Discover How I Thrived in Paris on Just $1,500 a Month: A Complete Guide to Affordable Living!

Emily in Paris was not my reality. My American experience in Paris was devoid of both a stylish wardrobe and a French partner. Moreover, my living arrangements were quite distinct from Emily’s chic apartment. My studio, measuring 120 square feet, boasted a solitary window. The closet which doubled as a kitchen was equipped with a portable cooking appliance, a couple of cabinets, and a sink. The tiny refrigerator resided in the lounge, which also served as the dining area (furnished with a collapsible table and chairs) and a bedroom (featuring a queen-sized bunk bed). The bathroom, lacking a proper door, a complete wall, or even a sink, was situated less than two feet away from the couch. I shared this entire space with my spouse.

It was precisely the kind of accommodation one might select in their early twenties to save some cash, yet it became our haven for 10 months. Despite my difficulties in feeling at home there, it provided me the chance to reside in Paris, a reality that most individuals—including Emily—can only fantasize about.

I acquired a carte de séjour (residence permit) to learn French at the Alliance Française. I attended classes in the morning, worked in the afternoons and evenings, and relished life in Paris in between. Having recently embarked on a journey as a freelance writer and editor, I enjoyed considerable flexibility, though my finances were limited. My husband, an ardent admirer of France who was already fluent in French, found himself in a similar predicament.

Our budget was constrained, yet our compact apartment facilitated our adaptation. Here’s how I managed to subsist in Paris with barely $1,500 each month.

Lodgings

Expense: $595/month (total for two individuals: $1,190/month)

We understood that in order to succeed, we required a remarkably economical rental. Securing an apartment as a foreigner in France can be intricate. Because tenants possess numerous rights, landlords typically demand a French guarantor. Lacking a guarantor and the funds to collaborate with an agency specializing in rental agreements for foreigners, we ultimately reserved a three-month Airbnb. We then approached our landlord to inquire if they would sign a short-term rental contract permitting us to lease the apartment month-to-month throughout our stay, which they consented to.

The cost of our 120-square-foot studio amounted to $1,190 monthly, but my husband and I split the expenses, resulting in my share being $595 each month. While it may seem inexpensive, our French acquaintances indicated that we were paying above the true value. At that time (in 2019), a friend of ours was leasing a generous one-bedroom apartment for under $1,000.

Transit

Expense: $85/month

Besides the occasional bike or scooter rental, I depended on public transit. In 2019, an unlimited monthly transport pass cost $85 (currently, it’s $94 per month). I utilized the train multiple times daily and sporadically took the bus.

Cuisine

Expense: $455/month, on average

Naturally, preparing meals at home in a culinary hub such as Paris demands significant discipline. We commenced enthusiastically, dining exclusively at home, but by the conclusion of our stay, we were dining out three to four times weekly. Consequently, our food expenditures fluctuated,but our mean expenditure settled at approximately $455 monthly.

Some of our preferred budget-friendly dining spots in Paris include pizza at Justine, breakfast at Holybelly, falafel wraps from L’As du Fallafel, and Bocamexa for Mexican cuisine.

Exploring

Expense: $375/month, on average

Having already visited Paris’s more expensive attractions, such as the Louvre and Eiffel Tower, I managed to conserve quite a bit by avoiding those and opting for activities like picnicking in the park and exploring lesser-known, complimentary museums. However, when friends or family visited, we invariably made trips to Versailles and purchased tickets for museums like Centre Pompidou. Nevertheless, most of the time, we embraced the Parisian lifestyle — spending weekends relaxing in Buttes-Chaumont park, enjoying refreshments along the Canal Saint-Martin or Seine, appreciating street art, or window shopping in the city’s secret passages.

Overall, my monthly expenses averaged out to $1,510 while residing in Paris. It is important to mention that I did not include the expenses related to attending an intensive language school or traveling across Europe (I visited Prague, Stockholm, Lisbon, Barcelona, and several cities in France.)

If you are prepared to remain in the city, dine (mostly) at home, and choose modest accommodations, you can experience your own Emily in Paris-style adventure.