Paris: what to see and whether to move there

What the city lives on and who it suits

Paris is the capital of France, with about 2.1 million people in the city and over 12 million in the Île-de-France region. It is home to finance, fashion, luxury brands, tourism, science, major universities and the headquarters of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and UNESCO. La Défense in the west is one of Europe's main business districts, and the tech sector grows around the world's largest start-up campus.

Paris suits talent passport professionals, start-up founders, researchers, students and people with passive income on the visitor card. It is harder for those expecting cheap spacious housing and quick answers from authorities.

Neighbourhoods: where newcomers settle

• Central arrondissements 1 to 7: history, museums, expensive.
• The Marais: galleries, cafés, boutiques, lively.
• The 15th and 16th: quiet, family-oriented, good schools, international schools nearby.
• The 10th, 11th and 20th: younger, cheaper, many cafés and bars.
• Neuilly and Boulogne-Billancourt suburbs: quiet, green and expensive, near La Défense.

Cost of living

Exchange rate: $1.12 per euro on 6 October 2026. By law the employer pays half of the transport pass.

Practicalities: renting, documents, climate

Renting. Paris caps rents by area and type of housing. Owners ask for proof of income, often three times the rent, or a guarantor; a state guarantee exists for some categories of foreigners. Documents. The talent card and other residence permits are handled through the state portal for foreigners. Climate. Temperate, with summer heatwaves and winters around zero.

Taxes

• income tax runs from 0% to 45% on a progressive scale, plus social levies on investment income;
• corporate tax is 25%, with 15% on the first €42,500 for small businesses;
• professionals recruited from abroad have a special regime partly exempting their relocation premium for several years.

More on the Taxes in France page.

Moving and legal status

• the talent passport: a card for up to 4 years, a qualified employee from €39,582 gross a year, an EU Blue Card from €59,373, an investor from €300,000;
• the start-up visa: for founders of innovative projects;
• the visitor card: income of about €1,478 a month, no work;
• from 1 May 2026 the first talent or employee card costs €350;
• Russian citizens need a long-stay visa, and for trips a Schengen visa, since November 2025 usually single-entry.

Schools and healthcare

State schools are free and teach in French, with international sections and private international schools in English. After legalisation residents join state health insurance, which refunds most costs, while top-up insurance covers the rest.

How to rent a flat

An unfurnished lease runs for 3 years and a furnished one for a year, and the deposit is capped by law: one month unfurnished and two furnished. The file includes a passport, residence permit, employment contract and income statements, and good flats go within days. Many first rent furnished housing short term and then look for a permanent home.

Is the city worth considering

The pluses are culture, a large job market, a path to citizenship after 5 years, strong schools and healthcare, and trains across Europe. The minuses are expensive cramped housing, high taxes, bureaucracy and French required for citizenship. Paris works for professionals and entrepreneurs ready for a long adaptation.