Moving to France from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to France — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to France, you would find that France is 22.0% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly €52,200 in France to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in French.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from United States to France.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → €52,200
To maintain the same standard of living in France
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 0.9% less
Groceries
pay 14.5% less
Transportation
pay 21.4% more
Housing
pay 47.3% less
Childcare
pay 42.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.4% 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 35% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to France, based on official data.
people moved from United States to France · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to France.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
France performs significantly better than United States 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 States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 States 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 States 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 States performs better than France across all employment & economy metrics.
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 States leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Direction Générale des Finances Publiques (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 74°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 52°/43°F (11°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Paris |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 44°/36°F (6.9°/2.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 47°/37°F (8.2°/2.8°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 53°/41°F (11.8°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 58°/44°F (14.7°/6.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 66°/51°F (19.0°/10.5°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 71°/56°F (21.8°/13.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.5°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 76°/60°F (24.6°/15.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 69°/54°F (20.8°/12.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 60°/49°F (15.8°/9.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 51°/42°F (10.4°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 46°/38°F (7.8°/3.6°C) |
National Weather Service
Météo-FranceVisitor 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 holder visiting France
Visa Free
France passport holder visiting United States
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 States?
Yes — France is on average about 22% cheaper than United States. 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 €13,050 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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — France has 48.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is France safe for expats?
France performs significantly better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in France is 1.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States. About 82% of people in France feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in France compared to United States?
United States generally does better on health & wellbeing, though France leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 32.8 doctors per 10,000 people in France, compared to 36.8 in United States. France scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in France compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Paris is 60°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Paris receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in France?
The official language in France is French. In United States, the official language is English.
