Relocating to a New Life in France

It’s challenging to determine precisely how many Americans have relocated to other countries, as well as the specifics of when or why they moved. However, according to an article in Business Insider, by 2023 there were nearly 161 million US passports in circulation, equating to almost half of the American population. This is a significant increase from a generation ago when only 10% of Americans had passports. The State Department estimated in 2020 that around nine million US citizens were living abroad, up from an estimated five million in 2010. This figure includes dual citizens who were born and raised overseas. The nonprofit advocacy group American Citizens Abroad estimates the number to be closer to four million.

We do know, however, that the desire to leave the US is strong. Our own email inquiries overload attests to that. A recent Monmouth University poll revealed that one-third of Americans would like to settle in another country, a significant increase from the 12% who expressed the same desire in a 1995 Gallup poll. Additionally, InterNations’ 2023 survey of 12,000 expats from 172 countries found that the largest share of expats originated from the US.

This longing to relocate might not surprise anyone who has recently faced rising grocery bills or contributed to a friend’s medical GoFundMe with a six-figure goal (not to mention the very polarized political situation in the US). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average monthly expenses for a US household rose from $5,111 in 2020 to $6,081 in 2022. A survey conducted by Payroll.org in 2023 revealed that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, marking a 6% increase from the previous year. This means that over three-quarters of Americans find it difficult to save or invest after covering their monthly expenses.

Despite enjoying a higher material standard of living than most of the world (this is what Americans think, and what the media will tell you, but isn’t actually true*), Americans fare poorly compared to their wealthy Western peers on several quality-of-life indexes. Americans work more, take fewer vacations, spend more on healthcare, and have a shorter life expectancy than those in other high-income economies.

Where are people going? We know France is on their radar, but it’s not the only country attracting them. According to the Association of American Residents Overseas (AARO), US expats can be found in more than 160 countries:

• 40% opt for the Western hemisphere—Canada, Central and South America
• 26% move to Europe
• 14% head to East Asia and the Pacific—think Australia and New Zealand as well as China and Japan
• 14% head to the Middle East
• 3% travel to Central or South Asia
• 3% choose Africa

How to choose on where you want to settle depends on you. Our immigrating clients are clearly in love with France. They don’t come for economic reasons, although we contend that one can live in France for about half of what it costs to live in the US…though France is not the cheapest option. It does, however, offer a long list of amazing lifestyle, infrastructure and cultural benefits that other countries do not.

When Patty Sadauskas and I attended the Fast Track Europe conference in Portugal last April, five countries were represented: Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy and France. She and I discovered, as did the attendees, that none of the others could compare with what France had to offer: best tax treaty in all of Europe, the easiest visa to obtain, the best and least expensive health care system, the best public transportation and infrastructure, the best cultural offerings, etc., etc., etc…not to mention beauty and diversity. Even the attendees were surprised as they came with the preconceived notion that France was too expensive…and then discovered the truth once they compared France with the other countries.

As an American who has lived in France nearly 30 years, I know the real difference. People ask me all the time if there is anything I miss about the US besides family and friends. Other than a few material things, like Hefty ziplock bags (!), I do miss the free-spirited way Americans do business, are resourceful, believe in themselves and think outside of the proverbial box. This capitalist mindset is less prevalent in Europe where their socialist democratic systems preserve and protect, reducing these kinds of freedoms. There are often times I’d like to “marry” the two systems, the two cultures, the two philosophies, but obviously that is impossible. I’m of the opinion that the middle ground is what would work best, to have a better balance of both sides of the equation.

Meanwhile, what we do have is a better, richer way of life in France than I can imagine anywhere else in the world, even with its few flaws.

* According to World Population Review, these were the countries with the highest Standard of Living score in the 2021/22 report:

If you want help making the leap across the big pond to Europe and specifically to France, do not hesitate to contact us and let us get you here!

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