France: Bargains & Budget Shocks!

[@firedupinfrance]

Thanks for watching 😊 Did anything surprise you in the video?🍷🏥🥐🥖🚅

[@OscarKlein-s9d]

De rien. Your videos are always full of surprises. All good. Merci beaucoup!

[@chucku00]

6:14 IDK where you checked out the Dijon - Paris excessive ticket price, but I just checked it out and trainline gave me a maximum price of 54€ in first class for a ride today. And if you can manage to book a second class ticket for a ouigo TGV for next saturday, you can get it for 13€.

[@Janpoldeu]

@@chucku00 Totally agree. I was also shocked at the fare Suzi quoted. A trip from Dijon to Paris is actually much MUCH cheaper than that. As an example (provided you book early enough), you can even cross most of France and travel from Paris to Perpignan on a high speed train for less than €50!

[@chucku00]

@@Janpoldeu Merci de confirmer cette info. Par ailleurs, ton pseudo m'a permis de me rappeler d'une chanson qui va sur ses 40 ans, elle va sans doute t'amuser si tu la connaissais pas déjà : kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJTTmqx3gciefpY 😜

[@Janpoldeu]

@@chucku00 Ahaha, nan je connaissais pas, j'adore ! 😂

[@sacroyalty]

In San Francisco area, phone plan - I pay $9/mo (Tello). Used to pay $17/ mo (Mint Mobile). Home internet - $35/mo (xfinity). But I’m always looking for deals and not afraid to move companies.

[@mohammedsharif2651]

Excellent video, Suzi. Thank you 🙏👏. Totally agree with you. We just came back from a 1.5 month trip in France (Paris, Lyon and Montpellier) and we found cost of living there to be cheaper than what we pay in Southern California. However, as you said salaries in the USA are higher than France. I really enjoy watching your videos. ❤️ 🇫🇷

[@firedupinfrance]

Thank you 😊 I’m glad you enjoyed your time here in France ☺️

[@iparipaitegianiparipaitegi4643]

I think you can’t compare the % of salary spent for food. Americans eat a lot of cheap processed food (highly industrial), whereas many Frenchies prefer local fresh production, which is more expensive, but healthier.

[@blktauna]

Its more about availability of the unprocessed food than choice. Many areas simply have no supermarkets.

[@StephanieHughesDesign]

Meme dans grande de villes comme Los Angeles, CA et Phoenix, AZ vous ne trouver pas patisseries aussi bon comme bien celui montré dans ta vidéo. Certainment le prix. J'suis envieux dans votre la vie en France ! Merci.

[@LauraShangraw]

So happy I found your channel! Very informative. Appreciate all the research you do! I am in Greenville, SC and went into a “European” bakery downtown over the weekend because I was craving a chocolate croissant and it was $6.75!!! And it was half the size of the ones you show in the video! Cannot wait until I arrive in Dijon 🥳😁

[@firedupinfrance]

Oh my 🫣 $6.75!? Wow!

[@LauraShangraw]

@ I know, right?! And this isn’t even a big city! 🤣

[@bobsharma6461]

Simply an excellent video and thank you for your time and research. I have found wines in France a little cheaper overall. Your videos make us want to come back to France sooner than planned. 😊

[@alainott]

Cellphone is usualy 15 to 20 € Internet 40 to 50 € with television+ netfix+ prime Croissants and baguette are around 1€ here in strasbourg

[@jean-philippeplanas9682]

Excellent and most informative, thank you.

[@zeitgeist888]

Thank you for sharing. We pay $50 plus $10 per gig for data on our cell phone plan. Our fiber internet cost $65/month and we don't have a landline or cable/TV just internet. We pay $30 per office visit and $250 for emergency room visit with Blue Cross Blue SHield PPO. If we can find a decent pain au chocolat (which isn't easy) they cost between $4-5.50. These are just a few reasons we are moving to France in 2026. SO much is equal or better and costs less. We are looking to buy an EV when we move to France to hopefully help offset the higher fuel prices and ease the CritAire issues in big cities that seems to be expanding. I would love to see a video on EVs in France.

[@firedupinfrance]

@@zeitgeist888 thank you for all these additional data points 🤗 Hm, EVs…great idea (to get one and for a video 😆) …I’m more into my electric bike, but I’ll see what I can come up with 😊

[@jacquesdirelande]

$300 every 2 weeks comes out of my paycheck for health insurance, and $70 every 2 weeks for dental. Copay is $30 a visit for an in network doctor’s visit, and $250 for an ER visit. Cellphone is 190/month for 4 family phones, and internet costs 85/month. Cut cable TV because it was $100+/month. Car insurance for 2 cars is $750 every 6 months. Et un pain au chocolate coute environ $4.50. 😊

[@cynthiacampbell2257]

We are in Virginia, USA. We budget 300$ a month for medical expenses (doc appt co-pays mostly)

[@OscarKlein-s9d]

Bonjour, Suzi. Absolutely love your channel. Great content! My wife and I live in the Great Lakes Region. Our internet is $83.00 per month, plus another $40.00 for streaming services. We pay $50.00 for our telecom. Auto insurance for both our autos is close to $1,000.00 per year. We'd much rather prefer paying a little more for food each month than paying so much for internet, telecom, and transportation. We're planning a trip to France in 2026. Your channel is helping us so much. Merci beaucoup!

