Students estimate that they could live properly with an average budget of 1,218 euros each month, compared to 628 euros today
The post-covid years are still particularly complex for younger generations. For students who have not yet acquired financial stability, the situation remains complicated. Almost one in two young people (45%) feel that their financial situation does not allow them to enjoy their student life. On average, students live on 628 euros per month and estimate that they are short 590 euros to live properly, which would bring their average ideal monthly budget to 1,218 euros.
KEY FIGURES
THE AVERAGE STUDENT BUDGET IS 628 EUROS PER MONTH
This monthly budget varies according to the situation of each: it goes down to 531 euros for students who do not work while it amounts to 901 euros for those who have a regular student job. Today, a quarter of them hold this type of job and are considered financially self-sufficient. For 36% of young people in studies, the budget comes from financial assistance from parents, while 27% rely on student scholarships.
After a detailed analysis of their budget, we can see that their spending is concentrated on the essentials: they spend half of their budget on housing (36%) and food (13%). They also dedicate 11% of their portfolio to savings and 6% to transport. Leisure and shopping are among their smallest spending items (6% in both cases) along with health (3%).
71% OF STUDENTS NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET
While two-thirds of students feel that they are managing their finances well, more than 7 out of 10 students still need financial assistance to balance their budgets. 45% of young people in studies consider that their financial situation does not allow them to fully enjoy student life. They estimate that they lack about 590 euros each month to live serenely. This figure is all the higher in Ile-de-France since it is estimated at 682 euros.
In the event of a hard blow, they therefore need to find new sources of income. Two-thirds of students will turn to parenting. This is mainly financial, but 46% of them are also considering returning to live with their parents if they do not make it. At the same time, 44% of young people talk about employment as an alternative solution, while 30% will turn to their savings and 17% will take out a student loan. 23% also use the split payment to spread out their expenses over a few months.
MORE THAN HALF OF STUDENTS BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN STILL CONSUME RESPONSIBLY
Despite a complicated financial situation, 8 out of 10 young people report having at least one eco-responsible habit in their daily lives. Three quarters of them use sustainable modes of transport such as cycling, buses, trains or carpooling. In addition, 58% of them consume more locally while half have reduced their meat consumption.
As far as clothing is concerned, second-hand uses are also quite widespread. 58% of students report selling products online on platforms between individuals. Almost half of young people (49%) also say they buy second-hand clothes and shoes on these same platforms.
Despite having a very limited budget, it is interesting to note that students are massively adopting more sustainable consumption habits regardless of the type of purchase. Thinking about solutions with our partners to support young people in their responsible consumption, taking into account their constraints, is essential.
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Press ContactClaire Garcia – presse@ca-cf.fr +33 (0)1 87 38 11 81 / +33 (0)6 80 41 17 77
About SofinscopeSofinscope is the barometer of Sofinco, a Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility brand. Intended to survey the French on their consumption habits and to better understand them, this barometer which is part of the daily lives of the French is carried out by OpinionWay for Sofinco, with representative samples of the French population.This study was conducted on a sample of 1,002 people, representative of the French population aged 18 and over. The sample was selected according to the quota method, taking into account the criteria of sex, age, socio-occupational category, agglomeration category and region of residence. The interviews were conducted from May 30 to June 6, 2024 by self-administered online questionnaire on a CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) system. All the results are available online on the Sofinscope website: Sofinco’s Consumer and Daily Barometer