Moving to France from Poland

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Poland to France, you would find that France is 52.9% more expensive than Poland overall. A PLN284,812 salary in Poland would need to be roughly €86,010 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

PLN284,812 €86,010

To maintain the same standard of living in France

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 44.8% more

Groceries

pay 78.9% more

Transportation

pay 58.3% more

Housing

pay 29.0% more

Childcare

pay 72.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 70.2% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 PLN = 0.2307 EUR (July 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 22% more than cities in Poland.

France

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Moved in 2023
2,096 ↑ 6% vs 2022

people moved from Poland 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 Poland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

PL
0.7
FR
1.6
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

PL
11%
FR
82%

France generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

PL
$3,939
FR
$6,868
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

PL
33.9
FR
33.4

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

PL
41.0
FR
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

PL
7.6t
FR
4.0t

France performs significantly better than Poland across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

PL
23.0
FR
49.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

PL
32.1%
FR
21.6%

France performs significantly better than Poland across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

PL
2.9%
FR
7.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

PL
$44,100
FR
$55,200

Poland generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

PL
78.8 yrs
FR
82.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

PL
4.2
FR
3.1

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, Poland, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Warsaw Rain: 20.9 in/yr (532 mm)
55° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Warsaw Paris
Jan–Mar 38°/26°F (3°/-3°C) 48°/38°F (9°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/46°F (19°/8°C) 65°/50°F (18°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) 74°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/33°F (7°/1°C) 52°/43°F (11°/6°C)
View all months
Month Warsaw Paris
Jan 33°/24°F (0.7°/-4.4°C) 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C)
Feb 36°/25°F (2.1°/-3.9°C) 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C)
Mar 44°/30°F (6.9°/-0.9°C) 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C)
Apr 57°/38°F (13.9°/3.6°C) 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C)
May 68°/47°F (19.8°/8.6°C) 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C)
Jun 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C) 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C)
Jul 76°/57°F (24.6°/13.7°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C)
Aug 75°/55°F (23.9°/13.0°C) 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C)
Sep 65°/48°F (18.4°/9.0°C) 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C)
Oct 55°/40°F (12.8°/4.7°C) 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C)
Nov 43°/33°F (5.9°/0.5°C) 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C)
Dec 35°/26°F (1.6°/-3.1°C) 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C)

Data: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, Météo-France Météo-France

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Poland 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.

Poland passport

Poland passport holder visiting France

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

France passport holder visiting Poland

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

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 Poland?

On average France is around 31% pricier than Poland, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to France?

Budget about €21,502 for 3 months in France (based on a PLN284,812 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?

France generally does better on safety, though Poland leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Poland. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in France compared to Poland?

Poland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in health coverage index. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 33.9 in Poland. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Poland: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 55°F in Warsaw. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Warsaw gets 20.9 in.

What language do they speak in France?

The official language in France is French. In Poland, the official language is Polish.

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At a Glance

PL FR
Population 38,093,101 68,305,148
Currency Polish Zloty (PLN) Euro (€)
Languages Polish French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +48 +33
Time zones 1 14
Emergency number 112 112