How France compares across key indices
Cost of Living
78 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
85/100
Healthcare
76/100
Quality of Life
160/200
How far your money goes in France
Cost of Living
78
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
58
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
78
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
81
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in France - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
85/100
Crime Index
25/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
France has 691 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $1,620 in Paris 12e Arrondissement to $2,047 in Paris. Marne La Vallée leads on safety, scoring 85/100. Saint-Étienne ranks highest for quality of life at 159/200.
Paris 12e Arrondissement
$1,620/mo
Marne La Vallée
85/100
Saint-Étienne
159/200
Paris
89/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris | $2,047 | 79/100 | 155/200 | 89/100 | 29 |
| Marseille | $1,770 | 83/100 | 157/200 | 81/100 | 22 |
| Lyon | $1,728 | 84/100 | 158/200 | 80/100 | 20 |
| Toulouse | $1,726 | 84/100 | 158/200 | 80/100 | 20 |
| Nice | $1,694 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 78/100 | 19 |
| Nantes | $1,688 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 78/100 | 19 |
| Marne La Vallée | $1,687 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 78/100 | 18 |
| Strasbourg | $1,675 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 78/100 | 18 |
| Bordeaux | $1,673 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 77/100 | 18 |
| Montpellier | $1,668 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 77/100 | 18 |
| Lille | $1,665 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 77/100 | 17 |
| Paris 15 Vaugirard | $1,661 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 77/100 | 17 |
| Rennes | $1,659 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 77/100 | 17 |
| Reims | $1,647 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 17 |
| Le Havre | $1,644 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 20 Ménilmontant | $1,644 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Cergy-Pontoise | $1,642 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 18 Buttes-Montmartre | $1,642 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 13 Gobelins | $1,642 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 19 Buttes-Chaumont | $1,641 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 13e Arrondissement | $1,641 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Saint-Étienne | $1,639 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Toulon | $1,635 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Angers | $1,635 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Dijon | $1,632 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 16 Passy | $1,630 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Paris 17 Batignolles-Monceau | $1,630 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Grenoble | $1,630 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 16 |
| Nîmes | $1,625 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 15 |
| Clermont-Ferrand | $1,625 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 15 |
| Aix-en-Provence | $1,624 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 15 |
| Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | $1,624 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 76/100 | 15 |
| Brest | $1,624 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Le Mans | $1,624 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Paris 11e Arrondissement | $1,624 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Amiens | $1,622 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Tours | $1,622 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Limoges | $1,622 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Paris 12e Arrondissement | $1,620 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
| Paris 11 Popincourt | $1,620 | 85/100 | 159/200 | 75/100 | 15 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in France. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
70
Verified records
32
Cities covered
7
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Saint Cloud
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Paris
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Paris
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Biot
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Luynes
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Biot
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Verneuil-Sur-Seine
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for France
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in France
Pollution Index
19/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
9.6ug/m3
Good
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in France, answered with data
France has a cost of living index of 78 relative to New York City (100). It is comparable in cost to most US cities. Monthly costs for a single person start around $1,595 in Lyon 03 and reach $2,047 in Paris.
Lyon 03 is the most affordable city in France in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $1,595 for a single person including rent. Argenteuil is the next most affordable at $1,595/mo.
France has a safety index of 85/100, making it very safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Marne La Vallée scores highest on safety at 85/100.
Mulhouse ranks highest for quality of life in France, scoring 159/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $1,601/mo for a single person. For budget-conscious expats, Lyon 03 offers the lowest monthly costs at $1,595/mo.
France scores 76/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it excellent by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. France's cost of living is roughly 22% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 42% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
France has a pollution index of 19/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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