Moving to France from California
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from California to France — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from California to France, you would find that France is 14.7% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly €53,074 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paris averages 60°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from California to France.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €53,074
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.0% less
Groceries
pay 15.3% less
Transportation
pay 16.9% more
Housing
pay 48.7% less
Childcare
pay 59.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in France cost about 35% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from California to France, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United States to France · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How California and France stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
France performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than France across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
California performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
France performs significantly better than California across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
National Weather Service
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 California?
Generally yes: France runs about 19% cheaper than California on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to France?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around €13,268 in France for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
Working remotely from France's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and France.
How is healthcare in France compared to California?
France performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in France compared to California?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In California, the official language is English.
