Cost of Living in Paris 

The cost of living in Paris is not as prohibitive as you may think although it is right up there with the list of the costliest cities in Europe. Paris does have many wonders to offer from some of the world’s most iconic monuments and landmarks to cultural attractions, fashion streets, the best cafes and restaurants and of course, a charming lifestyle for those living and working here. However, you should have a clear idea about the estimated costs of living in the city before shifting here. This will help you plan out your finances better. 

On that note, here’s taking a look at the key parameters making up the cost of living in Paris. 

Housing

Accommodation will majorly contribute towards the final cost of living figure in Paris. This will be the biggest chunk of your expenditure every month. Prices of apartments in Paris usually vary on the basis of factors like the locality and size among others. Students will find numerous choices in Paris including flat-shares, regular apartment units or even student housing. Social support is a great boon for all students in Paris, especially if they have APL/CAF eligibility. This monthly stipend is given by the Government for easing out and subsidizing rentals. For the rest, regular apartments in Paris may be found with sizes between 9 and 20 square metres. These may cost anywhere between € 450 and € 800 every month. 

Transportation

Public transportation is the best way to get in and around the city. You can take the buses, trams or RER and metro networks to travel throughout all 5 areas in Paris. A metro ticket will cost you roughly € 1.90 (single journey) while a weekly pass will be approximately € 22.80. You can also buy a monthly pass for € 75.20 and you will get a discount if you are less than 26 years of age. If you are also a salaried professional, you will be reimbursing at least 50% of costs of transportation in Paris. There are shared rides on city bikes as well. Velib charges € 5 per day for a single ride while monthly passes cost around € 37.20. 

Healthcare and Insurance 

The healthcare system in Paris is one of the best in the whole world. This is a socially diversified network where every resident of the city should possess health insurance and this has coverage under the national health insurance scheme. The coverage will take care of all basic healthcare requirements while reimbursing around 70% of the overall cost. Most people usually add in a supplementary coverage plan or mutuelle for covering any extra costs like specialist charges. This will be roughly € 23-40 every month on an average. 

Average health insurance cost for one individual will be € 40 every month and prices may vary on the basis of the policy. The healthcare system is fully universal with 96% of the population currently possessing coverage under the insurance system. The approximate cost of a visit to the emergency room will be roughly € 100 without suitable insurance coverage. Including coverage, it will come to around € 10 only. The average cost of a doctor’s visit without insurance coverage will stand at approximately € 23 while this will be only € 6.60 with coverage included into the scheme of things. Public health insurance (per person) costs are € 10 each month on an average. This is € 40 for each person on a monthly basis in the private insurance segment. There are more than 22,000 pharmacies in Paris along with 2,700 hospitals at last count. 

Learning French

If you wish to invest some time and resources into learning French, it may pay off handsomely for you in the future both personally and professionally. For French lessons, be prepared to pay around € 290 for each week at the Alliance Francaise (20 hour general French lessons). The Sorbonne charges between € 500 and € 1820 for lessons up to 60 hours in all. La Mairie de Paris has French language classes for several levels throughout the entire city at competitive rates. Yet, the sizes of classes are bigger in this case. Book your seats in advance since they may fill up swiftly. A trimester may cost anywhere around € 190 as per latest reports. 

Taxation 

There are numerous taxes that are payable in France and this is something that you cannot exactly plan for at the outset. The income tax that you pay will have coverage for all social benefits such as retirement, unemployment, education and healthcare. If you are eyeing a long-term residency in Paris, you will be delighted with these perks that may come in handy later on. You will have to pay housing tax or taxe habitation as a renter in Paris and this is worked out on the basis of the unit type, the size of the unit and also the locality where you are residing at present. 

Cellphone and internet 

France has attractive pricing packages for cell phone connectivity plans. Depending upon your specific preferences, the package may cost anywhere around € 2 and € 20 each month. Some plans even come with inclusions like unlimited international calls at negligible or low rates. 

Food & Groceries

Grocery costs are quite subjective in Paris and a majority of the same will depend upon your own lifestyle. There are numerous organic retail outlets and grocery stores where you will find options tailored to your budget. Average costs may hover around € 600 every month. Average prices of coffee hover between € 2 and € 4 at outlets while a simple baguette meal will cost € 1 and a Pain Chocolat will be around € 1.20. These costs are pretty much par for the course in Paris. Be prepared to pay between € 15 and € 50 at restaurants of varying grades for a meal. 

Entertainment Expenditure

Paris has several museums, theatres, concerts, cultural attractions and a lot more for residents. If you are less than 26 years old, then you will gain free entry into most monuments and museums while getting attractive discounts for watching movies and other fun activities. € 20-80 every month will be needed for a gym membership while movie tickets cost around € 12 per person.