are u serious 700 euros for a 15 sq meter room?! what the hell dude?!
it sounds like america needs to liberate the oppressed in this country
hehehe
j/k
now i understand why you euros come to beijing and flash cash on apartments like its nothing.
For having some Moscovites classmates who used to spend at least 600€ per month in Nancy for 20m² like it was nothing(I had 120m², 5 ppl, 800€ rent overall. make the counts). Moscow appears to be one of the most expensive cities.
In France, Paris prices are really very high. After, in other cities, it is more or les the same. But, having worked in a location agency in Nancy, you see people coming from the countryside, or smaller cities, telling how expensive Nancy is...
Paris is out of any other referencial... I guess NY prices must be similar, as are Moscow's or London(even worse I guess).
@JoelJ: 1200€-1300€ can be anough, depending on what are your living standards. Actually, Paris is not only a tourist trap, but the main economic center for the country. Amongst my former classmates, most of them work in Paris, even if some wanted to avoid it. Paris is not limited to the Louvres-Rivoli-Concorde-Champs Elysees.
The rent rates I gave were the ones for any place in Paris. The rate for Antony, which is 20mins of Paris in RER, was more or less 500€ per month for the same kind of flats. Which is still much higher than any smaller city in France.
After, under 2000€ per month, you are not rich in Paris.
For good popular areas, you can look towards Gaité-Montparnasse. When I was in Paris, I was in a club around there. There are also some activity, and prices are a bit lower than the main centers.
The popular center in Chatelet-Les Halles, but, the rates may be quite high. Still, lots of students meetings around there, some good happy hours. It's the easiest to access from any side of Paris. There are different centers though.
the 16th... I lived there(had a free flat, so, it was economical choice, by far, I had 1000€ internship salary per month...), and true, at night it's boring. Still, the playground on Champs de Mars is nice. Playing ball so close from Eiffel Tower...
8th arrondissement, around Champs Elysees is very expensive. But you have every thursdays afterwork parties for 15€ with open champagne for 2 h and buffet, young people going, usually trainees or young employees. It starts at 19. This area is full of these kind of places.
Republique is also a nice area, but I don't know it so much. Active, and should not be so expensive.
Basically, in any areas you will find some stuff appart from 16th, and around which is historically the place of the richest people. If you want active life go towards Chatelet. Yet, some bars are expensive, but overall Paris prices are coherent, so... More important is to find something not always so easy. After, you can cross the city by bike anytime of the day or night(velib') in 45 minutes.
For grocery... Well, you should be able to survive with 40€ a week without problem, if you stay on reasonnably priced stuff. After, you can add extras. That was more or less my budget for Nancy +30% considering you will be in Paris. It also depends which kind of supermarket you have close-by, Monoprix, opened till 22h, but is the most expensive(yet, good quality products).
Restaurants: Big Mac index is around 6€ in France. for restaurants, you can find of all kinds, so, can't tell much. A good restaurant is at least 50€ per person, but if you go out of very frequented boulervards, you may find some affordable decent ones. After, it's not a place to go too much in restaurant.
APL: Here, you can make a quick simulation to see how much you could get for housing helps.
http://www.caf.fr/wps/portal/particuliers/simulationlogement