.12 €6.99

11.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.78

$3.12 €2.68

-33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 €3.38

$3.80 €3.27

3.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 €1.94

$1.81 €1.55

24.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 €55.0

$17.41 €14.98

266.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 €3.01

$5.08 €4.37

-31.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 €0.89

$1.59 €1.36

-34.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.66 €33.26

$33.35 €28.69

15.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.03 €1.74

-0.99%

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

$37.4K €32.2K

$37.5K €32.2K

-0.20%

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

$38.0K €32.7K

-0.19%

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

$256 €220

$190 €164

34.38%

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

$23.55 €20.26

$28.11 €24.18

-16.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.40 €28.73

$35.06 €30.16

-4.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.97 €34.39

$38.36 €33.00

4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.82 €23.07

$29.35 €25.25

-8.62%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.08

$14.15 €12.17

-0.78%

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

$1,377 €1,184

$770 €662

78.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,076 €6,087

$8,169 €7,027

-13.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €92.5

$103 €88.4

4.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 €33.32

$44.46 €38.25

-12.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 €78.3

$108 €92.9

-15.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 €107

$178 €153

-29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$787 €677

$836 €719

-5.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 €591

$752 €647

-8.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 €1,473

$1,363 €1,172

25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 €820

$1,115 €959

-14.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,492 €4,725

$5,167 €4,444

6.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,194 €2,747

$4,116 €3,541

-22.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 €2,536

$2,784 €2,394

5.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.65

3.64

0.27%

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

Last update for Strasbourg: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montpellier: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $787 in Strasbourg and $836 in Montpellier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strasbourg pays 6% 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 Strasbourg vs $57.0 in Montpellier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $408 per month, with Montpellier 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 Montpellier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montpellier is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Strasbourg pays 6% 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: $787 in Strasbourg versus $836 in Montpellier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Strasbourg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Montpellier – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $74.0 in Strasbourg. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,960 in Montpellier versus $2,024 in Strasbourg, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montpellier but tight or insufficient in Strasbourg. The gap between the two cities makes Montpellier the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montpellier is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Strasbourg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Strasbourg and Montpellier 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 Montpellier gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Strasbourg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.