Monthly budget
Foreign students > Monthly budget
- Bank account
- Monthly budget
- Working in France
- Grant to study
- Studying in France, finding student accommodation: room in a university residence, sharing, student studio
- Residence room
- Financial help
Studying in France: an example of an average monthly budget for a student in France. The government has set a minimum level of resources of 430 € to study in France but, in reality, the minimum you will need is at least 800 € per month.
A student’s monthly budget
The minimum monthly income for a foreign student required by the government is 450 € per month. Below is an example of a student’s budget to help you assess the cost of living in France. But remember you will probably have to pay at least three times this amount during the very first months!
The biggest expenditure will go on: accommodation, food, transport.
The prices given are examples only and will often be far higher in Paris than in the provinces, especially regarding the cost of accommodation.
The example of the budget here takes into account the rental cost of a private studio. The price of a room in a university residence is far more interesting, but there are not enough rooms for all students and many will have to rent a small flat in town.
Monthly budget:
- Accommodation: 350 €
- Electricity, gas: 20 €
- Food: 200 €
- Private top-up healthcare: 15 €
- Transport: 45 €
- Internet: 30 €
- Mobile phone: 35 €
- Stationery: 20 €
- Leisure: 100 €
- Total: 815 €
In Paris, accommodation is very difficult to find and rents are more expensive than in the provinces. Reckon on at least 150 € more for a studio in Paris.
Important: in the first month you must plan for extra expenses
When you arrive in France, you will have a number of extra expenses to settle. In your budget, don’t forget:
- University enrolment: 150 €
- Social security contribution: about 200 €
- Advance payment of the first two months private top-up healthcare: 30 €
- Legal liability insurance: 20 €
- Deposit on the accommodation (the equivalent of 2 monthly rental payments): 700 €
- Purchase of furniture: 200 €
- Total: 1,320 €
The cost of a few things
- Public transport ticket: 1.20 €
- Baguette (bread): 0.90 €
- Cinema ticket: 7.50 €
- Lille-Paris TGV rail return ticket: 100 €
- Swimming pool entrance: 3.50 €
- Music CD: between 15 and 20 €
- DVD: 20 €
- Book: between 5 and 10 € for a paperback novel
- Postage stamp for a letter: 0.54 €
- Hotel room for one night: 60 €
- Youth hostel for one night: from 10 €
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Date de mise à jour : 01 septembre 2010
