Moving to France from Illinois
What to Expect
Considering a move from Illinois to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Illinois to France, you would find that France is 2.2% cheaper than Illinois. A $75,000 salary in Illinois would need to be roughly €67,385 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Illinois and France.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €67,385
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 10.2% more
Groceries
pay 2.0% more
Transportation
pay 36.3% more
Housing
pay 32.9% less
Childcare
pay 52.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 0.5% 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 11% less than cities in Illinois.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Illinois to France.
people moved from United States to France · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Illinois.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
France performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois performs better than France across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
France performs significantly better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Springfield | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Springfield | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
National Weather Service
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Illinois?
On average France is around 3% pricier than Illinois, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €16,846 for 3 months in France (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
From major France cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Illinois and France are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in France compared to Illinois?
France performs significantly better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in France compared to Illinois?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 63°F in Springfield. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Springfield gets 37.4 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Illinois, the official language is English.
