Average Apartment Size in Paris

Updated 24 June 2026 · Chambre des Notaires de Paris (Base BIEN), INSEE

Median Paris apartment (intra-muros)

46 m²

≈ 495 ft²

About 10 m² smaller than the Ile-de-France median apartment of 56 m² (603 ft²). Studios and two-room flats make up close to 60% of the Paris housing stock.

Paris has some of the smallest apartments of any major European capital. The median flat inside the city boundary is around 46 square metres, about 495 square feet, according to the Chambre des Notaires de Paris. Step out into the wider Ile-de-France region and the median rises to 56 square metres. The table below shows typical sizes by French apartment type, in both square metres and square feet.

Paris Apartment Size by Type

Type	Typical m²	Typical ft²
Paris median (all apartments)	~46	~495
Studio / T1	15-30	161–323
T2 (1-bedroom)	30-50	323–538
T3 (2-bedroom)	55-80	592–861
T4 and larger	85-130	915–1,399
Ile-de-France median apartment	56	603

Type

Typical m²

Typical ft²

Paris median (all apartments)

~46

~495

Studio / T1

15-30

161–323

T2 (1-bedroom)

30-50

323–538

T3 (2-bedroom)

55-80

592–861

T4 and larger

85-130

915–1,399

Ile-de-France median apartment

603

Median apartment surfaces: Chambre des Notaires de Paris, Base BIEN. Type ranges follow the standard French T1/T2/T3 classification; the Paris-region average T2 is about 43 m2. Studios and two-room flats make up roughly 69% of recent Paris sales (PAP).

What Each Apartment Type Means

Studio / T1

15-30 m²

One main room plus a kitchenette and bathroom. The smallest legal lettable unit. Dominates the central-arrondissement rental market.

T2 (1-bedroom)

30-50 m²

A separate bedroom and a living room. The Paris-region average T2 is around 43 m2. The single most-traded apartment type in the city.

T3 (2-bedroom)

55-80 m²

A living room and two bedrooms. Already a family-sized flat by Paris standards and priced accordingly.

T4 and larger

85-130 m²

Four or more main rooms. Scarce intra-muros: large flats cluster in the Haussmann stock of the western arrondissements.

Legal Minimum Apartment Size in Paris

France sets no minimum total floor area for a dwelling, but a property cannot legally be let unless it is "decent". Under Decret n. 2002-120, a decent dwelling must have at least one main room that meets one of these conditions:

·A habitable surface of at least 9 m² (about 97 sq ft) with a ceiling height of at least 2.20 m, or
·A habitable volume of at least 20 m³.

For sales, floor area is measured under the Loi Carrez, which counts only space with a ceiling height of at least 1.80 m and excludes cellars, garages and balconies. Rentals use the surface habitable (Loi Boutin), measured on a slightly different basis, so the same flat can carry two different official areas.

Source: Decret n. 2002-120 du 30 janvier 2002 (logement decent); Loi Carrez (loi n. 96-1107).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average apartment size in Paris?

The median apartment in Paris intra-muros is about 46 m2 (around 495 sq ft), according to the Chambre des Notaires de Paris (Base BIEN). Across the wider Ile-de-France region the median rises to 56 m2 (603 sq ft). Paris flats are among the smallest of any major European capital.

How big is a typical Paris apartment in square feet?

A 46 m2 median Paris apartment is about 495 sq ft. A typical studio (15-30 m2) is roughly 160-325 sq ft, a one-bedroom T2 (30-50 m2) is about 325-540 sq ft, and a two-bedroom T3 (55-80 m2) is about 590-860 sq ft.

Why are Paris apartments so small?

Paris is one of the densest cities in Europe, built out within a fixed boundary, so floor area is at a premium. Studios and two-room flats make up close to 60% of the housing stock and around 69% of recent sales (PAP), which pulls the median down. The Haussmann-era buildings that hold the larger flats are the exception, not the rule.

What is the legal minimum apartment size in Paris?

French law does not set a minimum total floor area, but a rented dwelling must be decent: under Decret n. 2002-120, it needs at least one main room with a habitable surface of at least 9 m2 (about 97 sq ft) and a ceiling height of at least 2.20 m, or a habitable volume of at least 20 m3. The same rule applies across France, including Paris.

How does a Paris apartment compare to Ile-de-France and the rest of France?

The median Paris apartment (46 m2) is about 10 m2 smaller than the Ile-de-France median apartment (56 m2). The average French home of all types, including houses, is around 90.9 m2, so a Paris flat is roughly half the size of the national all-dwelling average.

What does Loi Carrez surface mean on a Paris listing?

Loi Carrez is the legal floor-area measurement for apartment sales in France. It counts only floor area with a ceiling height of at least 1.80 m and excludes cellars, garages, balconies and terraces. A flat advertised as 45 m2 Loi Carrez can have a larger total footprint. Rentals instead use the surface habitable (Loi Boutin), measured on a slightly different basis.

Convert a Paris Apartment Size

Square Metres (m²)

Square Feet (ft²)

46 m² is approximately a one-bedroom flat in Paris.

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About the author

Oliver Wakefield-Smith

Founder of Digital Signet, an independent research firm publishing data-led property, planning, and conversion tools. Content is sourced from ONS, Nationwide, RICS, MHCLG planning data, and UK building regulations. Confirm planning and regulatory figures with your local authority or a qualified professional.

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