How much does it take to live?

It’s not formatted very well and it doesn’t really add up but the answer is above - £175.55 from pension (though that is £9128.60 per year as far as I can see) then adding in the following weekly benefits - housing benefit of £76.55, Council Tax support of £16.51 and winter fuel payment at £3.84 (which is actually an annual lump sum of £200).

1 Like

Welcome back Norman, long time since you were active on this forum.

1 Like

I multiplied 272.45 by 52 and got 14000 odd which is why I was confused. 14167 something in fact.

Am I confused here or is the OP looking at UK cost of living to work out the cost of living in France?
Seems potentially misleading if so. For instance there is nothing at all in there for healthcare, which could be a significant factor in France.

No, Norman asked about house prices/cost of living in France - it was Jane Jones that posted the link to the UK calculator.

And with a mention a few posts back that not all is similar. I tend to think that the starting point for deciding whether you have enough money to do what you want to do is to work out what you spend now on your curremt lifestyle. From there it is then easier to see what is and isn’t achievable.

Correct but Jane thought the link useful, and within bounds it was. Of course I have no intention of returning to the UK. Still nice to know people are still happy to provide useful stuff. So thanks to all of you.

1 Like

In my experience I’ve always lived within my budget within reason. I’ve managed never to get into large amounts of debt and never managed to save much either. My disposable income is far less now than it was six years ago but I’m not sure where the extra money went, I seem to manage OK on what I’ve got now.
Is there also a hidden question here Norman? Are you asking for examples of affordable areas where there might be more going on for a person in your position?

None of those figures for council tax, water rates, gas and electric etc relate to current costs in the U.K. - the only discount for council tax is 25% for single occupancy.

C’ I hadn’t looked at it in that light, but almost certainly that would be a consideration, although I am not really a ‘Club Joiner’. I am in a developing situation which could might go either way, but I am checking out the options!

The UK figures are probably in the right ballpark but, especially for the case of a single pensioner are heavily biased by UK specific benefits and costs.

The list is a reasonable starting point, if only to make sure you have got a figure against each category and looked at, say how TdH and TF compare with UK council tax charges but I’d be very wary about using the headline figure without further analysis.

I think it’s possible to live on 832€ a month until you’re faced with the irregular bigger costs. Things like a new pair of glasses, new tyres for the car (cheapest quote for 2 tyres I could find was 166€), the washing machine breaks down and so on. What if there are bigger costs such as needing to replace the boiler or, even worse, the car?

If you have savings to cover these things then I think it can be done but, if you don’t, I imagine that you would feel vulnerable attempting to live on that amount.

All the best x

1 Like

I can’t remember what scenario 832€ a month applies to but it strikes me as tight.

Assuming a couple, not necessarily elderly but retired/inactif living in a paid-for 3 bedroom property in la not-so-profonde France, with a car, let’s make some headings (plus notes) for the essentials - per month:

Food - 320€
I’m basing this on our family spend, less a bit (less quite a lot actually). Maybe a little generous?

TF/TdH - 50€
I’m assuming no TdH as this is main residence. Our TF is a shade under 600€, don’t know if that is average or not. TF is not paid by certain groups (see later posts).

TV - 12€
TV licence s currently 139€ per year, but if you were means tested as exempt from TdH (which you would be if you only had 832€ per month income) then you would not pay the TV either.

Heating/energy - 100€
I’m lumping this all together, increased from 75€ based on @Teresaship’s comment; could still be a little on the low side depending on type of fuel used?

Water - 20€
We pay a fraction more

Refuse - 10€
We pay separately - it’s about 120€ a year for residents but that’s only one collection a month IIRC

Phone/Internet - 37€
Based on the base Orange tariff for VDSL internet+phone

Mobile - 25€
I’m assuming a mobile is not a luxury these days - 12.5€ as a “finger in the air” cost of a plan times 2

Household insurance - 25€
Ours is in the 300€ pa ballpark.

Motoring - 100€
I’m assuming modest vehicle petrol hatchback, low mileage, estimated running cost including maintenance, fuel and insurance 1200€ pa based on personal experience and published figures online (just google “motoring costs”).

Clothing - 50€
No idea, is 600 per year for a couple unreasonable? The last pair of jeans I bought were not expensive but still 60 quid.

Health - 67€
thanks to Peter Gobel for letting us know his mutuelle fees

I know the original query was for a single person but, apart from a lower food bill and just one mobile phone it probably isn’t much cheaper for one than it is for a couple.

Any comments - that’s 816€ per month (754€ if not paying TF/TV) without anything for health cover or much in the way of luxuries - no eating out, no cinema, no small amount put aside per month for unexpected bills, no household costs, no toiletries etc.

Have I forgotten any categories, would anyone care to proffer figures based on experience living in France??

Over to you!

Do you speak French? Do you want to be close to best hospitals just in case? Do you want more sunshine than 90℅ of Spain? Easy airports to UK? Fastest trains etc? Ever wondered why some regions are cheap for houses ? Do you like the beach? By tram for £1?
OK you can’t buy for £70K but that could get you 15 years of rent near Montpellier.
Renting is cheaper here. Buying has lots of extra expenses. 9℅ here, 7℅ there etc.
Buy somewhere north you’ll be cold and maybe cut off in the winter.
Good luck.

We are inactif. Out TF/TH is almost €200 a month. We do have a pool but it’s not a big house. Hopefully the TH will drop a bit next year once we are resident. I think your heating estimate a bit on the low side for people who are older depending to some extent on type of fuel.
Otherwise probably about right.

I’ve tweaked the heating up and the total down based on the fact that if you really did only have 832€ then you will be exempt from paying Taxe Foncière and the TV on income grounds.

If not covered by S1 then adding in health insurance would easily take you significantly over 832€ per month.

Any other comments welcome.

Why would health insurance take you significantly over €832 per month? If they were registered with PUMA they would be paying 8% of nothing and that’s really not very much at all.

Don’t you need to fund health yourself (initially at least) if not covered by an S1?

You can apply for PUMA after 3 months.

1 Like

So, I can move to France next week (aged 55 so no S1) not working and get my healthcare for free after three months?

1 Like