Moving to France from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to France? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to France, you would find that France is 28.5% more expensive than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly €71,715 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and France.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → €71,715
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.7% more
Groceries
pay 30.3% more
Transportation
pay 24.0% more
Housing
pay 5.5% more
Childcare
pay 47.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 60.8% 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 5% more than cities in Spain.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Spain to France.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in France compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Spain generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in adult obesity rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Spain generally does better on environment, though France leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 Spain leads in internet access.
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 Spain leads in top income tax 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
France generally does better on family life, though Spain leads in infant mortality.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Madrid | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología
Météo-FranceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting Spain
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 Spain?
On average France is around 9% pricier than Spain, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to France?
Budget about €17,929 for 3 months in France (based on a €65,700 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?
Spain generally does better on safety, though France leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to Spain?
Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in adult obesity rate. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 44.8 in Spain. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in France compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
