Cost #18/31 · Cost of living · Europe · Eurostat PLI 2024
🇫🇷 Cost of living in France
France runs pricier than most of the EU-27 across rent, groceries and transport - see where the gap is widest and how far local income actually stretches.
- Cost rank · cheapest = #1 of 31
- #18
- Affordability rank · highest purchasing power = #1 of 29
- #10
France's livability score
Livability score
45/100
France, weighted across 8 of 8 tracked dimensions
A cost-and-income composite (price-level indices plus purchasing power), not an overall quality-of-life judgment, it does not weigh climate, safety, culture, or healthcare outcomes.
- Purchasing power B- €26,459
Median net income adjusted for local cost level
- Overall cost D 108
Eurostat overall price level (EU27=100)
- Rent F 123
Housing / rent price level (EU27=100)
- Groceries F 110
Food and non-alcoholic beverages (EU27=100)
- Healthcare D 99
Healthcare price level (EU27=100)
- Transport F 109
Transport price level (EU27=100)
- Utilities F 102
Electricity / gas / water (EU27=100)
- Restaurants F 110
Restaurants and hotels (EU27=100)
France: large 2024 Eurostat move
Overall cost index moved -1.2 vs the 2023 archive - among the larger European shifts this release.
- Utilities index 91 102 2023 → 2024
Utilities index rose from 91 to 102 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Restaurants index 112 110 2023 → 2024
Restaurants index fell from 112 to 110 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Healthcare index 101 99 2023 → 2024
Healthcare index fell from 101 to 99 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Housing & utilities index 121 123 2023 → 2024
Housing & utilities index rose from 121 to 123 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
- Overall cost index 109 108 2023 → 2024
Overall cost index fell from 109 to 108 between the 2023 and 2024 Eurostat releases.
France in the 100-119 cost band
On the EU-27 = 100 scale, France's overall index (108) sits in the 100-119 band with 3 other published countries. The Europe-wide band mix lives on the rankings hub, not repeated here.
Category mix inside France's mid EU band
Bars + gauge around the EU-27 = 100 mid band (108): where France diverges inside an average-looking total.
France - price level by category (EU-27 = 100)
🇫🇷 France vs EU-27 = 100
Gauge reads the same overall cost_index (108); the tick marks the EU average.
In France, housing & utilities is the most expensive category and healthcare the least.
What the mid-band France print actually shows
France's overall consumer price level is 8% above the EU-27 average. (How this index is built →)
Housing and utilities lead the way in France, the priciest category at index 123, ahead of healthcare at index 99. Because housing and household energy are typically the largest lines in a household budget, that pulls overall affordability down more than an equally high index in a smaller category would.
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €26,459 is worth closer to €24,522 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
Cities in France
National averages hide the big-city premium. See real monthly rent, groceries and transit costs for France's cities.
Eurostat PLI Basket · similar price levels and purchasing power
Two peer sets for France: nearest overall price-level indices (EU-27 = 100) and nearest cost-adjusted incomes (median net income ÷ cost index). The cost band block above stays cohort-based; these neighborhoods vary by entity.
Similar overall cost index
Nearest countries by Eurostat price level (108 here, EU-27 = 100).
PLI neighbourhood · France
Similar purchasing power
Nearest countries by cost-adjusted income (€24,522 here).
What to do with this France data
France ranks #10 of 29 for cost-adjusted purchasing power. A raw price index alone does not tell you whether income stretches further here than elsewhere.
- Run the numbers for France in the calculator
- Compare France vs Germany side by side
- See the full best-value ranking
- Browse every country we track
These are Eurostat comparative price-level averages for the whole country, not a personal budget. Regional and city-level costs can differ substantially from the national figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is France expensive to live in?
France's overall cost of living is 8% above the EU-27 average (index 108). Housing & utilities is the priciest category and healthcare the cheapest.
What are housing & utilities costs in France?
France's housing & utilities price index is 123, above the EU norm.
How does income compare to costs in France?
That price gap trims real purchasing power here: because prices run above the EU average, the headline income of €26,459 is worth closer to €24,522 once translated into EU-27-average terms.
PlainCostOfLiving is rendered directly from Eurostat comparative price levels and median equivalised net income, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-20. Primary sources: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind) and Eurostat median equivalised net income (ilc_di03).