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Europe · French · updated 2026-10

Moving to France: visas, cost of living & citizenship

A single person needs about $2,450 a month to live in Paris, and a family of four about $5,350, including rent. France usually lets you apply for permanent residence after 5 yrs, with citizenship after 5 yrs, and dual citizenship is allowed. You can move here without a job offer through the Talent Passport and the Long-stay visitor.

Monthly budget
$2,450
Moderate cost
Safety
60
Safe
Stability
67
Stable
Family
75
Excellent
Main city
Paris
Language
French
Permanent residence
5 yrs
Citizenship
5 yrs
Dual citizenship
Allowed
Digital nomad visa
No
What can your passport do in France?Pick your nationality to see your exact access, visit rules and personal score.
Open the interactive index →

Cost of living in France, per month in US$

One person
$2,450
Family of four
$5,350
RentGroceriesTransportUtilities & internetEating out & leisureOther
1-bed flat, Paris centre
$1,200
Estimate
3-bed family flat
$2,200
Estimate
Price level
83
US = 100
Income per person
$4,053
GNI ÷ 12, World Bank

Safety

Safety score
60
Safe
Homicides per 100k
1.34
US 5.8 · UK 1.0 · Japan 0.2

Political stability & governance

Political stability−0.09
Rule of law+0.97
Control of corruption+1.24
Government effectiveness+1.21
−2.5 weak0strong +2.5

Worldwide Governance Indicators, World Bank. Stable overall (67/100).

Family-friendliness

Family score
75
Excellent
Child outcomes (HCI)
0.763
Health & schooling, 0–1
Under-5 mortality
4.3
per 1,000 births
Life expectancy
83 yrs
at birth
Health spending
$5,327
per person / year
Education spending
5.3%
of GDP

Talent Passport families get a 'passeport talent famille' card with the right to work. Public schooling is free; international schools are common in the capital.

Visa & residence routes

Talent
Talent Passport4-year permit for skilled employees, researchers, founders and artists.
Passive income
Long-stay visitorEnough resources to live without working.
Job offer
Salaried employee visaYour employer obtains work authorisation.

Some passports also get: Working holiday visa (PVT).

Who gets easier access to France

EU/EEA free movement: you can live and work here with simple registration.

Flag of AustriaAustriaFlag of BelgiumBelgiumFlag of BulgariaBulgariaFlag of CroatiaCroatiaFlag of CyprusCyprusFlag of the Czech RepublicCzech RepublicFlag of DenmarkDenmarkFlag of EstoniaEstoniaFlag of FinlandFinlandFlag of GermanyGermanyFlag of GreeceGreeceFlag of HungaryHungaryFlag of IcelandIcelandFlag of IrelandIrelandFlag of ItalyItalyFlag of LatviaLatviaFlag of LiechtensteinLiechtensteinFlag of LithuaniaLithuaniaFlag of LuxembourgLuxembourgFlag of MaltaMaltaFlag of the NetherlandsNetherlandsFlag of NorwayNorwayFlag of PolandPolandFlag of PortugalPortugalFlag of RomaniaRomaniaFlag of SlovakiaSlovakiaFlag of SloveniaSloveniaFlag of SpainSpainFlag of SwedenSwedenFlag of SwitzerlandSwitzerland

Working holiday visa (PVT) (13 nationalities)

Working holiday visa (PVT): 1 year for young people.

Flag of ArgentinaArgentinaFlag of AustraliaAustraliaFlag of BrazilBrazilFlag of CanadaCanadaFlag of ChileChileFlag of ColombiaColombiaFlag of Hong KongHong KongFlag of JapanJapanFlag of MexicoMexicoFlag of New ZealandNew ZealandFlag of South KoreaSouth KoreaFlag of TaiwanTaiwanFlag of UruguayUruguay

Visiting: 93 passports can visit visa-free, 0 with an electronic travel authorisation, 0 get a visa on arrival, 0 can apply for an eVisa and 105 need a visa in advance (Passport Index dataset).

Road to permanent residence & citizenship

ArrivePRCitizen024681012+ yrs
Permanent residence
5 yrs
Citizenship
5 yrs
Dual citizenship
Allowed

Last checked 2026-10. Official source: france-visas.gouv.fr

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to live in France?

About $2,450 a month for one person and $5,350 for a family of four in Paris, including rent. A city-centre 1-bedroom flat costs around $1,200 a month and a 3-bedroom around $2,200. Prices are 83% of US levels. France is the 58th cheapest of the 76 countries in the index.

Is France safe to live in?

France scores 60/100 for safety (safe), ranking 48th of 76. The homicide rate is 1.34 per 100,000 people (US 5.8, UK 1.0, Japan 0.2).

Is France politically stable?

France scores 67/100 for stability (stable), ranking 35th of 76, based on the World Bank's indicators for political stability, rule of law, control of corruption and government effectiveness.

Is France good for families?

France scores 75/100 for family-friendliness (excellent), ranking 29th of 76. Life expectancy is 83 years and under-5 mortality is 4.3 per 1,000 births. Talent Passport families get a 'passeport talent famille' card with the right to work. Public schooling is free; international schools are common in the capital.

How long does it take to get permanent residence in France?

Usually 5 yrs of legal residence.

How long until I can become a citizen of France?

Usually 5 yrs of residence. Dual citizenship: allowed.

Can I move to France without a job offer?

Yes. Talent Passport: 4-year permit for skilled employees, researchers, founders and artists. Long-stay visitor: Enough resources to live without working.

Who can live and work in France without a visa?

you can live and work here with simple registration. (EU / EEA free movement: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.)

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See also: cheapest countries to live · safest countries · most stable countries · best countries for families · where citizens of France can move