How Much Does it Really Cost to Live in France?
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- Опубликовано: 12 окт 2023
- With so much beauty and a sophisticated culture that’s been exported the world over, it’s easy to think that France is a luxurious paradise accessible only to those with very deep pockets. But the truth is France is much more affordable than many North Americans could ever imagine.
For example, housing prices are, on average, 34% less than in the United States, with property taxes coming in at one-tenth of what you could expect to pay back home.
Click the link to read Tuula's full breakdown of the specific costs of living in France, including a roadmap for budgetary planning across the different regions: internationalliving.com/count....
01:00 Housing
04:58 Food
06:35 Transportation
09:15 Utilities
09:46 Healthcare
11:39 Miscellaneous Fees
#costoflivinginfrance #livinginfrance #france
I agree that the costs in France are generally lower than in the US (depending on the location), but I have found that public intercity train transportation is very good BUT a lot more than I had expected.
I’m a slow traveler. I lived in Paris for a month and it costs me around $4000. In Lyon around $3000.
That's insane. I went to a language school in Lyon and homestay for a month and it was €1k with 2 meals a day as well I might add!
As always hands-down, well detailed video, thanks.
We're so glad you found it helpful!
I live in Sacramento California in the US and think our rents for a one bedroom are more than even Paris! And even if it's close.. it's PARIS! As a native Californian looking at retirement abroad, France is so appealing and def top of my list for our retirement abroad. California is so expensive for everyone but seems particularly so for retirement, so will be 'retiring' from California to a more tax friendly state, before expiating ourselves lol
I have just navigated my parents through retirement and death. Let me tell you some things to look out for as you shop for a place to retire. Look VERY closely at disability services and their costs. Most people will need 10+ years of disability care before they die and the care requirements usually ramp up to needing 24-7 care. Don't count on your partner for this care!!! BOTH my parents, similar in ages, needed care at the same time! Medicare will not pay for nursing homes, memory care or assisted living for more than a few weeks. Also, hospice care is NOT 24-7 care. (They might visit few times a week at the very end.) Memory care costs about 7k per month, per person. Nursing care costs 10k+ per month, per person. Drug bills will be about $250 per month per person. Incontinence care is about another $200 per month. You can reasonably expect to be incontinent for YEARS. Medicare premiums rise as you age and are about $250 per month at 75 years of age right now. If your plan is for private, in home care, you need to be in an area that can supply it. Costs are around $15/hr, currently, and there is usually a minimum of hours required (4 hrs per day, usually). You need to think about transportation for when you can't drive and also who will manage your finances for when you can't reliably do it. Please do not think this won't happen to you. I swear, it's exactly those people who don't plan for it, that it happens to. You are worried about taxes and so, I can assume you have some money in pre tax retirement accounts that you are trying to protect. You need to think carefully about if you have enough money to last 10+ years in a nursing or memory care home. (All those numbers are expected to rise, btw.) Note that the cost of care is mostly NOT tax deductible, sadly. Expect only about 1/3 of it to be tax deductible. Hopefully you both have long term care insurance. If you do, it's likely only for five years or less and comes with stipulations. Consider those, also, when planning. If you think you may run out of money paying for care, you will transition to Medicaid. Medicaid is a state run program and it's quality varies from state to state. Typically, the lower the taxes of a state, the worse the care you get while on Medicaid. Beware of that. Dying from a bed sore is a pretty gruesome way to go.
If you are thinking of retiring (i.e. becoming disabled) in Paris, for goodness sake, don't just assume their system is better because of the press! You will definitely need a family member to help you there (just like you will need one in the USA if you retire here.) Go to the nursing and memory care homes in Paris. Try to find people who will be honest and frank with you. Be very aware of hidden costs. Imagine a situation where a resident is hot or cold and get trapped trying to take off or put on a sweater. Is there a caregiver around to notice? If there are social workers in France, ask them about what happens to elderly without money or family. Ask them for names of caregiving services, find out how rampant is theft (this is a problem, also, in the USA). We live in an unprecedented medical age where life with disease is prolonged and thus, disability is prolonged, too.
