Students will undoubtedly find that the prices of essential goods, as well as food, are higher than what they are used to. Here are some websites that can help you become familiar with the cost of living in Paris and better plan a budget.
- The official Paris public transport website: https://www.ratp.fr/
A single metro ticket costs €2.55, and a monthly pass costs €90.80.
Trains: https://www.sncf-connect.com/
- Main supermarkets in Paris:
Carrefour (hypermarket with good value for money) www.carrefour.fr
Franprix (quite expensive and average quality) www.franprix.fr
Monoprix (expensive but good quality) www.monoprix.fr
Picard (good quality frozen products) www.picard.fr
Auchan (hypermarket on the outskirts of Paris with a very wide range of products) www.auchan.fr
Your grocery shopping will cost between €150 and €250 per month.
- Books, CDs, DVDs…: www.fnac.fr or Gibert Joseph
A book costs around €10 on average, but it is very easy to find second-hand ones.
- University restaurant: Crous
Meals for €1 for all students!
A sandwich can cost from €2.50 in a university cafeteria to €10 in a sandwich shop.
A McDonald’s menu costs around €12 on average in France.
A croissant costs €1.20 and a baguette €1.
An espresso costs €2 and a café au lait €3.50.
- To regularly check exchange rates, visit: Xe
- To get a more precise idea of the cost of living in Paris, you can visit: https://www.combien-coute.net/cout-de-la-vie/ile-de-france/paris/