Moving to France from Ireland
What to Expect
Considering a move from Ireland to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Ireland to France, you would find that France is 4.2% cheaper than Ireland overall. A €65,700 salary in Ireland would need to be roughly €54,871 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Ireland and France.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €54,871
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.9% more
Groceries
pay 14.4% more
Transportation
pay 18.2% less
Housing
pay 36.5% less
Childcare
pay 9.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.6% less
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 19% less than cities in Ireland.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Ireland to France.
people moved from Ireland to France · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Ireland.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Ireland generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
France performs significantly better than Ireland across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
France generally does better on infrastructure, though Ireland leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Ireland performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
France performs significantly better than Ireland across all family life metrics.
Data: The Office of the Revenue Commissioners, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Dublin | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/37°F (10°/3°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/44°F (15°/7°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/52°F (19°/11°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Dublin | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/36°F (8.3°/2.3°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 54°/38°F (12.1°/3.4°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 54°/40°F (12.1°/4.6°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 59°/44°F (14.8°/6.9°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 64°/49°F (17.6°/9.6°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 67°/53°F (19.5°/11.7°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 67°/53°F (19.2°/11.5°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 63°/50°F (17.0°/9.8°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 56°/45°F (13.6°/7.3°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.3°/4.5°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 47°/37°F (8.3°/2.8°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Met Éireann, The Irish Meteorological Service,
Météo-France
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ireland 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.
Ireland passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting Ireland
Visa FreeData: 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 Ireland?
On average France is about 16% less expensive than Ireland, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €13,718 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?
Ireland generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Ireland. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Ireland?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ireland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 40.6 in Ireland. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ireland: 83).
What's the weather like in France compared to Ireland?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 56°F in Dublin. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dublin gets 29.8 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Ireland, the official languages are English and Irish.
