Moving to France from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to France, you would find that France is 48.6% more expensive than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly €101,000 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 Japan and France.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → €101,000
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.6 times more
Groceries
pay 9.6% more
Transportation
pay 36.7% more
Housing
pay 55.1% more
Childcare
pay 57.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 35.1% 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 54% more than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to France.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan performs better than France across all safety metrics.
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 Japan leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Japan 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 Japan leads in electricity per capita.
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
France generally does better on employment & economy, though Japan leads in unemployment rate.
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
Japan generally does better on family life, though France leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Japan Meteorological Agency
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average France is around 49% pricier than Japan, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €25,250 for 3 months in France (based on a ¥12,000,000 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?
Japan performs better than France across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in France is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Japan?
France generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 26.5 in Japan. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in France compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
