How much should I budget for daily life while I’m studying in France?
MONTHLY LIVING COSTS
Taking into account the many discounts for which students are eligible, the average monthly student budget is generally higher in Paris than elsewhere in France. For tips on accommodation or opening a bank account in France, see Housing and Banking, Phone & Data Travel Tips.
Paris |
Rest of France |
|
Housing (all charges included) |
€800 |
€500 |
Food |
€350 |
€300 |
Cultural and social activities |
€150 |
€100 |
Transportation |
€50 |
€40 |
TOTAL per month |
€1350 |
€940 |
Your food budget
In average, the French dedicate about €300/month to food expenses.
Here are the average prices of a few base products:
- a baguette: €0.80
- a croissant: €1.10
- 1 kg of pasta/rice/potatoes: €1.50/€1.90/€1.20
- 1 litre of milk: €1.20
- a camembert cheese: €2
- 6 eggs: €1.50
- a coffee in a bar or restaurant: €2
- a meal in the university restaurant (RestoU): €3.25
- a fastfood meal: €7
- a meal in a restaurant: €10-20
- a sandwich from a bakery with a drink: €5-8
There are 450 RestoUs open to students in France. They offer a complete meal with starter, main course and dessert, and some are open evenings and week-ends.
Your healthcare budget
In France, doctors are split into three different categories: sector 1, 2 or 3. To stay in control of your healthcare budget, we recommend "conventionnés de secteur 1" (sector 1) doctors, who charge an amount that is almost entirely reimbursed by Social Security. You will pay less and be better reimbursed. For more details, visit our article. If you go to see a doctor at the university health center, check-ups are free.
Here are a few examples of how much medical visits cost under "conventionné secteur 1" pricing and how much is reimbursed by Social Security:
- check up with a GP: €25 (€16,50 reimbursed)
- check up with a specialist: €25 (€16,50 reimbursed)
- check up with a gynaecologist, ophthalmologist: €30 (€20 reimbursed)
- check up with a psycatrist: €40 (€25 reimbursed)
- checkup with a dentist: €30
For specialists like dentists, the amount reimbursed depends on the treatment being undertaken.
Your transportation budget
If you live far from your institution, transportat can represent a significant part of your total budget. Here are a few basic costs to help you:
- Bus/Subway: An annual public transport subscription at the student rate is €342 in Paris and €250-300 outside of Paris
- Car: One litre of petrol is €1.00-1.60
- European train tickets: Return trip tickets between Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam can start as low as €100-120
- Eurostar train tickets: The Eurostar service between Paris and London starts as low as €100-150
- Inter-France train tickets: The TGV is the high-speed train service. Return tickets between Paris and Nice can start as low as €140 and take 6hrs one-way. Student subscriptions are available with SNCF, offering for 12-27 years old heavy discounts with the Carte Avantage Jeune at €49, or unlimited (under conditions) train tickets with the TGVmax at €79/month.
- Urban transport: In the cities, the urban transit companies offer preferred rates to students.
- Bus: Within France, OuiBus can often be the cheapest mode of transport. Outside France, Flixbus often offers cheap deals for students.
- Bike rentals: In many large cities, bike rental companies like VelHop or Velib allow students to rent a bike by day, month, or year. In Paris, specific bike parking stations are allocated in certain locations, and an annual subscription is between €19-29.
Your entertainment budget
The price of entertainment and cultural activities varies considerably. There's something for everyone and for every budget. You will often get discounts and special rates when you show your student card or if you are under 25. Here are a few examples to help you work out your entertainment budget:
- Cell phone/internet: A wide range of plans to suit every budget and every digital lifestyle. Popular phone plans for students include deals for €20 per month including 100G of mobile data (for futher information check our Banking, Phone & Data Travel Tips article).
- Movies & theatres: Student cinema tickets are about €7.50 and €10 for theatre ticket. Some cinema chains offer unlimited student cards for €30/month.
- Museums: Museums or national monuments offer free admission to students under the age of 26, or between €5-15. Entry to libraries is also free for all students.
- Swimming pools : €1.70 for a student admission.
- Sports: Universities sports departments (SUAPS) will grant you access to over sixty sport clubs for a single payment at the start of the year.
- Press: Daily national papers are between €2-3.
