Moving to North Carolina from France

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from France to North Carolina — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from France to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 21.4% more expensive than France overall. A €65,374 salary in France would need to be roughly $76,341 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from France to North Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $76,341

To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 10.9% less

Groceries

pay 29.8% more

Transportation

pay 15.6% less

Housing

pay 70.6% more

Childcare

pay 2.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.2% less

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 North Carolina cost about 20% more than cities in France.

France

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

North Carolina

Durham 74%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to North Carolina

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from France to North Carolina, based on official data.

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from France to North Carolina.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

FR
21.6%
NC
33.6%

France performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

FR
86.0%
NC
88.7%

North Carolina 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%
NC
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
NC
$59,308

North Carolina 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
NC
76.1 yrs

France performs better than North Carolina 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

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Asheville
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Paris Asheville
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°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 North Carolina than France?

Costs in North Carolina and France are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,085 in North Carolina on a €65,374 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from North Carolina?

Usually fine from major cities in North Carolina. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to France?

France performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to France?

The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in North Carolina?

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

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At a Glance

FR
Population 68,305,148 9,535,483
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +33 +1
Time zones 14 11
Emergency number 112 911