Moving to France from United Kingdom
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United Kingdom to France — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United Kingdom to France, you would find that France is 7.3% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £55,958 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly €59,994 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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How your spending power changes when you relocate from United Kingdom to France.
What does your salary buy?
£55,958 → €59,994
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 12.8% more
Groceries
pay 29.5% more
Transportation
pay 10.7% less
Housing
pay 32.5% less
Childcare
pay 48.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.6% less
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 9% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from United Kingdom to France, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from United Kingdom to France · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
How United Kingdom and France stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
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 United Kingdom 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
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though France leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though France leads in gdp per capita.
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 United Kingdom leads in education spending.
Data: HM Revenue & Customs, 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 | London | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
Data:
Met Office,
Météo-France
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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 Kingdom passport holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 United Kingdom?
Generally yes: France runs about 9% cheaper than United Kingdom on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to France?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a £55,958 comparable salary, that's around €14,998 in France for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from France?
With 49.4 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, France can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United Kingdom and France.
Is France safe for expats?
United Kingdom performs better than France across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in France is 1.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in France compared to United Kingdom?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 33.4 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 31.7 in United Kingdom. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in France compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 60°F in London. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
