Only Got 20 Euros in My Pocket

I considered myself to be a fairly thrifty person. My roommate has consistently called me “cheap” the entire time I’ve known her. And while I do splurge occasionally on items, I’m fairly careful with how I spend my money. Throughout my time in France though, I’ve seen my funds dwindle and dwindle to the point where I feel like there must be a hole in my pocket! One thing students rarely keep in mind is how expensive studying abroad is! Sure there is the big investment of the flight and school, but everyday life is generally more expensive in Europe. To help prospective study abroad students plan their budget I’ve compiled a list of common products found at the grocery store. Mind you, I’m not an expert comparison shopper! Some things are more or less expensive depending on where you look. I went to a giant Monoprix by Tour Montparnasse for my list and tried to use common brands in the US for comparison (which generally speaking can be more expensive than other European brands so keep that in mind but also European product sizes are often smaller…). Also, different products are very cheap in comparison, such as good wine, cheese, and bread. Wherever you decide to study abroad (if this applies to you) just know budgeting is a necessity as almost everyone has to pick and choose between all the amazing things to do!

Prices of things in France (in Dollars)

Shampoo (Head and Shoulders) 11

Gum (Stride Mystery) 5.50

Cheese (I always get the cheap store bought kind but cheese can get pretty pricy especially if you buy it from a Fromagerie) 3- 20

Baguette (demi-baguettes are your friend) 1.50- 3

Roasted chicken (from the local butcher) 11

Croissant 2

Mascara (L’Oréal Volume Million) 24

Peanut butter (Skippy about half the size) 6

Chocolate hazelnut spread 4

Essie Nail polish 17

Rolling stone magazine 8.50

Eating out (can easily be a few hundred if you want gourmet) 20-30

Monthly Metro pass 93

Hope this helps to give you an idea of what Parisian prices are like in dollars!