Moving to France from Canada
What to Expect
Considering a move from Canada to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Canada to France, you would find that France is 11.0% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly €66,171 in France to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Canada and France.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → €66,171
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 21.2% more
Groceries
pay 4.2% more
Transportation
pay 35.4% more
Housing
pay 19.9% less
Childcare
pay 3.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.0% 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.
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 1% less than cities in Canada.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Canada to France.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Canada.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Canada generally does better on safety, though France leads in homicide rate.
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 Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though France leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Canada 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
Canada performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, 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 | Ottawa | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Meteorological Service of Canada
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada 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.
Canada passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting Canada
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 Canada?
France and Canada are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €16,543 for 3 months in France (based on a CA$106,294 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
Connectivity is usually fine (France: 49.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does France offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is France safe for expats?
Canada generally does better on safety, though France leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Canada?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 25.0 in Canada. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in France compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
