Moving to France from Massachusetts

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Massachusetts to France — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Massachusetts to France, you would find that France is 9.4% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly €54,381 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Massachusetts to France.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 €54,381

To maintain the same standard of living in France

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.0% less

Groceries

pay 11.7% less

Transportation

pay 39.0% more

Housing

pay 45.2% less

Childcare

pay 61.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.1% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8717 EUR (June 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 32% less than cities in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts

Cambridge 85%
Worcester 73%

France

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

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to France

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Massachusetts to France, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
4,170 ↓ 31% vs 2022

people moved from United States 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Massachusetts to France.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
FR
21.6%

France performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
FR
86.0%

Massachusetts performs better than France across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
FR
7.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
FR
$55,200

Massachusetts performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
FR
82.6 yrs

France performs significantly better than Massachusetts 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.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Paris
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 48°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 74°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 52°/43°F (11°/6°C)
View all months
Month Boston Paris
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Météo-France Météo-France

Visitor 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

United States passport holder visiting France

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter France without a visa.
France passport

France passport holder visiting United States

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

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 Massachusetts?

Yes — France is on average about 17% cheaper than Massachusetts. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to France?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €13,595 in France on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from France?

Usually fine from major cities in France. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in France compared to Massachusetts?

France performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

What language do they speak in France?

The official language in France is French. In Massachusetts, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

FR
Population 6,547,629 68,305,148
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +33
Time zones 11 14
Emergency number 911 112