London vs. Paris
Two cities separated by only a few hundred miles, the English Channel (or La Manche, to give it its French name), and a tunnel…
But you couldn’t find two cities so different from each other. From the language to the currency, the café culture to the fabled rudeness of French waiters…
So, let’s put the two country capitals head to head, and see which one comes out top.
Cost of Living
According to crowdsourcing website, Expatistan, Paris certainly tops the tables here. It’s around 38% more expensive to live in London than its French neighbour.
Some things are incredibly more expensive in London, notably using public transport, at 167% dearer than Paris. However, on the flip side – average salaries are higher in London by around 22%.
Study and University
Both cities are world-beaters when it comes to internationally ranked universities. London has the Imperial College London and University College London to name but two.
In Paris, there’s the Ecole Normale Superieure and the Ecole Polytechnique.
But it’s far more affordable to study in the French capital, with university fees being dramatically lower – by around 10 times less.
Despite this, London has a higher percentage of international students than Paris (figures in the top universities in 2014 showed that London’s international student community took up 41% of places, against 19% in Paris).
Attractions
How do you compare such iconic buildings as The Louvre and Big Ben? The Eiffel Tower or St Paul’s Cathedral? What about Sacre Coeur versus The Tower of London?
There’s no way we can announce a winner in this section – both cities are amazing places to explore.
Getting Around
Both cities have an extensive underground train network. In Paris, this is known as Le Metro, and in London, The Tube. Both cities also have excellent overground bus travel.
However, as mentioned above, London’s public transport is way more expensive than that of Paris. A monthly season ticket in Paris will cost around £50. In London, be prepared to shell out £130 for the same.
Taxis are also more expensive in London – around £1.99 per km versus £.0.87 in Paris. Petrol used to be much cheaper in Paris, but today that’s not true. You’ll pay around £1 per litre in France against £1.15 in London.
Both the capitals are great walking cities. Although London is somewhat bigger in area, when it comes to all the major attractions, both are easy to navigate on foot. There are many walking guides, both in printed and electronic form.
One slightly off the wall app is Movie Map London – which shows you exactly where some of the most famous films in London were shot. Think Harry Potter, Batman Begins, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Da Vinci Code to name a few.
A great app for Paris is Keys to the Fleas, which shares the best of the city’s flea markets and brocantes.
Places to Stay
When it comes to hotels, once again both cities play a hard fought battle. In London you’ve got The Ritz, The Dorchester, and Claridges.
Paris also has The Ritz, the Hotel de Crillon, and the Shangri La Hotel with its views of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine.
Both cities also have far more affordable accommodation. For deals in both, check out hotel comparison websites such as Trivago and Booking.com.
Waterways
The Thames or The Seine?
Both are powerful rivers that meander through the very heart of each city. You can take boat trips in London, or the Bateau Mouche in Paris – each providing a unique perspective of the city from the water.
London also has a whole host of other waterways – from canals to subterranean flows – that are known as London’s Lost Rivers.
Paris doesn’t have anything quite like that, but if you’re interested, you can take a tour of the underground Parisian sewer systems – the Musee des Egouts de Paris.
Shopping
London’s a pretty good place to shop, with areas such as Oxford Street and The King’s Road, but Paris – ah, Paris – definitely wins the competition in this section.
From designer clothes to vintage boutiques, and with some of the best bakeries and patisseries on the planet – it’s a slam-dunk for Paris here.
Even their department stores (think Galeries Lafayette) are in iconic buildings, but hey, Harrods and Liberty in London aren’t too shabby an option…
Cleanliness
London – we salute you! Paris may well have cleared up its act over the last few years (we’d now say it’s grubby, rather than dirty), but London has done a sterling job in tidying up its streets over recent years.
The Weather
OK, so Paris is a little further south than London, beating the UK capital by a couple of degrees if you look on the average temperature scale.
However, both cities are prone to rain, and both have cold winters and warmer summers. Paris does have historically longer hours of sunshine (13 hours per day, versus 8 hours per day) in the height of summer.
Food
We can’t talk about these two great cities without mentioning the option of eating out – and yes, the French are world famous for their cooking skills. Paris has many Michelin starred restaurants – slightly more than London.
However, London has a fantastic selection of food from around the world – more so than Paris.
Paris certainly takes the trophy for independent coffee shops.
London trails miserably behind here – you’ll have to search for outlets other than Starbucks, Caffe Nero, and Costa (although when you do find them, they’re usually outstanding).
Conclusion
Well, we never promised to come up with an out and out winner…
But if we can appear not too biased, there are some other reasons why we think that London just pips Paris at the post…
For example, Will and Kate, Prince Harry, red London buses, 5 airports (yes, 5!) versus 2, The Queen, Boris Johnson…
But seriously – both cities are amazing places, both to visit and to live.
Both are multicultural, diverse, boast amazing historical buildings, are relatively safe, and are easy to get around. When it comes to which city is the best, it really does boil down to a matter of personal choice.