[512346]

One of the most frequent questions asked on a French forum is the the cost of living France. Now I would argue that living in France has become very expensive over the years but others may disagree.

For me it is all about tax.

What do you think ? Is France expensive ?

 

[DejW]

ANOTHER one of your excellent starting posts, Smeggie!

Yes, the subject often comes up.

Frankly, I've no idea at all....to compare "cost of living" in France and UK. For a start I've been out of the UK for 16 years.

You rightly say tax is a major factor. Again, I can't compare UK and France for tax (and include NI / cotisations). Headline tax rates are deceiving, in France you get lots of allowances. I'm not going to start calculating my tax position today using UK tax and NI tables!

Another difficulty is that of the "tourist" costs for holidays living. Is France expensive for holidays...don't know, but holiday spending has not much in common with the cost of living in France. It's probably the tourist cost of living that gets the headlines in the UK press?

Has anybody done a serious study...it would not be easy. And then you have to consider life styles and personal values. I know several French families that eat simply on quite a limited budget..no cordon bleu there.

In another thread I jokingly (yes EH, it was a joke) said that my diet of champagne, oysters and caviar was cheaper in France than elsewhere. Perhaps I'll do a world trip to sample the pleasure and costs in 100 different countries? Who wants to come with me? (Actually, I don't like oysters enough to want to pay for them.....I'll just double up on the champagne)

What do others think?

DejW

One of the most frequent questions asked on a French forum is the the cost of living France. Now I would argue that living in France has become very expensive over the years but others may disagree.

For me it is all about tax.

What do you think ? Is France expensive ?

 

[512346]

It is the ultimate question for those looking to move to France.

Houses/apartments (outside of a major French city) look quite cheap to expats I guess but I think that is a false reality.

It is the day to day costs that are expensive. Or are they ? Do we have it good in France ?

What is the cost of living in America for example ? Is it cheaper or more expensive than France ?

 

[Bevdeforges]

Be careful or I'm going to shift this thread over to the "serious question" part of the forum. <ggg>

Interesting that you should raise the issue of taxes here. Coming from the US (as I do, but kind of hate to admit lately) there is this idea that you pay "so much" tax in France - and yes, if you count things like VAT and cotisations as well as income tax and all those other "fun" taxes, I suppose we do. But although the US tax rates are lower (with the exception of "property tax" which covers both taxe d'habitation and taxe fonciere here), you then have to pay privately for such things as health insurance, health care "co-pays", saving up to send your kids to university, building up an emergency fund "just in case" you lose your job (because the unemployment system is fairly pathetic in the US) or suffer a major catastrophe that is either uninsured or where you saved money by buying the "high deductible" insurance, kicking in toward your retirement savings account (because US social security is designed to be only a "safety net" in retirement). Add all that stuff up that is covered by the taxes in France (or in most EU countries these days) and I suspect Americans pay much more for fewer "public services."

/rant mode off
Cheers,
Bev

 

[DejW]

Bev, it's not often I'm invited to spread my ghastly sense of humour....but I'll do my best.

Perhaps you are right....it is a serious subject...a bit difficult for me. I'll just spend my money of the simple pleasures and go hang with it.

...steward.!....another bottle of that expensive vintage champagne!

DejW

Be careful or I'm going to shift this thread over to the "serious question" part of the forum. <ggg>

Interesting that you should raise the issue of taxes here. Coming from the US (as I do, but kind of hate to admit lately) there is this idea that you pay "so much" tax in France - and yes, if you count things like VAT and cotisations as well as income tax and all those other "fun" taxes, I suppose we do. But although the US tax rates are lower (with the exception of "property tax" which covers both taxe d'habitation and taxe fonciere here), you then have to pay privately for such things as health insurance, health care "co-pays", saving up to send your kids to university, building up an emergency fund "just in case" you lose your job (because the unemployment system is fairly pathetic in the US) or suffer a major catastrophe that is either uninsured or where you saved money by buying the "high deductible" insurance, kicking in toward your retirement savings account (because US social security is designed to be only a "safety net" in retirement). Add all that stuff up that is covered by the taxes in France (or in most EU countries these days) and I suspect Americans pay much more for fewer "public services."

/rant mode off
Cheers,
Bev

 

[conky2]

Oh smeggie, another one of your super excellent, interesting threads.

I cant say i know the answer to this. Take rabbits fir instance. Are they more exoensive here than in England? I dont know. Some people just shoot them and get them for free. I can imagine many americans just going out and shooting rabbits so i expect that they are very cheap there.

I have no idea how much a rabbit is taxed. We dont seem to see many rabbits wild around here, but there are lots of hares. Are hares more expensive than rabbits. I one paid quite a lot of money in a restauarant in Brussels for their speciality which was hare. I cant say i enjoyed it very much, so Belgium must be more expensive.

How do you kill a hare by the way?:behindsofa::

 

[512346]

How do you kill a hare by the way?:behindsofa::

Whacking it on the back of the neck apparently is quite efficient. Having said that, hares are quite big.

I reckon hitting it with a frying pan would do the trick. At least it knows where it is going once the job is done.

Now forgive me, Eastenders is starting in 5 mins.

BTW, I had sardines on toast tonight. Could not afford anything more glam.

 

[conky2]

Whacking it on the back of the neck apparently is quite efficient. Having said that, hares are quite big.

I reckon hitting with a frying pan would do the trick. At least it knows where it is going once the job is done.

Now forgive me, Eastenders is starting in 5 mins.

BTW, I had sardines on toast tonight. Could not afford anything more glam.

Go ahead smeg. Watching Eastenders whilst living in gay Paris! How very middle class. Do you warch from behind the sofa? I would. All those great unwashed from the east end of Lunnon. How's dirty den these days?

 

[512346]

Go ahead smeg. Watching Eastenders whilst living in gay Paris! How very middle class. Do you warch from behind the sofa? I would. All those great unwashed from the east end of Lunnon. How's dirty den these days?

Back in Tours now Conky....keep up.

Dirty Den is having is having an affair. Angie has not found out yet.

Flipin heck, buy your own satellite dish.

 

[DejW]

Hares....in Mrs Beeton's famous cookery book. (1870????) there is a recipe for jugged hare. She starts the cooking method with. "first catch your hare".

When a boy there hares in the wheatfields. .....never saw one for more than a few seconds., they are fast

haring off.......DejW

 

[conky2]

Back in Tours now Conky....keep up.

Dirty Den is having is having an affair. Angie has not found out yet.

Flipin heck, buy your own satellite dish.

Sorry. I hope you didnt choke on your sardines. I can see why you dont rate the food over here.

I thought you were still in your fancy apartment
Off the boulevard Saint Michel?

Where you kept all your rolling stones records
And a friend of Sacha Distel'

Aha aha

 

[Bevdeforges]

Oh dear, you would think by now I'd know better than to accuse Smeg of starting a "serious" thread in the Bistro. Sorry about that - it has been a long day and it is late now.

Carry on....
Cheers,
Bev

 

[SoleilCouchant]

:rofl: what's going on

 

[Colburn]

...I would argue that living in France has become very expensive over the years...

You could move to Slovenia.
I hear that it's cheaper than France.