Moving to France from Israel

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Israel to France, you would find that France is 29.3% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪230,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly €47,400 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 Jerusalem, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

₪230,000 → €47,400

To maintain the same standard of living in France

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 27.1% less

Groceries

pay 8.8% less

Transportation

pay 27.5% less

Housing

pay 40.9% less

Childcare

pay 40.5% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 0.2914 EUR (October 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 France cost about 27% less than cities in Israel.

Israel

Ramat Gan 79%
Netanya 74%
Beersheba 72%

France

Paris ★ 64%
Cannes 64%
Antibes 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
161 ↓ 16% vs 2022

people moved from Israel 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 Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
FR
1.3
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

IL
80%
FR
82%

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IL
$4,033
FR
$6,868
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

IL
38.0
FR
32.8

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
FR
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
FR
4.0t

France performs significantly better than Israel across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.2
FR
48.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
FR
21.4%

France generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IL
3.5%
FR
7.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$60,337
FR
$48,986

Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IL
83.2 yrs
FR
83.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
2.7
FR
3.4

Israel performs better than France across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (2016), The World Factbook (2014). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Paris
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 48°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 74°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 52°/43°F (11°/6°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Paris
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, Météo-France Météo-France

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting France

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

France passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
France passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.

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 Israel?

On average France is about 29% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to France?

Budget about €11,850 for 3 months in France (based on a ₪230,000 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: 48.9 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?

France generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in France is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in France compared to Israel?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in adult obesity rate. There are 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 38.0 in Israel. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in France?

The official language in France is French. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL FR
Population 10,122,800 68,720,337
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Euro (€)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +33
Time zones 1 14
Emergency number 100 112