The Real Cost of Living in France

May 20, 2026

The registrations for Saturday evening’s webinar sponsored by The Federation of Alliances Françaises USA had a record number, likely because the topic is so important for those considering a move to France: The Real Cost of Living in France—What It Actually Costs (and Why It May Surprise You).

We say it all the time: it will cost you half as much to live in France. But, this was a way of proving it to be true, not just with statistics we were able to gather from reliable resources, but from our own personal experiences.

We covered 10 major topics: 1) Property to Rent or Purchase, 2) Property Taxes, 3) Utilities: Gas and Electricity, 4) Phone/TV/Internet, 5) Homeowner’s Insurance, 6) Homeowner Association Fees, 7) Groceries, 8) Restaurants/Dining Out, 9) Healthcare and 10) Public Transportation. There is so much more to talk about, but one hour just isn’t enough time to cover it all.

Meme: Jaw dropping cost savings to living in France

There was about 15 minutes for the Q and A. We allowed time to run over by another 10 minutes to answer as many questions as possible. We sought out those that pertained to the topic, but it’s clear that everyone has so many questions about moving to France that we could have been there all day! Patty Sadauskas answered as many as she could in the Zoom Chat.

My favorite question was: “All of this sounds great but what are the negatives?”

I couldn’t think of any. In September, I will be celebrating my 32nd year in France. There are a few things I can complain about, but wouldn’t call them negatives. Such as…I wish the French would learn how to make a really good California-style salad; or “You don’t come to Paris for the weather” (my well-known quote); or it would be nice if the cyclists actually respected the rules of the road! But, there simply aren’t any negatives to living in France and one of the biggest advantages is how inexpensive it is to have such a high quality of life.

Meme: The Bottom Line France isn't just cheaper, it's smarter

And if you want learn more, I’m giving an updated version of this presentation at the North American Expats in France Quarterly Financial Forum—2nd quarter 2026 on June 3rd at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time U.S. Register directly, here.

A la prochaine…

Adrian Leeds
The Adrian Leeds Group®

French Property the American Way

P.S. Tomorrow, May 21st, at 1 p.m. Eastern time, Jennifer Parrette and I will together discussing during a webinar “The Best Places to Live and Why” so that you can “Get to Know the Rest of France.” This is your opportunity to take a walk-through of our top spots to live in France outside of Paris and Nice—and learn more about how the Adrian Leeds Group new Regional Division can help you. We will be recording the event for YouTube, but it will not be available for viewing after May 31st! Be sure to register so that you have full access to the event. Visit our site for more information. To register, use this link.

P.P.S. Join Jennifer Parrette and me in Toulouse for a meet-up at the Grand Café Le Florida, a “brasserie traditionnelle” since 1874 in Toulouse on Sunday, June 14th at 5 p.m. for drinks (or whatever you choose to order) and fun conversation! Here’s the Google map to find it. This is a chance to get to know one another and for me to hear what you love (or don’t love) about living in Toulouse! Please reserve by emailing me.