Cost of Living in France – North, South, East, West & Paris

Cost of Living in France – North, South, East, West & Paris

Hey y’all. Welcome back to the Europats. I’m Diane and I’m Matt. If you’re new here to this channel, welcome. We are just a couple of Texans that are planning our retirement to France. And one of the questions that we get asked all of the time is how much does it really cost to live in France? The short answer, it really depends on where you go. Yep. So today we’re breaking it all down by region. North, South, East, West, and Paris. We’re going to look at housing, groceries, health care, utilities, and transportation costs. So, let’s jump in and let’s see where your money goes the farthest. Now, let’s start with northern France, areas like Normandy, Hot France, and parts of Britney. And this is where we’re looking to live. A lot calmer and a lot more affordable. Now, you can rent a twobedroom home in this area for around 700 to€900 a month. And groceries are in line with the national averages. Utilities stay low thanks to milder weather and there’s no extreme air conditioning or heating bills. And healthc care, you ask? It’s accessible and well rated even in the small towns. Yeah, we can hear you asking. People are asking. Inquiring minds want to know. I know there’s people on the other side really that say, “Hey, Matt, why didn’t you tell us about this?” Well, I’m trying. She is interrupting me. But if you are craving sunshine and the Mediterranean lifestyle, let’s head down south. Y’all, southern France is stunning. It is beautiful. Yes, you’ve got Provence, you’ve got the Kotazur, and you’ve got Oxatani. All of them have beautiful views, beautiful vineyards. But you know what else? They have heat. Yep. It will cost you rent in places like Nice, Axon, Provence. They are going to be right around 1,200 to€2,000 a month. The south also tends to run higher in utilities during the summer because it is hot and AC usage adds up and groceries and dining out. They are way more expensive in those tourist heavy towns. Yeah, they are. Still though, lots of expats love it there. You just need a little bigger budget. Now, let’s go east. Home to alpine charm and surprisingly reasonable costs. Eastern France includes places like Oasos, Bugonia, Front and part of the Alps. Say that three times. I can’t even say it one time, y’all. Bugonia. Bugonia. That’s right. This place is beautiful. Mountains, wine country, and it really has a lot of charming towns. Here you can find twobedroom rentals for around €700 to €1,100 a month, and smaller towns are often even cheaper. Groceries and gas, they run close to the national average. and public transportation is welldeveloped in cities like Strawburg and healthc care is solid especially in those university towns. Now let’s move west. This region is often overlooked by Americans but full of value. Western France includes areas like pedawir and parts of newton. It is coastal, calm, and refreshingly affordable. Rent here can run around €600 to €1,000 a month, even less in the rural spots. Healthc care access is excellent, and groceries, wine, and fresh seafood are affordable. Plus, towns like La Rochelle and Oner are well connected by train. It’s one of the best kept secrets in France. Yeah, it is. Don’t tell anybody. But what if you’re dreaming of living right in the heart of it all like Matt is in Paris? He wants to move to Paris, y’all. He’d fit right in. Let’s be real, y’all, about Paris. It is expensive rent for a modest. And when I say modest, it’s like the size of a closet. One bedroom can run anywhere from 1,300 to 2500 a month. And that’s even before utilities. That’s expensive. So expensive, y’all. Groceries and restaurants are higher, but the public transportation is excellent. And you won’t need a car while living there. So that’ll save you some money. Yes, it will. Healthcare here is top tier, but expect longer wait times unless you go private. And honestly, you’re going to pay just for the experience of being in Paris. Now, don’t get us wrong, it would be a great place to visit, but personally, we would like to live where our euros will actually go a little bit further, a lot of bit further. So, what does all of this look like side by side? Here is a quick breakdown of the average monthly rent for a two-bedroom home in each region. In the north, you’re looking at about 700 to 900 a month. In the south, you’re looking at €1,200 to€2,000 a month. In the east, 700 to 1100 a month. In the west, €600 to €1,000 a month. And in Paris, you’re looking at,300 to 2500 a month. Groceries, utilities, and health care costs generally hover close to national averages except in more remote or luxury locations. We will not be in a luxury location. I mean, it would all be luxury to us. Just I was going to say just being over there would be luxury. Yeah, it’s better than here, isn’t it? Yeah. We could be out on a farm. overalls, straw hat, piece of straw hanging out of the mouth. And that screams France to you. Nope. That screams Texas. Yeah, it does. So, where you live makes a big difference. And not just on rent. Things like transportation and climate also affect your budget. And speaking of transportation and healthcare, let’s break down those numbers just a little bit more. Let’s do Let’s do In cities like Paris or Leon, public transportation is excellent. Monthly passes will cost you around $75. But in rural areas, having a car is essential and average fuel prices are currently around a dollar, nope, a euro 90 a liter. Utilities in milder regions like Normandy or Britany, they can run you about €100 to €150 a month. In the south during summer, you’re going to be running it closer to 200 or more thanks to that old AC unit. Let’s talk about healthcare next because that is one of the biggest reasons that we’re moving. Franc’s health care system is consistently ranked among the best in the world. As residents, most people pay just 20 to 30% of actual cost and the state covers the rest. We probably pay about 80%. 99.9%. Then the state only if your deductible’s met. Yeah. Crooks. I’ve only had my deductible met once and that was whenever I was doing my back. Cru. If you’re not in the French system yet, remember that’s where services like Air Doctor come in. Exactly. Like we said last week, Air Doctor let you find vetted English-speaking doctors across France and book appointments with upfront pricing. Whether you’re traveling or waiting for residency, it is a great option and we have a link in the description if you want to check it out. Okay, so now you know the cost, but what does that mean for your retirement plans? We need to hurry up and get there. That’s what it means. Hurry up. Make us independently wealthy. Why do you always ask me for that? It’s your job. I’m a cop. I don’t make money. I just get shot at. That’s not even funny. I don’t know why I laughed. Now, for us, the north and west of France offer the best combination of affordability, healthc care access, and lifestyle. It is our favorite. I think everybody knows it by now. I will be completely shocked if we do not end up in Britany or Normandy. We will shock the world. Yeah. But on the serious side, it’s quiet. It’s safe and you get way more for your money. And if you’re on a tight budget, avoid major cities and go inland or to smaller coastal towns. The further you are from the tourist hub, the more you’ll save. So, get away from them. Yeah, get away from all people. And don’t forget to factor in things like car costs and visa fees, too. Yeah, that’s a good point. We’ve got videos on all of that and more coming soon. So, drop us a comment below. Let us know which region you guys are interested in. We would definitely love to know. Yeah. Are y’all like us and undecided? Yeah. Well, we’re not really undecided. Well, we don’t know where in the regions. We know approximately where. We just don’t have it down to a pinpoint like a five mile radius or anything. Oh gosh, no. We’re never going to be able to figure it out. See, the thing is is it won’t be five mile radius out there. It’ll be kilometers. Yeah. I’m never going to get that down. Miss Jean, thank you so much for your emails. I’m giving you a shout out because for so long now you have been emailing me with some goodies and I appreciate that. Please keep looking for us. We appreciate you so much. So, thank you again for that. And you have a beautiful house. Yeah, you do. We’re going to be best friends. You can got. I can got. Oh my god. I always got. And remember, you guys can support us over on our Patreon page or buy me a coffee page. Or if you want to become a member of this channel, just clink. Just come on in and clink it. Don’t click it, but clink it. Let’s try this again. Click the join button below. Dang it. I was doing so good. We like to clank here. We don’t We don’t click. We clinks. Jeez Louise. And don’t forget to like and subscribe and hit that notification bell so that you can be notified of when our next video will be out, which will be next Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. Central. And you can also go over to our shop and get some of our merch if you would like. You guys have a great week and we will see y’all next Saturday. Aento. [Music]

