Living in Paris: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Paris, a one-bedroom home costs about €1,590 a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about €2,480 net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Paris, they would need about €2,480 net a month locally (−37%), i.e. 1.7 times the SMIC.
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (state school), it would take about €3,960 net a month in Paris, i.e. 2.7 times the SMIC.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Paris
A one-bedroom home in Paris costs about 94% more than the median of the 10 other cities tracked in the country.
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas |
|---|---|
| Studio | €990 |
| 1 bedroom | €1,590 |
| 2 bedrooms | €2,080 |
| 3-bedroom house | €2,280 |
Monthly rent in EUR, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². Carte des loyers 2025 (ANIL / housing ministry), advertised rents including charges, by town.
A month’s budget in Paris, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Paris.
| Item | London | Paris | Paris (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £1,360 | €1,590 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £0 | €0 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £80 | €100 |
| Groceries | £200 | £210 | €250 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £120 | €140 |
| Transport | £100 | £80 | €90 |
| Health | £40 | £60 | €70 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £50 | €50 |
| Sport | £60 | £50 | €60 |
| Clothes | £60 | £60 | €70 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £30 | €40 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £20 | €20 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £2,120 | €2,480 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in France.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Paris?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about €2,480 net a month, i.e. 1.7 times the SMIC.
How much is rent in Paris?
About €1,590 a month for a one-bedroom home and €2,080 for a two-bedroom home, according to Carte des loyers 2025 (ANIL / housing ministry), advertised rents including charges, by town.
Is it expensive to live in Paris?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Paris, it would be about £2,120 (−37%).