Issue No.26

The cost of living in France
We’re often asked how much it costs to live
in France, especially when compared to
other countries. You could compare it to
asking how long is a piece of string because
we all have different circumstances. But we
asked finance advisor Jennie Poate at
Beacon Global Wealth if she could give us
some ideas of the cost of living in France….
I once met someone who claimed she
couldn’t live without her €5000 pm clothes
allowance. And, I have friends who live on
less than €1000 pm.
Much depends on your personal spending
habits and where you live. The cost of living
varies enormously from region to region, city
to city, from city to village. The cost of living
in Cannes is not the same as the cost of
living in Caen.
And there are a number of other things to
take into consideration. Pools cost money to
maintain, lots of land can cost money to keep
tidy, oil/gas is usually more expensive than
wood heating for instance and depends on
the size of the property.
And there may be a mortgage, rent and
associated taxes to pay – for instance
habitation tax.
Then there’s healthcare. Costs depend on a
number of factors including age, and it’s
customary in France to pay for “top up”
insurance. The French state generally covers
around 70% of the cost of most healthcare
requirements and you cover the rest with top
up insurance.
Everyone's situation is different but here’s an
idea of some average costs for a couple.