London vs Paris – living costs comparison

Cost of living

Sometimes the decision of moving to a different country is not dictated by life events such as the promotion of one of the spouses.  At times it is a matter of stagnation that propels somebody from moving to a different place – no matter where.

If you moving to France, we prepared a comparison of two metropolises that you might be interested in moving into. If you take into account London or Paris, perhaps you will find this post useful and vital.

We will compare the essential aspects of life in these two cities, such as the cost of food, housing, clothes, transportation, personal care, and entertainment.

Food

Food is a sector, over which you have the biggest financial control on a weekly and monthly basis. You cannot resign from purchasing food, but you can choose the supermarkets and shops where food is the cheapest. Also, food is the only sector in which London is cheaper than Paris.

According to expatistan.com, food in London is 17% cheaper than in Paris.

The basic lunchtime menu (with a drink included) in the business district of London is around €3 cheaper than in Paris. For a combo meal in a French fast food restaurant, you will pay €1 more than in an English one.

The biggest difference in price (between 34% and 47%) is visible for such products as boneless chicken breast, eggs, and potatoes. These are sequentially 34%, 37% and 47% more expensive in Paris.

Other products that are more pricey in Paris include whole-fat milk, tomatoes, local cheese, apples, and bread.

The products that are cheaper in Paris than in London are alcoholic and carbonated beverages.  Domestic beer in the supermarket in London is 8% more expensive than in Paris, whereas for the high-quality red wine you will pay 18% more in London than in Paris. Also, for 2 litres of Coca-Cola, you will pay around €0.15 more in London than in Paris.

Housing

Overall, housing is statistically 12% more expensive in London than in Paris, according to expatistan.com.

Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 Sqft) furnished accommodation in an expensive area will cost you around €2,814, which is around €250 more than the monthly rent in Paris. On the other hand, the rent for furnished accommodation in a normal district is around 1% (€) cheaper in London (€2,209) than in Paris (€2,224).

What is more, a furnished studio in an expensive London area is nearly 40% more pricey than in an expensive area in Paris, whereas a studio in a normal area in London is 18% more expensive than in a normal area in Paris. A little tip: if you relocating to France, MyCheapRemovals has a perfect volume option for small removals which is perfect for the content of the studio flat.

Additionally, utilities such as electricity, heating, and gas for 2 people in an 85m2 flat are 4% more expensive in London than in Paris. On the contrary, utilities for 1 person in a 45 m2 (480 Sqft) studio are 28% more expensive in Paris than in London.

Other things that are more costly in Paris than in London include microwave 800/900 Watt (26% more expensive), laundry detergent (8% more expensive), and an hourly rate for cleaning help (14% more expensive).

On the other hand, you will pay more in London than in Paris for a 40” flat-screen TV, and for the Internet (8 Mbps – 1 month), which is around 40% more costly.

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Clothes

Clothes are another sector, where you can cut some costs. You can successfully find some good quality clothes in second-hand shops and not spend a fortune.

Nevertheless, if rummage sale is not your cup of tea, the popular worldwide brands offer more or less the same prices for their clothing.

A pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) is about the same price in London (€89) and in Paris (€92).

For a summer dress in a High Street Store (Zara, H&M or similar retailers) you will pay around €43 in the London store, and around €39 in a Paris store.

However, a pair of sports shoes (Nike, Adidas, or equivalent brands) is around 17% more costly in Paris than in London. You will pay approximately €89 for Nike shoes in London, and around €107 for the same pair in Paris.

Leather business shoes are also more expensive in Paris than in London. You will spend around €99 in London, whereas, in Paris, the same pair will cost you approximately €117.

Transportation

Before you find a cheap removal service, please take into consideration, that transportation is a sector of the biggest price discrepancy between those two beautiful cities.

If you want to reduce the costs, we would recommend owning a car, as public transportation will cost you a fortune, especially in London.

A new car, such as Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSI 150 CV (or equivalent), with no extras, is about the same price both in London and in Paris. Also, the cost of gasoline is more or less the same – 1 litre (1/4 gallon) of gas costs around €1.50 in London and €1.58 in Paris.

Nevertheless, the monthly ticket for public transport in London is 116% more expensive than in Paris. In London, the monthly ticket will cost you €162, whereas in Paris – €75.

You will also pay 45% more for 8 kilometres of a taxi trip on a business day.

Personal care

Personal care includes all those products and services which serve our well-being and health.

It is statistically 24% more expensive in London than in Paris, according to expatistan.com.

The products and services that are more costly in London than in Paris include:

• 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) – the average cost in London amounts to €9, whereas in Paris – €7
• 1 box of 32 tampons (Tampax, OB) – you will pay approximately €4.43 in London, and €3.98 in Paris
• hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) will cost you €5.60 in London, and €3.54 in Paris
• 4 rolls of toilet paper – the average cost in London is €2.57, whereas in Paris – €2.09
• short visit to a private Doctor (15 minutes) notes an exceptional price discrepancy, as it will cost you around €97 in London, compared to €26 in Paris.

On the other hand, you will pay more in Paris for such products and services as:

• deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) – you will pay €4.84 in Paris, so around €2.5 more than in London
• tube of toothpaste – the price in Paris amounts to €2.32, whereas in London it costs around €2.08
• standard men’s haircut in expat area of the city will cost you €27 in Paris, compared to €18 in London

Entertainment

According to expatistan.com, entertainment in London is 24% more expensive than in Paris.

If you are a big fan of movies, you will pay less in Paris than in London. Two tickets to the movies in London costs around €28, whereas in Paris the estimated figure reaches €22. Keen theatre-goers will also pay remarkably more in the English capital. The two best available seats at the theatre cost around €198, which is 134% more than in Paris.

If your definition of entertainment includes mostly eating out, here is how the prices look for both capitals:

• for a basic dinner out for two in a neighbourhood pub – you will pay around €38 both in London and in Paris
• dinner for two at an Italian restaurant in the expat area including appetizers, main course, wine, and dessert -will cost you around €70 in London and  €58 in Paris
• you can drink a cocktail drink in a downtown club for the same price in both capitals – around €13 
• A cappuccino in expat area of the city will cost you €3.57 in London, and €5.09 in Paris
• for a beer in a neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) you will pay €1 less in London than in Paris

Moreover, for those of you who put a healthy and active lifestyle first, Parisian gyms have a more economical offer. One month of gym membership in the business district will cost you around €50 in Paris, whereas London gyms will charge you around €81. It is worth considering before you make a decision of moving to one of these cities.

To sum up, living in London is around 21% more expensive, than living in Paris.

Yet, taking into consideration the average salary, it is also higher in London than in Paris.

The average monthly net salary (after-tax) amounts to 2,144.30 € (1,852.37 £) in Paris, and 2,591.28 € (2,238.50 £) in London.

So, you know a little bit more about living costs in the capital cities of the UK and France, it’s time to find a cheap removal company – make sure you check our instant removal quote and we promise our price will be unbeatable.