[@firedupinfrance]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching and for the additional info! (I just checked how much we pay for car insurance - 25€/month for my old, little jalopy 🤭 Seems like a lot to me considering I hardly drive it 😆)

[@baronvontollbooth484]

Another very informative video. Thank you! Here in East Tennessee, I pay $85 per month (about 80.20 Euros at today's exchange rate) to Spectrum just for a landline and internet, no cable TV. Gasoline is cheap though. $2.60 per gallon here. If I figured it right, that is about 65 Euro cents per liter. People here always complain about the price of gas. To them I say be glad you're not paying what the Europeans are. If you were, you'd ditch that V8 pick-up pretty fast.

[@luisafrnz5932]

Fab video, love the variety of items you compared.

[@isayx3]

For mobile phone we pay at least $40 a month per phone. Our home internet (no landline) keeps going up and is currently $89 a month for 300mbps speed. Definitely much more expensive here (california).

[@rlarson6107]

Hi Suzy! Thank you for your videos! Always such great information! We live in California and the costs for everything are HIGH! We pay $205/mo for cell phones (3 lines), high speed internet is $100/mo, auto insurance is $1000/yr for 2 vehicles, gas prices fluctuate between $5.30-4.60/gallon, home owners insurance is $900/mo, healthcare insurance is $900/mo with LOTs of out of pocket expenses on top of monthly premiums, doctor visit costs are typically from $150-$750/visit, especially if going to UCLA or any specialist then you’re looking at $650-750/hr, sometimes $1200 (this doesn’t include any labs!) Labs are extremely expensive! And food here is also crazy expensive with our grocery bills weekly running around $250/wk for family of 3. One thing I’ve noticed that is cheaper in US compared to France are household items such as pillows, blankets, decorative items, sheets, towels, etc. I also think furniture is cheaper in the US. I’m sure this is because of all the cheap products from China which France doesn’t have. It seems that France doesn’t allow imports of these goods? And things may be changing in US with new tariffs… But could you speak to the household items in France? Maybe I wasn’t shopping in the correct stores when we lived there for 3 months?… Warm Wishes!

[@raminsamii745]

well you need to take into consideration that sale taxes are 20%, so everything is so much more expensive. I grew up in France, and moved to USA when i was 18, so every year I go back and visit my parents for the past 27 years. If you want to retire in France, then it becomes interesting, because within a few months you can get enrolled into their social security( For an American citizen), and all you need a complementary private health insurance for 150-180$ per month and you are fully covered at 100%, no coinsurance, no deductibles. Just higher gas prices, grocery was way cheaper when I moved to USA, but since the pandemic forget it, I will prefer a better quality fruits, vegetables at maybe less expensive grocery prices than we pay in USA. I was in France last January, and the Fresh whole wheat bread at a bakery was 10 Euros a kilo, that was quite expensive.

[@firedupinfrance]

@@rlarson6107 oh my, that all sounds quite expensive - especially the healthcare-related expenses 😳 As for household items, here in Dijon, we have an Ikea where things (like furniture) seem pretty affordable. I have also bought second hand furniture using Le Bon Coin. There’s a company I’ve bought some items from (during les soldes) that doesn’t have a shop, but which sells a lot of items that are made in France or Europe called Camif. And as for things like linens, basic items can be found at affordable prices at big supermarkets like Carrefour and, again, Ikea, but then there are also all the higher-end shops in the city center which do seem more expensive. Hope that helps ☺️

[@beauthestdane]

Cell service here in the US is usually $30+ (could be very plus) per month.

[@arborealscout4252]

