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London 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.

London, UK vs Marseille, FR at a glance — Marseille, FR is 29% cheaper than London, UK overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $800/mo versus $2,600/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 45%.

$/ year

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

$53,078 / year

Marseille, FR is 29% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Marseille, FR vs London, UK)

  • Housing-47%
  • Food & groceries-11%
  • Transport-42%
  • Utilities-15%
  • Healthcare-7%
  • Goods & services-14%

◎ How London, UK and Marseille, FR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
London, UKMarseille, FR

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

▤ Full comparison

London, UKMarseille, FR
Cost of living
Overall cost index13897
Housing17895
Food118105
Transport13076
Utilities130110
Healthcare8882
Goods & services122105
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,600/mo$800/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,850/mo$620/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$5,200/mo$1,600/mo
Buy price / m² centre$16,000$4,200
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$727$1,028
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$200$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)45%45%
VAT / sales tax20%20%
Social security (employee)8%22%
Corporate tax25%25%
Capital gains24%30%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$2,900/mo$2,600/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$66,299✓$60,483✓
Minimum wage$2,050/mo$2,164/mo✓
GDP per capita$57,602✓$48,986✓
Inflation (annual)3.9%✓0.9%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeModerate
Coworking spaces25020
Time zoneUTC+0UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6870
Safety index5552
Healthcare index7484
Pollution index6046
Internet speed90 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability8878
Public transport9270
Family-friendly6266
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Life expectancy81 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+5 °C+9 °C
July avg+19 °C+24 °C
Sunny days / year106300
Rainfall / year690 mm520 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

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

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: London vs Marseille — in your currency

LondonMarseille
1-bed rent, city centre$2,600$800
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,850$620
Inexpensive meal$20$15
Monthly transit pass$200$45
Utilities (monthly)$260$160

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to London

Europe's financial capital — unmatched jobs, culture and connections, paid for with some of the highest rents on the continent.

Currency
Pound sterling (£ GBP)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC+0
Internet
90 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 19°C · 106 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
G · 230V
Driving
Left-hand side
Popular areas
Shoreditch · Camden · Clapham

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 London to Marseille: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from London to Marseille, your cost of living will be roughly 29% cheaper. Marseille’s cost-of-living index is 97 versus 138 for London (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is London cheaper than Marseille?

Marseille is about 29% cheaper than London overall — its cost-of-living index is 97 versus 138 for London.

Which is more expensive, London or Marseille?

London is more expensive than Marseille. Its cost-of-living index is 138 vs 97 (US = 100) — about 42% higher.

Is rent cheaper in London or Marseille?

Rent is cheaper in Marseille — about $800/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,600 in London.

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

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in London is worth about $53,078 in Marseille. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, London or Marseille?

United Kingdom has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 45% in France.

◷ More comparisons from London

How we calculate these figures →

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