Why is the cost of living in France so high?

[Singledad711]

Hi! I've been living in France for several years now and whilst the cost of living has always been quite high, now the cost of living has gone up here in France compared to 10 years ago ( or even 5 years ago]

According to this map, France is the 9th most expensive country in Europe ( well not the 9th but actually the 6th] since Jersey and Guernsey are part of the UK so they don't count as they're not really countries

And to me Luxembourg is a tnig insignificant country that isn't even visible on a map ( like Liechenstein and Andorra for example]

So anyway France has overtaken the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland and Sweden!

It's quite surprising that France has become more expensive than the latter 2 who are Scandinavian countries which have always been expensive i.e Finland & Sweden

Considering that the average wages in France is around 1500€-1800€ then it doesn't justify the high cost of living in France, which has become the 6th most expensive country in Europe

There's only 5 countries more expensive than France in Europe now in 2023: Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland

And 2 of those are islands i.e Ireland & Iceland and not major mainland countries like Russia or Germany for example

How come the cost of living in France has risen? Why is the cost of living in France so high when the wages are relatively low compared to other European countries where the wages are higher & the cost of living is lower: Germany for example?

For £60 you could get a same day appointment and a prescription in the UK too

Because your calculation with wages doesn’t reflect the reality.
unlike the U.K., a lot if people are receiving in work benefits that move their real wage from quite low to very reasonable, allowing them to buy all that ‘expensive’ stuff.

Another way to look at it, is that the ratio wage/CoL is still high enough that people can live on those wane and prices, whereas the U.K. is fast becoming one if the poorest country in Europe (some areas are already the poorest areas in Europe and have been fir a while)

The difference is that, in France, at least done if that cost will be reimbursed, if not all.

Exactly, for example, in France taxation takes into account your family situation unlike in the UK. Health care works, schooling is good and free, as are universities etc.

Dare I mention the automatic extra 10% tax allowance all employees get to cover any work expenses, or the ability to claim even more than that if you can actually show the spend (Frais Reels)?

Point being that if you are looking at French CoL you also need to look at the French wage, benefit and tax structure….and that’s hard to do.

Have you examples? Just interested. We live very rurally in the U.K. and would say this was a great place to bring up kids. Doctors are good still, nhs dentist too. Food has gone up but not the same as France ( in my opinion). I think Paris living would very closely equate to London, including rents and property prices. I would be interested to know what you get for free or cheaper?

Point being that if you are looking at French CoL you also need to look at the French wage, benefit and tax structure….and that’s hard to do

This

President cheese and butter is cheaper (like for like) in North West England for my parents than it is for me to buy in France 🤷‍♀️ I am always amazed how cheap food is in England.

It's very hard to compare as PP says due to the tax and wage structure. And the 35 hour week is a myth for many workers...

Was the OP written by AI? It certainly reads as if it were. OP’s first post too. Designed to get us to click the link no doubt.

I particularly enjoyed the offhand dismissal of other nations as being too small or islandy to count 😁

@InvincibleInvisibility

And the 35 hour week is a myth for many workers...

Very very very true…..but I think the 13 month year might still exist at some companies 😊

@Trixiefirecracker personally for me - taxes are better if you have children, pensions are higher than in the UK, I much prefer living in apartments which are much nicer than the equivalent accommodation in the UK ( I don't like large, old falling apart houses), food is more expensive but better quality, you don't need tutors, save for uni costs, I would feel happier with my parents getting healthcare and emergency medicine than in the UK. Admittedly, I do not know rural France and have only lived in cities - same as in the UK. There is more of an assumption that people ought to have a standard of living, holidays, greater level of equality than in the UK. The UK has also devalued all sense of public sector workers - which I find insulting and not a society I would like to live in. For me - the worst thing about France is the racism and to some extent their gender attitudes though those are improving. In that respect, I was happy to live in London but in terms of quality of life thats incomparable and that is why Europeans originally from Northern Europe such as France and Germany are leaving the UK in droves.

Looking back at it, yes, I think you're right.

What’s French for Cozzie Livs I wonder.

I enjoyed that too. I mean, you can’t even see them on a map.

House prices (our converted barn was 250,000€, estate agent friend said it would be a £1m in similar area in England).
Rentals, electricity, no car tax, we would pay more income tax in UK, holiday rentals, rail fares.

@EmmaPaella not even if you squint a bit and peer closely!

Food is expensive but much better quality than U.K.

If you're paying the same for wine as in the U.K. then I think you're shopping in the wrong place!

Energy prices are cheaper, petrol is cheaper.

Well, I think this wholly depends what part of France you are in. We found petrol more expensive, and I tried to get a train from where we were staying to La Rochelle (3 hour journey) and got quoted 180 euros. You can get pretty good rail fairs in U.K. if you book in advance and I just recently booked euro tunnel for £35 to Paris . There are certainly some cheaper rentals where I am (rural) so thinks it very dependant of which part of France same as it is here. South of France is shockingly expensive. Air b and be not much different to here. All swings and roundabouts. The only thing I would agree on is maybe house renos and house prices but that also depends where you are of course.

What's the 13 month year? Sorry just being nosy!

Some companies used to (some possibly still do) hand out an extra months pay as a bonus, often at the end of the year.

It is something that often gets missed when people do annual income comparisons across borders by looking at monthly salaries and simply multiplying by 12.

para 4 here:

https://www.tironem.com/french-employees/

also this explains the tax system - https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/france/individual/taxes-on-personal-income

France has much cheaper housing, better healthcare and more generous pensions and benefits. That makes up fore higher grocery prices imho

As far as I was aware France is furious about it’s spiralling cost of living crisis too, which includes rising energy prices. That’s why there has been huge protests isn’t it, I think it’s pretty much similar all over Europe.

Brexit. Oh hang on....

@notimagain yes the ‘13eme mois’ is still very common.
Usually given in December too.