Ask any person if they could choose any place in the world to relocate to and many will tell you that France is on their list. The entire country is simply breathtaking from the cities to the countryside and some spectacular beaches. Then, of course, there’s Paris. The city of L’Amour, The City of Lights and the fashion capital of the world. Paris is also one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world that offers a vast array of entertainment and cultural events and some impressive study and work opportunities.
Paris ranks 30th for quality of urban living globally and is 9th as the best city for students. It also has great healthcare with a standing of 7th place for the best healthcare available in the world. These are just a few of the reasons making France, and particularly Paris, one of the best places to live for expats. However, with all the appeal, it can also be quite expensive to live out your Parisian dream. However, if you can live without the lavish and flashy things, you can enjoy living in Paris as long as you can manage your budget.
Here is a short list of what you can expect in terms of the cost of living in France.
Average Salary
Before you can organize your budget, you need to know what your earning potential is in France. The average salary in France is in the ballpark of €3,300. However, if you have specialized skills or you’re a remote worker, you can earn more, depending on the type of work you can do.
Wining & Dining
If you can cook, you have a definite advantage as cooking at home is always going to cost less than eating out. Paris is full of awesome markets full of fresh foods. It also costs less to buy groceries at the markets than it does in supermarket chains. However, this also doesn’t mean you need to eat at home all the time. France has many great options for those days when you want to eat out. This is a country full of bakeries that offer a wide variety of delicious breads and pastries that are budget-friendly. You can also enjoy a simple dish in many restaurants for around €15. You can also enjoy a lovely bottle of French wine with prices starting at around €5.
Transportation
One of the best aspects of living in a city like Paris is that it’s quite easy to get around. In fact, it costs less to make use of public transport than it does to own a car to get around the city. You can choose from a one-way ticket or, if you plan on getting around every day or using public transport to commute to work, you can buy a monthly pass and really save on transportation costs.
Home Sweet Home
One of the first things you need to find when you move to Paris is a place to live. Whether you plan on staying for a few months or a few years, a roof over your head is essential. Finding an apartment in Paris is a lot easier with the right platform. You can use the filters to choose the type of apartment you are looking for as well as which area or arrondissement in Paris you want to live in. Rent for a small studio apartment can be found for around €1,000 and the rent per month increases depending on location, amenities, the size of the apartment and other services. You can always find a few friends and share a larger apartment which gives you more options and you can share the costs of rent and utilities with your housemates.
You can enjoy living in France, even on a tight budget. Plan on needing approximately €2,000 per month if you’re single or around €6,000 plus for families. If you can manage your budget most of the time, you’ll always be able to set aside some of your budget for fine food and wine or stunning French fashion.
