Studying in Montpellier means enjoying a vibrant, sunny city full of opportunities… but also a cost of living that can quickly skyrocket, especially when it comes to groceries. Many students we help in their housing search tell us the same thing: the first expense is of course rent, but food comes in second. The good news is that today there are countless simple tricks to reduce the bill without sacrificing quality. Here's an overview of our practical advice, tested and validated!
Understanding why groceries are expensive… and how to take back control
In Montpellier, a student spends on average between 180 and 250€ per month on food. This budget increases when there are:
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quick meals (fast-food, restaurants),
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ultra-processed products,
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small repeated shopping trips (which can cost more than one big organized trip).
The first lever for saving is simply to take back control of organization. Shopping with a list (but knowing when to deviate for promotions), checking what's left in the fridge, cooking two or three times a week… These are unglamorous habits, but terribly effective ones.
Next, there's a real gold mine: "anti-waste" deals and smart consumption tips. In Montpellier, this works particularly well because the city is full of partner stores and student initiatives.
The best deals to reduce your grocery budget in Montpellier
Use anti-waste apps
The current star is TooGoodToGo, which allows you to pick up surprise baskets from:
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bakeries in the city center,
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Monoprix/Carrefour neighborhood stores,
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partner restaurants,
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some organic supermarkets.
The concept is simple: merchants provide baskets of unsold items, but still perfectly consumable, sold at rock-bottom prices! So a basket charged at 3.99€ can easily contain between 10 and 15€ of products.
Among competing apps, Phenix, less present on the market, also offers the ability to pick up unsold items.
It often happens that Brigade de Véro, which offers balanced and delicious meals for the whole week, makes complete baskets available on the app!
Download TooGoodToGo - 2.50€ offered!
Think about recovery
Beyond food, apps like Geev now allow you to discover donations available near you. Some individuals also offer donations on LeBonCoin, but sometimes a contribution is requested in return, which is not the case on Geev.
Follow some "professional penny-pinchers" on Instagram or TikTok
Today there's a generation of creators explaining how to consume better while spending less. Some track all the promotions, others show how to cook for 2€ per portion. And spoiler, if you really want to save on your food budget, you'll have to cook...
Among the most useful profiles (without going to extremes):
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accounts dedicated to ultra-economical recipes,
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creators specialized in affordable "batch cooking",
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influencers who list the best weekly promotions by store.
These contents often give quick and motivating ideas, especially for those who aren't sure what to cook.
Shop smart: store brands & raw products
The argument is well-known, but it remains true:
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store brands are often 30% cheaper,
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raw products cost much less than processed versions.
Take time to read the labels: often, a store brand is just as good or better than a well-known brand that charges you for... marketing!
Take advantage of local markets… but at the right time
Montpellier markets (Plan Cabanes, Les Arceaux, Antigone) often cut prices in the last 30 minutes.
Vegetables, fruits, fresh herbs: merchants prefer to sell at rock-bottom prices rather than pack up.
Arriving at 12:15 pm at Antigone on Sunday is often a sure bet to leave with a full bag for just a few euros.
Cook with others
If you're in a shared apartment, cooking together will of course allow you to save money and limit waste!
A few mistakes to avoid so you don't blow your budget
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Shopping without a list → it's the best way to add 20€ of "little extras".
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Going to the supermarket when you're hungry: fatal mistake.
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Never checking the price per kilo: it's the only truly relevant information.
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Buying complicated utensils: a wok, a pot, a pan are enough to do everything.
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Believing that cooking takes time: with two "basic" recipes, everything changes.
In conclusion
Living in Montpellier as a student is a balance between pleasure and budget. These tips don't transform life in a snap of fingers, but they allow you to take back control over the most unpredictable expense: food. With a little organization, a few anti-waste deals and a dose of creativity, saving becomes much simpler… and sometimes even pleasant.