@@Print229ty for the thoughtful reply, I am so sorry for your losses 💛 I am in an unique situation for medical care post retirement, still figuring out all the details as we plan for it 😅, but I work in the medical field currently and husband is retired w/pension and medical benefits from the us Air Force and my job has a retirement medical benefit, so we both have medical coverage as well as Medicaid access in retirement. We are deep in planning stages right now, we live debt free except mortgage, I have a 401k, pension and investments that will create the base we work within for my early retirement in 6 years. We are absolutely moving to Europe for retirement, have narrowed it down to 3 countries, France is my top choice so far with our research, but open to new information to change my mind :) for many many reasons other than just the cost. I love all your points, any decisions for our future planning, should be done well researched!
@@Print229thanks for information, however sobering it may be. I've been living in France for many years and will be retiring here. Rather than endure all of the hardships you mentioned as well as not wanting to put my children through the emotional and potential financial burden, I will plan my own sucide.
Thank you for your candid post. I was caregiver for both parents with consecutive Alzheimer's over 15 years, the last few of each were in nursing homes on Medicaid after resources exhausted. (uSA) It is a slow death, but they were iin "la la land", not in pain of disease. They gradually shut down to finally couldn't or wouldn't eat or drink. Dad went first. I was in France with my daughter when my mom passed, I think by choice, as she didn't want me there.
This is all true, as I helped and supported my mom through her final years in Southern California. My teachers' pension insurance will (hopefully) be more compassionate in my final years. We should all question who and how we are cared for in the end. It can get messy. @@Print229
Misleading stuff, it much depends what you are comparing : rural central Indiana with Paris or the Riviera?
Exactly. Also, France is a very large country with many regions for comparison.
Rigth - if you compare, understand what you do compare. It takes a long time and lots of experience if you want to make a total comparison of life experiences...
That is the same for the experience for someone who has only ever lived in Texas or in the South of France, or who has seen both. It will be different for someone who is young and healthy or for someone who suffers from cancer. Life is complicated 😄
Thanks for sharing! Can you give the current price range for a furnished rental in central Lyon, preferable 2eme, 3 eme, 6 eme? I've been looking for a small apartment for one person and the prices all seem to be over EUR 1500. I've looked on SeLoger, Leboncoin and two local rental agencies. Is it possible to find anything under EUR 1200?
Unless you are fixed on Lyon, I would suggest you consider some of the smaller cities in France, say between 50,000 and100,000 in population. These cities, Nancy or Pau for example, will be much cheaper, easier to get around but will still have enough attractions and cultural amenities. In Pau for example you can get a nice apartment with a view of the Pyrenees mountains for around 700 euros.
Monaco is a micro-state near Nice. Monaco residents are not subject to income tax. To be considered a Monegasque resident, you must have habitual residence in Monaco for at least ten years.
Monaco is, by far, the most expensive city in the world.
What's a fidelity card?
It's basically a customer loyalty program.
EXCELLENT video! How old is a senior in France to qualify for the special discount train tickets?
Carte Avantage Senior: + 60 ans (Senior Advantage Card, over 60 years). Annual enrolment €49. 😇
Anyone from here know how much does a pharmacist get as salary in france in a city like lille?
Price for a simple one bedroom something like a studio
Some helpful information, however, Tuula needs to take a breath in between discussing the different regions and the associated cost. She just rattles off information without context, i.e., some areas of France get very cold (with snow) during winter months. That type of weather is not for everyone. Illustrations showing costs in different areas of France would be very helpful and allow viewers to follow in the info more easily.
In CT, we pay over $10,000 a year in property taxes for a home we bought 3 years ago for $345k. We owned an apartment in Paris for 13 years and didn't pay that much in property tax the entire 13 yrs.
Na I’ll stay in California my home is worth 500k and I’m at 140k right now 1k a month payment thank you 🙏
Even cheaper in my Bretagne/Breizh !!!
Also, there are monthly premiums required for French healthcare that Tuula didn't mention. I hope $500k buys you a nice view. This most definitely would not be even close to 34% cheaper than homes in the US depending on the area.
$500K for a 2 bedroom?? Yikes. And worried about property taxes? Not cheap at all
What Tuula doesn't say is that Toulone is on the french coast so $500k seems somewhat reasonable when compared to the cost of housing on our coasts. She is quoting annual property tax amounts so that is definitely less expensive than many parts of the US.