CostTrek

Compare

Bordeaux vs Marseille

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Bordeaux, FR vs Marseille, FR at a glance — Marseille, FR is 2% cheaper than Bordeaux, FR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $800/mo versus $850/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 45%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Marseille, FR, you'd need

$73,541 / year

Marseille, FR is 2% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Marseille, FR vs Bordeaux, FR)

  • Housing-5%
  • Food & groceries-1%
  • Transport0%
  • Utilities0%
  • Healthcare0%
  • Goods & services-1%

How Bordeaux, FR and Marseille, FR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Bordeaux, FRMarseille, FR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

Full comparison

Bordeaux, FRMarseille, FR
Cost of living
Overall cost index9997
Housing10095
Food106105
Transport7676
Utilities110110
Healthcare8282
Goods & services106105
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$850/mo$800/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$660/mo$620/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$1,700/mo$1,600/mo
Buy price / m² centre$5,500$4,200
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,008$1,028
Inexpensive meal$16$15
Monthly transit pass$45$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%45%
VAT / sales tax20%20%
Social security (employee)22%22%
Corporate tax25%25%
Capital gains30%30%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,600/mo$2,600/mo
Minimum wage$1,600/mo$1,600/mo
GDP per capita$48,986$48,986
Inflation (annual)0.9%0.9%
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyModerateModerate
Coworking spaces2520
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+1
Quality of life
Safety index6352
Healthcare index8584
Pollution index4046
Internet speed160 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability8278
Public transport7670
Family-friendly7466
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy83 yr83 yr
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+7 °C+9 °C
July avg+22 °C+24 °C
Sunny days / year200300
Rainfall / year950 mm520 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: France vs France. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

Good to know before you move to Bordeaux

An elegant, honey-stone city on the Garonne at the heart of France's greatest wine region — just two hours from Paris by TGV and a short hop to the Atlantic beaches. Milder and cheaper than Paris, it's become a magnet for remote workers and Parisians heading south.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
French
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
160 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
63/100
Climate
❄ 7°C · ☀ 22°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Chartrons · Saint-Pierre · Saint-Michel · La Bastide

Good to know before you move to Marseille

France's oldest and second-largest city — a sunny, diverse Mediterranean port with a gritty edge, cheaper than Paris or Nice. Turquoise calanques on its doorstep and a fierce local identity make up for rougher infrastructure.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
French
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
52/100
Climate
❄ 9°C · ☀ 24°C · 300 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Le Panier · Vieux-Port · Cours Julien · La Plaine

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Bordeaux to Marseille: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Bordeaux to Marseille, your cost of living will be roughly 2% cheaper. Marseille’s cost-of-living index is 97 versus 99 for Bordeaux (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Bordeaux cheaper than Marseille?

Marseille is about 2% cheaper than Bordeaux overall — its cost-of-living index is 97 versus 99 for Bordeaux.

How much do you need to earn in Marseille to live like in Bordeaux?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Bordeaux is worth about $73,541 in Marseille. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Bordeaux or Marseille?

Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (45%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.

More comparisons from Bordeaux

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.