Moving to France from Pennsylvania

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Pennsylvania to France, you would find that France is 17.3% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly €55,400 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is France cheaper than Pennsylvania?

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

Restaurants

pay 6.6% more

Groceries

pay 12.0% less

Transportation

pay 21.9% more

Housing

pay 38.7% less

Childcare

pay 55.0% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.8925 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.

What salary do you need in France?

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 → €55,400

To maintain the same standard of living in France

Calculate with your salary →

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 1% less than cities in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania

Lancaster 65%
Bethlehem 62%
Allentown 60%

France

Paris ★ 64%
Cannes 64%
Antibes 61%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to France

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania to France.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2024

share of adults with obesity

PA
34.4%
FR
11.2%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2024

share of households with internet

PA
88.8%
FR
88.7%

Pennsylvania 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

PA
3.7%
FR
7.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

PA
$61,506
FR
$48,986

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2024

average years of life at birth

PA
76.8 yrs
FR
83.0 yrs

France performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all family life metrics.

Weather in France vs Pennsylvania

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Philadelphia Rain: 41.5 in/yr (1055 mm)
65° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Philadelphia Paris
Jan–Mar 46°/29°F (8°/-2°C) 48°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/54°F (23°/12°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) 74°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 52°/43°F (11°/6°C)
View all months
Month Philadelphia Paris
Jan 40°/26°F (4.6°/-3.6°C) 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C)
Feb 44°/28°F (6.6°/-2.4°C) 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C)
Mar 53°/34°F (11.5°/1.3°C) 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C)
Apr 64°/44°F (17.7°/6.7°C) 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C)
May 74°/54°F (23.2°/12.2°C) 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C)
Jun 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.7°C) 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C)
Jul 87°/69°F (30.6°/20.7°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C)
Aug 85°/68°F (29.6°/19.9°C) 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C)
Sep 78°/60°F (25.6°/15.7°C) 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C)
Oct 67°/48°F (19.2°/9.1°C) 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C)
Nov 56°/39°F (13.3°/4.0°C) 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C)
Dec 45°/30°F (7.1°/-1.1°C) 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C)

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

Can you move from Pennsylvania to France?

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 Pennsylvania?

Yes — France is on average about 17% cheaper than Pennsylvania. 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 €13,850 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 Pennsylvania?

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

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

The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 65°F in Philadelphia. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Philadelphia gets 41.5 in.

What language do they speak in France?

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

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At a Glance

FR
Population 13,059,432 68,720,337
Currency United States Dollar ($) Euro (€)
Languages English French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +33
Time zones 11 14
Emergency number 911 112