Cost of Living in France
How expensive is France, really? Here is the cost of living next to salaries, tax, safety and quality of life, against the EU benchmark.
Where France ranks in Europe
The short version
How to read this: a fuller bar means France ranks better among the 30 European countries compared; the figure on the right is the actual value. Hover any bar to see the EU average.
On price level France sits at 110.1 against an EU benchmark of 100, so day-to-day costs run 10% above the EU average. A single worker keeps about 30.832 net per year, while the tax wedge on labour is 35.4%, 7% below the EU average. The labour market reads: unemployment 7.7% and an employment rate of 75.5%. People report a life satisfaction of 7.1 out of 10 and a life expectancy of 83 years.
Cost of living & housing
What it costs to live in France
Here is what it costs to be in France day to day.
Price level. At 110.1 on the EU=100 scale a typical basket sits 10% above the EU average; as a newcomer you feel it most in groceries, transport and eating out.
Household electricity. Household electricity at 0.2479 EUR/kWh (16% below the EU average) feeds straight into your monthly utility bill, especially over the colder months.
Housing cost overburden. A housing-overburden rate of 6.4% (17% below the EU average) hints at how stretched budgets are by rent, though your own figure depends heavily on city versus region.
Housing overcrowding. Overcrowding affects 10.8% of households (36% below the EU average), a rough guide to how much living space your money buys compared with the rest of Europe.
For anyone weighing the cost of living in France, the short answer is that prices sit 10% above the EU average, and housing is the swing factor. Expats from a cheaper country should pad the first-month budget, while those arriving from a pricier capital often find day-to-day life a relief; anchor your rent estimate to the specific city rather than the national figure.
Work & income
Salaries, tax and jobs
Now the income side.
Net salary (single). Take-home pay of roughly 30.832 EUR/year (14% above the EU average) is what actually lands in your account after tax and contributions.
Tax wedge on labour. The tax wedge is 35.4% (7% below the EU average), the gap between what an employer pays and what you keep; expect your net to differ from a gross offer by roughly this much.
Unemployment. A 7.7% unemployment rate (28% above the EU average) shapes how competitive your search will be, though it varies a lot by sector and language.
Employment rate. With 75.5% of working-age people employed (around the EU average) this shows how active the labour market is for someone looking to plug in.
On the job side, what matters for an expat in France is real spending power, not the headline: 30.832 EUR/year net stretches less than the headline suggests once the price level is factored in. Budget for roughly 35.4% to disappear in tax and contributions, and expect the search to track the 7.7% unemployment rate, with sector and language doing the rest.
Safety & health
How safe and healthy is France
How safe and how healthy is daily life here?
Homicide rate. At 1.28 homicides per 100,000 (the 24th-lowest of 30 European countries) this is the hardest safety figure to game and a fair baseline for personal security.
Perceived crime. 14.7% report crime or disorder in their area (47% above the EU average); unlike homicide this captures how safe daily life feels, which matters when you choose a neighbourhood.
Life expectancy. At 83 years (around the EU average) life expectancy is a quiet signal of how well the health system and living conditions hold up over a lifetime.
Unmet healthcare need. Unmet healthcare need at 3.7% (54% above the EU average) hints at how reachable and affordable care will be once you register with the local system.
Is France safe? On the hardest measure the homicide rate is the 24th-lowest of 30 European countries, a fair baseline for personal security, while perceived crime at 14.7% captures how neighbourhoods actually feel day to day. For healthcare, a 83-year life expectancy and a 3.7% unmet-need rate are a rough guide to how reachable care will be once you register locally.
Quality of life
The softer signals
The quality-of-life side:
Life satisfaction. At 7.1 out of 10 (around the EU average) this survey measure is a decent shorthand for how content people feel once daily life is set up.
At-risk-of-poverty. 16.3% live at risk of poverty (around the EU average); it points to how strong the safety net is if work or health goes sideways.
Income inequality (Gini). Gini at 30.4 (around the EU average) measures income spread; higher tends to mean sharper differences between neighbourhoods and price tiers.
Broadband coverage. At 94.43% household broadband coverage (around the EU average) connectivity is rarely a problem for remote work in most areas.
The softer signals of living in France: a 7.1/10 satisfaction score (around the EU average), a 16.3% at-risk-of-poverty rate that reflects the safety net, and broadband at 94.43% of homes. Together they sketch how settled daily life feels once the practical set-up is behind you.
Compared with its neighbours
France compared
| Country | Price level EU=100 |
Net salary (single) €/yr |
Tax wedge on labour % |
Life satisfaction /10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | 110.1 | 30.832 | 35.4 | 7.1 |
| Switzerland | 158.5 | 82.060 | 20.1 | 7.7 |
| Belgium | 105.3 | 34.642 | 37.9 | 7.6 |
| Spain | 95.2 | 25.263 | 36.4 | 7.2 |
France set against the neighbours people most often weigh it against. National averages from Eurostat; living costs vary widely within each country.
Practical guides
Setting up life in France
The admin side of moving to France, sorted by what you will need first.
Common questions
Cost of living in France: FAQ
Is France a good place to live?
The data leans positive on quality of life, with 7.1/10 life satisfaction and a 83-year life expectancy. The figure to weigh against that is the labour market, with unemployment at 7.7%. So France tends to suit people who arrive with an income already arranged.
What is the cost of living in France?
The overall price level is 110.1 against EU=100, i.e. 10% above the EU average. Electricity is 0.2479 €/kWh and 6.4% of people are housing-cost overburdened.
What is the average salary in France?
A single worker keeps roughly 30.832 €/year net. The gross minimum wage is 1.823 €/month.
How high are taxes in France?
The tax wedge on labour (income tax plus social contributions, single worker) is 35.4%, 7% below the EU average of 38%.
What is working in France like?
The employment rate (20–64) is 75.5% and unemployment 7.7%. Securing a role before relocating is the safer route.
Source: Eurostat (multiple datasets, latest available years). National averages; figures vary by region and city. See the methodology.