Moving to France from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to France — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to France, you would find that France is 2.8 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly €135,247 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.
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How your spending power changes when you relocate from China to France.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → €135,247
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 5.4 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 2.9 times more
Housing
pay 3.2 times more
Childcare
pay 32.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.0 times 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 85% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to France, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and France stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France 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 China 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
France generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in electricity per capita.
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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in gdp per capita.
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 performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, 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 | Beijing | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
China Meteorological Administration
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting France
Visa Required
France passport holder visiting China
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 China?
Day-to-day costs in France run about 106% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 CN¥508,312 comparable salary, that's around €33,812 in France for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
With 49.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, France can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and France.
Is France safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 25.2 in China. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in France compared to China?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In China, the official language is Chinese.
