Cost of living

How much do people in France spend on Christmas on average?

The Christmas meal and gifts are the largest expenses, with almost 50% worried about cost

French supermarkets to begin ‘automatic refunds’: how will this work?

The refunds will come into force from 2025 and are intended to encourage recycling packaging

What income makes you rich in France? Think tank sets 2024 figure

‘The rich are getting richer, but there are fewer of them’, the report adds

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Is French supermarket trend for ‘monthly subscription’ worth doing?

How much would you have to spend to make the schemes truly cost-saving?

More everyday French supermarket products accused of ‘shrinkflation’

Cordon-bleu, yoghurts, and ham are in the firing line, with prices up to 25% higher for lower quality items

How much money do people in France need to live well?

What is the role of money in well-being and how much do people need on average, new poll asks

Where in France is it cheapest to repair a car?

10 departments come in well under the national average

Why now is good time to stock up on hygiene products in France

Discounts of up to 80% are available at supermarkets including Carrefour, E.Leclerc, and Auchan

15 changes in 2024 for France that will affect your budget

Utility costs, insurance premiums, healthcare, taxes: we look at what is forecast

Six tips to save money on your boiler in France

Amid rising energy costs and high inflation, saving on hot water can add up

What rises are expected to house and car insurance in France in 2024?

A two-year agreement to limit rises is set to end next year, but a minister has warned companies against ‘untenable’ rate increases

‘People feed their pets before themselves’, says French animal charity

The Normandy organisation uses a similar model to the famous Restos du Coeur to distribute donated pet food

Six tips for comparing energy suppliers in France to lower bills

Looking at offers from competing suppliers - away from the regulated EDF and Engie tariffs - could save money over the course of your contract

MAP: what to expect to pay in top-up health insurance across France

There is large variation between departments but average cost is significantly more than €250 per month for a couple

‘We built a €120,000 eco-house for a thrifty retirement in France’

The British couple self-built a kit home with the environment and lower cost of living in mind

Call for ‘energy sobriety’ in France shows gap between rich and poor

Companies are committing to energy-saving as part of a new ‘sobriété énergétique’ but experts say not everyone can afford to change their lifestyle

Fuel oil aid for homes in France: Who is eligible for the €100-200?

Cheques will be sent to eligible households from November onwards. We explain who is eligible, how to work out what you will receive, how to use the money, and when you can expect it

Pellet costs triple, logs up 20%: Firewood shortage worsens in France

Rising demand has caused more shortages and increased prices, with suppliers saying they are receiving up to 100 calls a day and ‘hoping to hold out until the end of the winter’

Heating in flats, solar panels, price rises: French government Q&A

Spokesperson Olivier Véran also says measures are being firmed up to help people who use heating oil or wood

French PM urges big business to return purchasing power to the public

Élisabeth Borne said that ‘everyone should be responsible’ and that she ‘would be paying attention to what large companies do’ with massive profits

Save money on an off-peak haircut, massage or manicure with French app

The service lets you book a cheaper appointment at quieter times – 10,000 salons are signed up

What food products have risen most in price in France?

New figures show that year-on-year, prices are up most for meat, pasta, margarine, and coffee, as a result of the war in Ukraine, energy costs, drought, frost, and lingering effects of Covid

Rising energy bills: France to keep price cap in 2023

The measure has already stopped prices from increasing by 40% and has kept inflation lower in France than in many other countries – but it has cost the state €24billion

French ski stations under pressure as energy contracts up for renewal

Prices up to 20 times higher than before are putting the opening of several resorts in doubt with sector professionals issuing a ‘cry for help’

Petition launches against ‘shrinkflation’ in shops in France

Have you noticed the practice whereby a product shrinks in size but its price does not? Two independent experts explain why its particularly useful to retailers

Inflation, climate, pensions: a tough ‘rentrée’ for French government

President Macron hopes for a peaceful return to work but the agenda is full of controversial issues

