Moving to France from Belgium
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Belgium to France — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Belgium to France, you would find that France is 6.2% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €65,700 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly €62,530 in France to maintain the same lifestyle.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Belgium to France.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €62,530
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 15.1% less
Groceries
pay 10.2% more
Transportation
pay 0.2% more
Housing
pay 19.8% less
Childcare
pay 10.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Belgium to France, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Belgium to France.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
France performs significantly better than Belgium across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though France leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
France generally does better on family life, though Belgium leads in education spending.
Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brussels | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brussels | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Institut Royal Météorologique
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and France. To live, work, or study long-term in France, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check France's immigration authority.
Belgium passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in France than Belgium?
Yes — France is on average about 5% cheaper than Belgium. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €15,632 in France on a €65,700 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from France?
Internet is rarely the blocker — France has 49.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is France safe for expats?
Belgium generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Belgium?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Belgium leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).
What's the weather like in France compared to Belgium?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.