Thanks again - very interesting! No surprises for me in this vlog. I think in general if a country has allowed itself to be controlled by capitalism and profits over quality of life, then we end up with a situation the US is in now. Stockholders are happy. With regard to pharmaceuticals, in the US we consumers are also paying for the R & D and marketing that (at least American) companies claim is necessary to provide drugs, then the rest of the world benefits from cheaper prices, as you have noted. And the healthcare system and paradigm is such a mess I won't even go there...! Re food, my impression is, because France and some other countries care more deeply about their agricultural and food cultural traditions, spend more time daily on meal times, and choose higher quality products and preparations, that some food is going to cost more. And for some products it's not even a real comparison, comparing some French food with American. In many US stores and bakeries, what they call a baguette or croissant is not even made by people, nor without preservatives, nor with high quality eggs, butter, or chocolate, for example, which are expensive. Often you find a "baguette" or "croissant" and it is not that at all, it's just American white bread in the shape of those products. I went to culinary school for 3 years for baking and pastry (with a French chef teacher) and learned European artisanal and traditional methods and recipes, and I know that the average bakery in the US is not making those products the way they make them in France, because we (mostly) don't have that same craftsperson education and training, so we aren't using the same methods, nor do we have laws about what is a baguette or croissant (or what is any product AOC). So to even find an equal bakery product in the US is a challenge in the first place. If we even have the knowledge to know what to look for and have the availability near us of equivalent products, I think we pay more for it do to scarcity, the higher cost of labor, and the costs of high quality ingredients- not surprising. I know things are changing in France too where non-butter croissants exist, industrial preps exist, and many bakery products are actually made elsewhere then frozen for delivery to "bakeries" but that is by law somewhat made known to the consumer, and the price for the good stuff is still not magnitudes higher. And at least France is changing slower and has the cultural expectations to be able to insist on high quality if they choose, and it seems they still mostly do. But hey I bet our Lucky Charms cereal, and kids' lunch box contents (all with main ingredient high fructose corn syrup) are cheaper! 🤣

[@firedupinfrance]

Wow - wonderful insights - thank you ☺️ We’ll have to keep the true artisans in business so they can keep the traditions going 🤗

[@arborealscout4252]

@@firedupinfrance Agreed! Ironically, I could not afford to quit my "real" job (which also paid for my culinary school) to become a baker. But if high school / college age kids start off with that education and are employed by a well-managed hotel / resort / restaurant group, (which also includes benefits) they can do well over time. 🥐

[@ariannewdnotbe]

Great video. Since I’ve been married to a 🇫🇷guy for many years, I enjoy ‘Life in France’ videos. Yours stand out because they aren’t about the 5 best bistros selling steak frites or great gifts to bring home from France. Most are doing the same. You offer practical advice, particularly related to money. May I suggest a topic? I see YT videos & comments on them about people being in love with the idea of moving to France to work or retire. Going back & forth to visit family & friends for so many years, I am perplexed by videos where people say one need not speak much French to live in 🇫🇷. Equally odd, is people who have a plan to move to France in a year or two & “ just rent because I can’t afford to buy on retirement income.” I think a video on housing costs might be interesting & useful. I know someone with a lot of money who had a terrible time trying to find a place to rent in Paris because he was self-employed. Landlords want signed employment contracts. People need to understand the laws around renting, lease terms such as taxes paid by tenants, & actual costs. Then there’s the need to understand how to buy a house in 🇫🇷. Thanks.

[@firedupinfrance]

@@ariannewdnotbe thank you for the encouragement and great suggestions! As a homeowner and landlord, I should be able to put together something on housing - at least about the market I’m familiar with here in Dijon 😌

[@SueIsRetiringToFrance]

Loved the info. One request? As someone with ADHD, the background music (although lovely) is incredibly distracting. You have a lovely voice. Leave the background quiet!

[@lenoracooper7729]

Yes, please!

[@lesfreresdelaquote1176]

The price of the iPhone in France are given with tax, which is not the case for the US. I was in New York a couple of years ago and I though that buying an iPhone on the 5th would be a great idea. But I didn't realize that the price was without tax. With 15% tax in New York, it was almost the same as in France...

[@beauthestdane]

For internet, it varies a lot, currently paying $93 a month. No landline, no cable.

[@Janpoldeu]

As an important reminder for your American viewers, to put things in perspective, the MEDIAN net income in France is around €23,000 per year. And the regional differences are considerable. There are millions of workers in rural or small-town France who would dream of making that much, but only get the minimum wage (€17,000 net/year) or slightly more. So yes, France can be a bargain...but having US-based income certainly helps!

[@arvinnaraghi652]

In US. Mobile bill, $184 for unlimited use 5G for two numbers.

[@oldbadgui3351]

Crazy cheaper in France for almost everything it sounds. Like 75% to 50% or less than what I am paying for things in Western New York. With the exception for gas for the car and tolls.

[@lollygee172]

My mobile service for w phones, 10GB/month with one phone currently being ‘financed’ is $135/month so yeah….my gigabit speed internet is $125/month.

[@clio2rsminicup]

1:09 "Pain au Chocolat" and not the false of course "Chocolatine" Now we are sure, you are perfectly integrated and a true French Citizen! 😁🤣

[@chucku00]

Mais non, c'est "pain à la chocolatine", juste pour enquiquiner tout le monde.