Macron: France must ‘face price of freedom’ over hardships from war

The president said that people will need ‘great fortitude’ as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine goes on

Community petrol station kept fuel prices low for French villagers

The pump price at the village-owned station in Coupiac, Aveyron covers costs and no more - shielding villagers from much of the fuel crisis

What will (likely) be included in France’s July spending power law

The government is aiming to bring in measures such as food vouchers and rent caps to ease the rising cost of living

Why hotel prices in France are going to keep rising

One quarter of hotel managers surveyed recently said they have already put their prices up, with a further 45% saying they plan to

Recap: 14 new rules and health changes in France

Flood warning app, psychologists visits and cheaper fuel - here are some French regulation changes that could affect you and your property

Cost of living in France: New details on ‘purchasing power’ law

Food cheques, limits on gas price rises, and increased benefits are among the measures set to be taken by the government

Cost of living: French service promises to find big savings on bills

If shopping around for the best deal on utilities, insurance or internet is not your idea of fun, this ‘concierge’ service could do it for you

Inflation remains concern for 2022 no matter who is French President

Partner article: ‘Purchasing power is the only rational definition of money’ - financial expert explains how to protect your future standard of living from inflation

French supermarket price wars continue as shoppers try to save money

More than half of people in a poll said spending power was of more concern to them than the Russian invasion of Ukraine

‘Why we were striking over inflation and worker pay in France today’

The Connexion went along to a demonstration in Nice as unions called for pay and pension rises to counter the public’s diminishing buying power

Why growing older in France is getting more expensive

The average cost of a ‘dignified retirement’ has risen from €12,514 per year in 2020 to €13,078 per year in 2021, as Covid has seen ‘people’s views on elderly care homes worsen’

Price of fruit and vegetables falls by 8% in France, melons down 21%

Most products have returned to the same prices as before the pandemic a study finds, but cherries, apricots and apples are still more expensive

Price comparison site launched for French MOT tests

The government has launched a MOT ( contrôles techniques ) price comparison tool to help drivers choose between test centres – many of whom charge different prices for the service.

Calls for free masks in France as mandatory wearing spreads

A French consumer association is calling for masks to be provided free by public services such as public transport and schools, as analysis shows that masks are now mandatory across more than a third of France.

New laws and changes in France: July 2020

New travel rules, caps on bank fees, payment of bills in newsagents, new rules for electromagnetic wave devices, cigarette packet costs, and “smooth” gas prices - here’s what changes in France from today (July 1).

Are you rich? New report defines what ‘rich’ means in France

What does it mean to be “rich” in France? A new report defines it as having at least twice the national median income, and says that there are five million such “rich people” living in France.

Costly lessons of living in France

Michael Delahaye and his wife Anni have moved to France not once but twice – first from the UK, then from Australia. Now they are back in Australia. He explains why they’ve left again…

‘Massive’ rise in French mutuelle costs attacked

Rises of up to 12% in the cost of mutuelle supplementary health insurance have been attacked by a consumer group.

Most popular cigarettes in France now cost €10 a pack

The cost of one packet of Marlboro cigarettes - the most-sold in France - will reach the symbolic price threshold of €10 on March 1, as the first of two annual government taxes is applied.

Petrol prices drop in France due to coronavirus

Fuel prices in France have dropped again this week, with an official price of €1.4028 per litre of diesel, as crude oil supplies continue to be affected by uncertainty over the new coronavirus epidemic.

The Costa spending your winter in Spain

Many of my neighbours have gone to Spain and who can blame them?

Sums do not add up for Brexit ‘losers’

Poor Mr and Mrs Carleton. What a sad story ( Pension drop brings worry, Connexion, January issue ) – “no holidays, no birthday treats, relying on charities”.

Pension drop brings worry

We chose to come and live in France long before our daughter came here in 2004, arriving in January 2005, which coincided with my 65th birthday (my wife was 62).

