Paris - Common expenses

[Sarhay]

I am planning on moving to Paris but would like an estimate for what common expenses or utilities are today. In the USA I pay for things like - power, water, television cable, internet and cell phone. How much would these type of things run for a single person in a small apartment in Paris?

Any help anyone can provide would be great!

Thanks.

[Bevdeforges]

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

I'm located outside of Paris (but not too far) so your mileage may vary, as they say. First of all, apartment rentals are expensive in Paris, though they vary considerably by neighborhood. You may need as much as three months' rent to get started - deposits can run two months' rent plus another to pay the rental agent. Check some apartment ads for an indication of prices by arrondissement (google FUSAC, an old stand-by resource for apartment ads for anglophones).

Both electric and phone services are now "privatized" which means you can shop around for the best deal. Most electric companies have peak and off-peak rates, whereby electricity is half price late at night (say, 11pm to 7am or so). It can really help things if you have appliances that can be set to run while you sleep (washing machines, dryers, dishwashers, even some cooking appliances). Figure about 7.5 euro cents per KWh daytime, and half that at night.

Phone services are hard to estimate as more and more "phone" services are now included with Internet and television. There are lots of offers around for combined Internet services at 29.95 to 35€ per month, at least to start. You will still have to pay a television tax every year (currently 116€ per year), which is billed on your taxe d'habitation (a sort of property tax charged to the occupant of the property). The taxe d'habitation varies by arrondissement and the size of your apartment, but usually runs a couple hundred euros a year. Cable television is available in most areas (with or without Internet) or there is the option of having satellite tv, which starts at about 20€ a month. Basic fixed line phone service goes for about 12- 15€ a month plus your calls - and there are LOTS of options for services there.

Mobile phone charges run by the hour per month - but you pay only for your outgoing calls, not both ways (as in the US). Figure about 25€ a month for one hour, 30€ for two hours and upward from there, depending on the other services you want to add. Or you can get a prepaid service that you top up at your local bank machine.

If you're working in the Paris area, your employer pays half your monthly transit pass, which makes public transit a great deal. There is also the Paris system of rental bikes, which is immensely popular and not horribly expensive.
Cheers,
Bev