Moving to Pennsylvania from France

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from France to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 24.6% more expensive than France overall. A €65,374 salary in France would need to be roughly $75,700 in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.

What does your salary buy?

€65,374 $75,700

To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 7.6% less

Groceries

pay 26.5% more

Transportation

pay 15.9% less

Housing

pay 63.4% more

Childcare

pay 2.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.9% 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.

Get free moving quotes to Pennsylvania

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

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 Pennsylvania compared to France.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

FR
21.6%
PA
34.4%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

FR
86.0%
PA
88.8%

Pennsylvania 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%
PA
3.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

FR
$55,200
PA
$61,506

Pennsylvania 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
PA
76.8 yrs

France performs better than Pennsylvania 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

Harrisburg Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1108 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Paris Harrisburg
Jan–Mar 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 71°/50°F (22°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) 81°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) 52°/34°F (11°/1°C)
View all months
Month Paris Harrisburg
Jan 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C)
Mar 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C)
Apr 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
May 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C)
Jun 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C)
Aug 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C)
Sep 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C)
Oct 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C)
Nov 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C)
Dec 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°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 Pennsylvania than France?

Pennsylvania and France 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 Pennsylvania?

Budget about $18,925 for 3 months in Pennsylvania (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 Pennsylvania?

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

How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to France?

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

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

The average high temperature in Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 60°F in Paris. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Paris gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Pennsylvania?

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

Share this

At a Glance

FR
Population 68,305,148 12,702,379
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages French English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +33 +1
Time zones 14 11
Emergency number 112 911