French OAP homes cost more than pensions

Pensioners in France need to dip into their nesteggs to pay for retirement homes (Ehpads) – a study showed average costs are 36% higher than pensions.

Tax rate cut for millions in France

An income tax reduction benefiting around 17 million households starts on January 1.

Organic food becoming more accessible in France

Organic food shops are no longer the preserve of affluent Paris suburbs, and are becoming a more accessible and cost-effective option across much of France, a new report has said.

Fostering alternative to care homes for elderly

Fostering costs 30% less on average than a retirement home

Why are calls to mobiles cheaper?

My French mobile phone company has reduced the cost of calls to UK mobiles. Is this due to an EU law? G.S.

Paris bar slammed for charging 50c for lemon slice

A bistro in Paris has been criticised for charging customers for a single slice of lemon in their drinks, after a customer called out the practice on social media.

Living standards in France stagnant for a decade

Average living standards and inequality have remained stagnant in France for the past 10 years, a new report has said, with the average quality of life having slightly improved in the past 12 months.

French stamps prices to rise by 10%

The cost of stamps is set to rise by 10% on January 1 next year, meaning the price of a green standard stamp will increase from €0.88 to €0.97.

What changes in France in June 2019

Changes this month include a drop in gas prices, an expected rise in electricity prices, and the launch of an online consultation into whether consumers will be able to keep their landline number for life.

Why are second-hand cars SO expensive in France?

A look at the forecourt of any car showroom in France is enough. Second-hand prices are exceptionally high – but why?

French Mutuelles targeted to boost spending power

Customers will soon be able to cancel a mutuelle top-up health insurance contract at any time after the first year – a move expected to boost spending power by up to €1.2billion a year.

Big variation in French non-prescription medicine cost

Non-prescription medication in France can vary in cost by as much as 300% - even for medication bought online - a rural family association has claimed, as it calls for greater price transparency.

France electricity bills rise to €1,000 per household

Average electricity bills in France could rise as high as €1,000 per household per year in June, as the bill freeze imposed by the government at the peak of the gilets jaunes movement is set to end.

Film reveals Gilets Jaunes protesters’ untold stories

A film about the gilets jaunes movement comes to cinemas on April 3, showing what life has been like for the people who decided to don a yellow jacket and regularly meet up on roundabouts and makeshift camps across France.

Decades of inequality lie behind French protests

After four months of weekly gilets jaunes protests, some of which have turned violent, the end is still not in sight.

French group Intermarché fined €375k for Nutella offer

Supermarket group Intermarché has been fined €375,000 for its 70% super-promotion of chocolate spread Nutella in January 2018, after the group was found to have broken discount rules.

Fuel rises don’t hit poorest - they don’t have cars

In the beginning, the gilets jaunes protests were said to highlight a divided nation – rich cities versus poor rural areas, but is that too simplistic?

Boost to buying power

Three-quarters of households are set to see a rise in purchasing power this year, with an average boost of €440, due in part to the measures introduced after the gilets jaunes protests.

Cost of living in France

RE. the reader query about the cost of living in France – a key point is income source. Anyone whose income is sterling-based should be aware of instability due to currency fluctuations.

Rising petrol prices prompt anger across France

Sentiment is growing across France against the rise in petrol prices this year, with campaigners seeking to protest on November 17, and a petition on the issue gathering over 300,000 names.

Cutback on medicine brands

Patients who refuse a generic medicine in place of a branded one from January 2020 will only be reimbursed based on the price of the generic, according to next year’s social security budget bill.

Fruit claims are fantasy

What a rubbish comment from Légumes de France president Jacques Rouchaussé in your online article on fruit and veg prices not being reality because of imports.

Cost of fruit and veg in France 'not reality'

The cost of fruit and vegetables in France is “disconnected from reality” due to artificially high prices and the sale of foreign produce, the president of French vegetable federation Légumes de France has said.

Tax bands set to rise

The income tax bands are set to rise by 1% next year, according to the draft version of the 2018 Finance Law.