Moving to Massachusetts from France

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from France to Massachusetts? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from France to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 43.0% more expensive than France overall. A €65,374 salary in France would need to be roughly $90,160 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between France and Massachusetts.

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $90,160

To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 5.1% more

Groceries

pay 25.8% more

Transportation

pay 14.6% less

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 2.6 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 20.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.15 USD (June 2026)

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 Massachusetts cost about 48% more than cities in France.

France

Paris 69%
Antibes 66%
Annecy 61%
Nantes 56%

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Massachusetts

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from France to Massachusetts.

Moved in 2023
4,650 ↓ 4% vs 2022

people moved from France to United States · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to United States?

Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Massachusetts compared to France.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

FR
21.6%
MA
28.8%

France performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

FR
86.0%
MA
91.9%

Massachusetts performs significantly better than France across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

FR
7.3%
MA
4.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
MA
$87,892

Massachusetts performs significantly better than France across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

FR
82.6 yrs
MA
79.0 yrs

France performs better than Massachusetts across all family life metrics.

Data: The World Factbook

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Paris Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
60° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Boston
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 66°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 78°/62°F (25°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 51°/38°F (11°/3°C)
View all months
Month Paris Boston
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C)

Data: Météo-France Météo-France, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between France and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.

France passport

France passport holder visiting United States

Electronic Travel Authorisation
France passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting France

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter France without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than France?

On average Massachusetts is around 20% pricier than France, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?

Budget about $22,540 for 3 months in Massachusetts (based on a €65,374 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Massachusetts?

From major Massachusetts cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in France and Massachusetts are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to France?

France performs better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to France?

The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Massachusetts?

The official language in Massachusetts is English. In France, the official language is French.

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At a Glance

FR
Population 68,305,148 6,547,629
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +33 +1
Time zones 14 11
Emergency number 112 911