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Los Angeles vs Paris

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

Los Angeles, CA vs Paris, FR at a glance — Paris, FR is 5% more expensive than Los Angeles, CA overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,600/mo versus $2,400/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 37%.

$/ year

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

$79,050 / year

Paris, FR is 5% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Paris, FR vs Los Angeles, CA)

  • Housing-1%
  • Food & groceries+21%
  • Transport-17%
  • Utilities+36%
  • Healthcare-9%
  • Goods & services+15%

◎ How Los Angeles, CA and Paris, FR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Los Angeles, CAParis, FR

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

▤ Full comparison

Los Angeles, CAParis, FR
Cost of living
Overall cost index115121
Housing152150
Food95115
Transport11495
Utilities88120
Healthcare9385
Goods & services100115
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$2,400/mo$1,600/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,800/mo$1,150/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$4,800/mo$3,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$9,500$14,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$868$824
Inexpensive meal$20$18
Monthly transit pass$100$90
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%45%
VAT / sales tax0%20%
Social security (employee)7.7%22%
Corporate tax21%25%
Capital gains20%30%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$2,600/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$2,164/mo✓
GDP per capita$90,027✓$48,986✓
Inflation (annual)—0.9%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeModerate
Coworking spaces120150
Time zoneUTC-8UTC+1
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6169
Safety index4258
Healthcare index7880
Pollution index6065
Internet speed200 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability6890
Public transport5588
Family-friendly5560
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$480/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓83 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+15 °C+5 °C
July avg+23 °C+20 °C
Sunny days / year28462
Rainfall / year380 mm640 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1 h

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

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

Cost of living: Los Angeles vs Paris — in your currency

Los AngelesParis
1-bed rent, city centre$2,400$1,600
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,800$1,150
Inexpensive meal$20$18
Monthly transit pass$100$90
Utilities (monthly)$160$200

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

Good to know before you move to Los Angeles

Endless sun, entertainment and sprawl — you'll want a car, and traffic is a way of life.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-8
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
42/100
Climate
❄ 15°C · ☀ 23°C · 284 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Silver Lake · Santa Monica · DTLA

Good to know before you move to Paris

Dense, walkable and unrelentingly beautiful. Rents undercut London, but high social charges take a big bite of gross pay.

Currency
Euro (€ EUR)
Languages
French
Time zone
UTC+1
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Fairly common
Safety
58/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 20°C · 62 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
E · 230V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Le Marais · Montmartre · Bastille

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Los Angeles to Paris: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Los Angeles to Paris, your cost of living will be roughly 5% more expensive. Paris’s cost-of-living index is 121 versus 115 for Los Angeles (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Los Angeles cheaper than Paris?

Paris is about 5% more expensive than Los Angeles overall — its cost-of-living index is 121 versus 115 for Los Angeles.

Which is more expensive, Los Angeles or Paris?

Paris is more expensive than Los Angeles. Its cost-of-living index is 121 vs 115 (US = 100) — about 5% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Los Angeles or Paris?

Rent is cheaper in Paris — about $1,600/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $2,400 in Los Angeles.

How much do you need to earn in Paris to live like in Los Angeles?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Los Angeles is worth about $79,050 in Paris. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Los Angeles or Paris?

United States has the lower top income-tax rate — 37% versus 45% in France.

◷ More comparisons from Los Angeles

How we calculate these figures →

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