Is France an expensive place to live?

Question

How well of a life could someone making 60,000 euros a year live in or near a major city in France?

Answer 1

Like most European countries, France is an expensive place to live, especially in or near the major cities.  Cars are expensive, rents are high and almost everything has "valued added tax" in addition to other sales taxes.  When I lived in Paris VAT was about 13 percent.  I have no idea what it is now.  One thing nice about Paris is the public transportation.  You could live there without owning a car--rent one for vacations or weekends away.

Answer 2

i guess

Answer 3

60 000 euros a year ?

Try to leave in big city but not Paris. Life is very expensive, specialy for housing.

I lived in a small city (15 000 peoples), and for 30 square meters, I paid 300 euros by month. In Paris, you cannot find anything under 400 euros a month, even for the smaller appartment :(

Answer 4

You should be able to live nicely on that amount although that assumes that you're going to live like a native and not like an American.

Housing is relatively more expensive in France than in the United States and if you live in a major city, like Paris, you're going to be living in an apartment and not a single family detached house on its own lot. The average housing space per person  is only about half what it is in America. So if you can't live without the typical American 3 bedroom 2.5 bath 2100 square foot house with a two car garage you've got a problem.

You'll pay more for food. The average American spends 10% of his income for food. In France its closer to 25%. Part of that is the French passion for quality but some of it is French inefficency.

Your tax rate will be vastly higher in France than in the United States (or just about anywhere in the Western world). On the other hand you'll receive government benefits (excellant health care for example) that American workers can only dream about.

Gasoline is astonishingly more expensive in France than in the USA. But then there is a far superior system of public transportation and driving a car everyday to work is not likely to be neccessary.

In other words, you have to be willing to adapt to the situation in France and learn new ways to live. Do that and you'll have no problems.

Answer 5

Rillifane is absolutely correct.  60k euros is a lot of money in France although not so much in the states.  Though it will seem as if many things are more expensive in France know that other people make much less and not only "get by" but live enjoyable lives that include vacations and going out.  You have to be more responsible with your money and save, cutting back where you can, rather then living beyond your means which is customary in the states.  For example, none of my friends or in-laws or people I've met in France drive brand new cars, nor gas guzzlers  - instead most have cars which are paid off and which they plan to keep for many years.

Watch the French and follow suit and you'll be fine :-)

Answer 6

It also depends where & how you will be earning your 60k if it's in France on a self employed basis you'll be paying out an awful lot of it in social charges & business tax so you'd need to speak to a French accountant first to get the best advice.

On the other hand the average French person doesn't earn even half that. Property is cheap but everything else is dearer & most people are poor.