Moving to France from Greece

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Greece to France, you would find that France is 36.9% more expensive than Greece overall. A €65,700 salary in Greece would need to be roughly €81,436 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Paris averages 60°F vs 72°F in Athens, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 €81,436

To maintain the same standard of living in France

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 61.6% more

Groceries

pay 42.8% more

Transportation

pay 19.3% more

Housing

pay 18.8% more

Childcare

pay 66.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 39.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown

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 23% more than cities in Greece.

Greece

Corfu 46%
Kavala 40%

France

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
945 ↑ 4% vs 2022

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

Who's moving to France?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Greece.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GR
1.1
FR
1.6
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GR
7.3
FR
4.7

Greece generally does better on safety, though France leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GR
$3,454
FR
$6,868
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GR
63.7
FR
33.4

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GR
23.0
FR
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GR
5.0t
FR
4.0t

France performs significantly better than Greece across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GR
43.0
FR
49.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GR
20.7%
FR
21.6%

France generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GR
11.0%
FR
7.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GR
$36,300
FR
$55,200

France generally does better on employment & economy, though Greece leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GR
81.5 yrs
FR
82.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GR
3.5
FR
3.1

France performs significantly better than Greece across all family life metrics.

Data: GSIS, Greece, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Athens Rain: 16.3 in/yr (414 mm)
72° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Athens Paris
Jan–Mar 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) 48°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) 74°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) 52°/43°F (11°/6°C)
View all months
Month Athens Paris
Jan 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C)
Feb 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C)
Mar 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C)
Apr 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C)
May 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C)
Jun 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C)
Jul 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C)
Aug 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C)
Sep 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C)
Oct 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C)
Nov 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C)
Dec 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C)

Data: Hellenic National Meteorological Service Hellenic National Meteorological Service, Météo-France Météo-France

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Greece 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.

Greece passport

Greece passport holder visiting France

Visa Free
Greece passport holders can enter France without a visa.
France passport

France passport holder visiting Greece

Visa Free
France passport holders can enter Greece 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 France than Greece?

On average France is around 24% pricier than Greece, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to France?

Budget about €20,359 for 3 months in France (based on a €65,700 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?

Greece 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 1.1 in Greece.

How is healthcare in France compared to Greece?

Greece generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 63.7 in Greece. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Greece: 77).

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

The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Athens. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Athens gets 16.3 in.

What language do they speak in France?

The official language in France is French. In Greece, the official language is Greek.

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At a Glance

GR FR
Population 10,533,871 68,305,148
Currency Euro (€) Euro (€)
Languages Greek French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +30 +33
Time zones 1 14
Emergency number 112 112