Makkot 13A

מעלים היו שכר ללוים, דברי רבי יהודה. רבי מאיר אומר: לא היו מעלים להן שכר. וחוזר לשררה שהיה בה, דברי רבי מאיר. רבי יהודה אומר: לא היה חוזר לשררה שהיה בה.

The unintentional murderers would pay a fee to the Levites as rent for their living quarters in the cities of refuge, which were Levite cities; this is the statement of R' Yehuda. R' Meir says: They would not pay a fee to them, but would reside rent free, as they are required to live there by Torah law. They also disagreed with regard to the status of the unintentional murderer when he returns home after the death of the High Priest. He returns to the same public office that he occupied prior to his exile; this is the statement of R' Meir. R' Yehuda says: He does not return to the office that he occupied.

גמ׳ אמר רב כהנא: מחלוקת בשש, דמר סבר ״לכם״⁠ – לקליטה. ומר סבר: ״לכם״⁠ – לכל צרכיכם. אבל בארבעים ושתים ⁠– דברי הכל היו מעלין להם שכר.

Talmud: Rav Kahana said: This dispute between R' Yehuda and R' Meir is with regard to payment of rent to the Levite landlords in the 6 cities of refuge designated in the Torah and in the book of Joshua, as one Sage, R' Yehuda, holds that in the verse: “They should be cities of refuge for you” (Numbers 35:11), the term “for you” means that the cities should be for you only for providing refuge, and therefore they must pay rent to the Levites. And one Sage, R' Meir, holds that the term “for you” means for all your needs; therefore, they are not required to pay rent. But with regard to the 42 additional Levite cities, which also served as cities of refuge, everyone agrees that the unintentional murderers would pay rent to the Levite landlords.