Where should international students
study in France?
Compare cities by housing cost, universities, transport, visa rules, and student life. Real data. No fluff.
Explore citiesBrowse Cities
Click a city for the full breakdown — housing, unis, transport and more.
Lille
Hauts-de-France, France
France's student capital of the north — affordable, energetic, and surprisingly international.
Students
100,000+
Monthly Budget
€913
Studio Rent
€700/mo
Safety Rating
5/10
Paris
Île-de-France, France
The world's most iconic student city — unmatched universities, culture, and career opportunities.
Students
600,000+
Monthly Budget
€1,064
Studio Rent
€1,230/mo
Safety Rating
4/10
Lyon
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
France's gastronomic capital and fastest-growing student city — rich in culture, tech, and career opportunities.
Students
120,000+
Monthly Budget
€1,062
Studio Rent
€840/mo
Safety Rating
4/10
Bordeaux
Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
France's most beautiful city — world-class wine, architecture, and a thriving student scene at affordable prices.
Students
100,000+
Monthly Budget
€980
Studio Rent
€850/mo
Safety Rating
5/10
Toulouse
Occitanie, France
France's #1 student city in 2025 — sunny, energetic, and home to the world's aerospace capital.
Students
120,000+
Monthly Budget
€900
Studio Rent
€750/mo
Safety Rating
5/10
Montpellier
Occitanie, France
France's youngest and most international city — free public transport and a vibrant Mediterranean lifestyle.
Students
80,000+
Monthly Budget
€880
Studio Rent
€700/mo
Safety Rating
4/10
Strasbourg
Grand Est, France
Europe's political heart — study where the EU is shaped, in a bicultural French-German city.
Students
60,000+
Monthly Budget
€950
Studio Rent
€720/mo
Safety Rating
5/10 est.
Nantes
Pays de la Loire, France
France's most liveable city — creative, green, and affordable with strong engineering and business schools.
Students
60,000+
Monthly Budget
€900
Studio Rent
€650/mo
Safety Rating
4/10
Grenoble
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
France's best student city for tech and engineering — nestled in the Alps with exceptional research institutes.
Students
60,000+
Monthly Budget
€800
Studio Rent
€620/mo
Safety Rating
4/10
Rennes
Bretagne, France
Brittany's vibrant capital — affordable, compact, and a rising hub for digital and cybersecurity careers.
Students
70,000+
Monthly Budget
€820
Studio Rent
€630/mo
Safety Rating
6/10 est.
Aix-en-Provence
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Provence's elegant student town — sun-drenched, walkable, and connected to Marseille's career opportunities.
Students
40,000+
Monthly Budget
€1,050
Studio Rent
€900/mo
Safety Rating
6/10 est.
Nice
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
The glamorous Riviera student experience — world-class business schools, Mediterranean sunshine, and tech giants at Sophia Antipolis.
Students
30,000+
Monthly Budget
€1,100
Studio Rent
€980/mo
Safety Rating
5/10 est.
Quick Comparison
Key numbers side by side
| Metric | Lille | Paris | Lyon | Bordeaux | Toulouse | Montpellier | Strasbourg | Nantes | Grenoble | Rennes | Aix-en-Provence | Nice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Budget | €913 | €1064 | €1062 | €980 | €900 | €880 | €950 | €900 | €800 | €820 | €1050 | €1100 |
| Studio Rent | €700/mo | €1230/mo | €840/mo | €850/mo | €750/mo | €700/mo | €720/mo | €650/mo | €620/mo | €630/mo | €900/mo | €980/mo |
| Shared Room | €400–550/mo | €600–900/mo | €450–650/mo | €420–600/mo | €380–530/mo | €380–520/mo | €380–530/mo | €370–520/mo | €350–480/mo | €350–490/mo | €450–650/mo | €500–720/mo |
| EU Tuition / yr | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 | €178 |
| Non-EU Tuition / yr | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 | €2895 |
| Student Transport | €30/mo | €32.8/mo | €34/mo | €20.8/mo | €30/mo | €0/mo | €28/mo | €24.9/mo | €35/mo | €32/mo | €8.3/mo | €35/mo |
| Part-time Work | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) | 964 hrs/year (~18.5 hrs/wk) |
| Safety Rating | 5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 49) | 4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 42) | 4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 42.5) | 5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 50.2) | 5/10 (Numbeo safety index: 50.1) | 4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 38.9) | 5/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~52) | 4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 41.5) | 4/10 (Numbeo safety index: 38.8) | 6/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~55) | 6/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~58) | 5/10 est. (Numbeo safety index: ~50) |
Tuition fees are the same across all French public universities
EU students pay €178/year and non-EU students pay €2,895/year — regardless of whether you study in Paris or any other city. Your choice of city should be driven by cost of living, career goals, and vibe.