[@firedupinfrance]

Un ami m’a expliqué qu’à Dijon, à partir du moment que c’est vraiment la forme d’un croissant, on dit croissant au chocolat, alors que quand c’est carré, on dit pain au chocolat. Logique ! 🤣😂

[@anthonydelcoure1264]

Are taxes included for IPhone prices in the United States? In France, they are.

[@uncontented7433]

if you have an electric vehicle , to fuel the car is still pretty similar to the US even tho recently (since russian conflict) some "eu laws" forced France to rise electricity prices to (domestic "air") gas price. 80€/m for internet is not that cheap in france, should be at least half. i guess u subscribed to some good TV options , here in france i pay 60€ (now 50€ first year) for fiber 8 gb/s including netflix , prime video , disney+, Max , and 280 channels and being with same provider for mobile is 16€/m for real (no throttle so far) unlimited 5g. ye salary are usually lower but for every employees that also adds retirement plan , unemployement insurance , 5 paid weeks vacancy + officials paid days-off , health care , minimum wage at 9,40€ /h (11,88 gross) , ... also one thing i remember , i think the price of the iphone from US online store is before taxes, in France usual prices must be only shown with all taxes already in it for citizens , except in some cases like for pro but "HT" must be written beside.

[@lollygee172]

I wonder if the difference in food spending is explained by comparing dining out budgets?

[@firedupinfrance]

Maybe, good point - I wish I had more time to delve into the research 😌

[@jeffbgoldman]

Internet in Philadelphia is $50/month

[@blktauna]

I just checked the iPhone 15 over 800$ so not so dissimilar. You are also tied into a provider in the US. The food thing is important to the French and in all honesty, not so much for Americans. That money will go to eating out vs cooking at home.

[@BurtGordon-o2u]

And this is before the tariffs

[@BurtGordon-o2u]

9:20. Those US cost estimates are on the LOW side.

[@trthib]

You forgot to take into account that prices in France are already including the sales taxes while US prices aren't

[@firedupinfrance]

Yep - oops, sorry about that🫣 🤭 Thanks for pointing that out!

[@rjh2772]

is there a large American expats in Dijon

[@firedupinfrance]

I’m not really plugged into a big expat community here, personally, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t one at all. If the markers of a big expat community are things like big international employers, an international (English-instruction) school, consulats and embassies, bars and events where expats gather - we don’t have those things here - at least not as far as I know. I have a fair number of friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who are not French, though 😊

[@rjh2772]

@@firedupinfrance We are just looking for other Americans to connect with due to the lack of speaking and understanding French

[@trthib]

@@rjh2772 Why would you move to a country if you have no intention of integrating there ? Speaking the local language is the most basic, respectful thing you can (and definitely should do). Americans with the expats mindset will undoubtedly be the ones to fail in a country like France (and most of Europe). If you just move to get a cheaper lifestyle you won't be or feel welcome...

[@sunmand6136]

Healthcare! Healthcare! Healthcare!. In the U.S we are seen as an ATM and a line item. I will go out on a limb and say that France treats patients as Human beings and not as an entity that needs to be ROBBED like in the U.S.

[@Briochepepites]

Your cotisations pay for the majority of your healthcare not so much your mutuelle and is roughly 13% of your cotisations.

[@jmbig]

Pour comprendre il suffit de regarder votre fiche de paie mensuelle ... Tous les prélèvements y sont indiqués ... Cela va de la sécurité sociale, la retraite, le chômage, à la mutuelle, il y a ce que vous cotisez et également ce que votre employeur cotise ... Apparaissent également les jours de congés payés ...😁😁

[@firedupinfrance]

Merci ☺ Je ne vois que « cot pat maladie deplafon » et « cot pat mal majoration » sur ma fiche de paie (d’un travail dans le publique) - c’est ça ? C’est tout ? 😌 Et la CSG ? Et la CRDS ? Elles vont aussi en partie à la « sécu » ? Je n’ai jamais cherché à comprendre toutes ces lignes sur ma fiche de paie - mais il est temps 🤭

[@jmbig]

@firedupinfrance oui ... C'est tout ça ...😁😁

[@jmbig]

@firedupinfrance cot pal ... Pour cotisation patronale ... Etc ...

[@jmbig]

@firedupinfrance et il y a votre colonne ... Ce qu'on vous prélève ...et la colonne patronale ... Ce qu'on prélève à votre patron ... En gros il faut enlever 20% du salaire brut pour avoir le net ...

[@asterixky]

I have been a French expat in the US for the last 40 years and thinking retiring in France. Yes life and healthcare is so much cheaper in France, but if instability in the world happen, like the war in Ukraine, the US has so much more material and intellectual resources that its economy is not going to suffer as much as any other countries in Europe. Also, the healthcare system in France might be unsustainable as it represent 12% of GDP vs 3% of Medicare in the US.

[@abfab2517]

no way. France spent under 5% whereas the Us spend more. Do not add retirement benefits in the equation.