Use our exclusive code EUROPATS10 at checkout on Air Doctor to get 10% off your first appointment with an English-speaking doctor in France.

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🇫🇷 How much does it really cost to live in France? Whether you’re dreaming of a cozy cottage in Normandy, a sunny flat in Provence, or a Parisian apartment with a view, this video breaks down the actual cost of living across France — by region.
Join Diane and Matt from The Euro Pats as we explore the cost of rent, groceries, utilities, healthcare, and transportation in:

The North (Normandy, Brittany, Hauts-de-France)
The South (Provence, Occitanie, French Riviera)
The East (Alsace, Bourgogne, Alpine regions)
The West (Pays de la Loire, Nouvelle-Aquitaine)
Paris
💶 We include actual numbers — with a full side-by-side comparison chart — to help you plan your move or retirement in France.
📌 Whether you’re looking for affordability, culture, healthcare access, or weather, this video will help you figure out where in France your money will go the farthest.

🔗 MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:
🩺 Need a doctor before you’re covered in France? Try Air Doctor — find English-speaking doctors across France, no residency required.

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We are Matt and Diane. A couple who have been married for 13 years and are looking to retire soon in the beautiful E.U. Join us here every Friday as we go through the different countries to discover all that we can and, hopefully, narrow down a place we would like to retire to. We would love to take you along with us on our journey. Please leave us a comment and let us know if you have any tips or have done this yourself. We welcome any advice you can give and we will share all pertinent information that we learn along the way.

DISCLAIMER:
The Euro Pats are not a real estate agent or agency, we are not intermediaries, and we do not sell property. We search through hundreds of real estate listings to curate the best properties. Our content should not be considered advice, and you should consult a professional. We do not receive any sales commission from the properties we present. We do not assume responsibility for properties that may go under offer or have sold. Under no circumstance does the information provided represent a recommendation or advice and we strongly recommend that all buyers conduct thorough due diligence before completing a purchase. We are not responsible for the accuracy of the listings we present. All listing photo credits are given to the agents). This video is for entertainment purposes only,.

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