Suggest to any Parisian a 42 m² for the modest sum of 715€ per month, and the likelihood that they will believe you is close to 0%. Yet, for many French people, this is a reality, as it’s the average price and size of a rental in the country. However, depending on the city you’re in, this amount allows for a very different level of comfort, and Paris showcases this quite well.
From simple to double
If, on average, you can get over 40 m² for just over 700€ each month, in Paris, the situation is quite different, because for the same amount, the space shrinks... to less than half! In the City of Light, the average price per square meter for rentals ranges between 22 and 30€, compared to 17.04 for the French average. Thus, with the average rent, there’s little...chances of exceeding... 18 m²!
Subletting my studio in Paris 3rd arrondissement ! Close to La Perle ✨
— 혜미 (@pigeonporn) November 26, 2024
from 24th dec (4pm) to 25th dec (2am)
600€ please share 🥰🙏 pic.twitter.com/7VClW1xEhX
Conversely, in other cities, the same amount allows you to enjoy a true palace, like in Saint-Étienne, where 715€ gives you 63 m². Well, this does mean moving to Saint-Étienne, one of the least beautiful cities in France, let's be honest, but still, on our side, we're considering leaving it all behind to head to the French capital of design (a bit paradoxically).
An unbearable rental tension
Such a disparity in prices is explained by various factors, mainly the relationship between supply and demand. In Paris, the number of available housing is greatly limited compared to the number of people searching. And...Because of this, we are building fewer new buildings, creating opportunities, and on top of that, people are becoming more settled, staying an average of 7 years in a rental home.
.@egregoire parle du prix du kebab.
— PierreYves Bournazel (@pybournazel) February 1, 2026
J’aimerais plutôt vous parler du prix du logement à Paris, qui a explosé depuis que M. Grégoire et ses amis sont aux affaires.
Aujourd’hui, pour une famille de classe moyenne avec deux enfants, il faut payer près de 2 SMIC par mois pour se… pic.twitter.com/2xjnbYUaHm
The good news, however, is that for now, while rents are high, they are not higher than before, since between 2024 and 2025, the average price in France has increased by only 0.01 euro. While it's still not cheap, it does allow us to think that the worst is behind us and that the situation might improve soon for everyone looking for their next cozy nest.