How much do you need to earn to live in Bordeaux? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for France's tax system.
You need at least €1,951/month gross to live in Bordeaux on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,302/month gross (€1,704 net after ~26% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €800 Cheapest neighborhood (Saint-Michel) | €950 Median neighborhood | €1,150 Premium neighborhood (Centre / Saint-Pierre) |
| Groceries | €310 | €372 | €465 |
| Transport | €47 | €47 | €47 |
| Utilities | €143 | €143 | €143 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €160 | €192 | €240 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,460 | €1,704 | €2,045 |
€1,951/month gross
€2,302/month gross
€2,853/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 5 neighborhoods in Bordeaux
Saint-Michel
10 min by walk
€800 - €1,000
Bastide
15 min by tram
€850 - €1,050
Caudéran
18 min by tram
€850 - €1,050
Centre / Saint-Pierre
5 min by walk
€1,050 - €1,250
Chartrons
12 min by tram
€1,000 - €1,200
Caudéran
18 min by tram
€850 - €1,050
See all 5 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore BordeauxEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after France's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,951/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Bordeaux. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €2,302/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for France.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 5 neighborhoods in Bordeaux is approximately €1,010/month. Rents range from €800 in Saint-Michel to €1,250 in Centre / Saint-Pierre.
Monthly groceries for a single person in Bordeaux cost approximately €310. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in France are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,951/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 25%. At the comfortable level of €2,302/month, it rises to approximately 26%. This includes income tax and social contributions.