In short
Athens is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month, against about €2,430 in Paris. France offers Americans a retirement visa. Greece offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Citizenship takes about 5 years of residence in France and 7 in Greece. Every figure below is checked against official sources.
The verdict
Which Country Fits You?
Where one side is clearly better for most Americans, it gets the point — the rest depends on your plans.
Choose France if…
- You live on a pension or savings and want the lower bar: Visitor visa — income at least €1,477.93 net a month; no work in France.
- You want citizenship sooner: 5 years, B2 French and a civic exam; dual citizenship allowed.
- Healthcare matters most: PUMa: workers from day one, others after 3 months of stable residence.
Choose Greece if…
- You live on a pension or savings: Financially independent person — €3,500 a month; no work.
- You want lower costs — about €930 a month less for a single person with a central 1-bedroom in Athens.
- You want a special tax regime for retirees: 7% flat on all foreign income for retirees with a foreign pension, up to 15 years.
- You want residence through investment: Golden visa — €800,000 property in Athens and popular islands, €400,000 elsewhere, €250,000 to convert or restore a building; 5-year permit. France has none.
Retirement Visa
France Asks Less Income From Retirees
| France | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement / passive-income visa | FranceVisitor visa — income at least €1,477.93 net a month; no work in France✓ | GreeceFinancially independent person — €3,500 a month; no work |
| Public healthcare | FrancePUMa: workers from day one, others after 3 months of stable residence | GreecePublic cover through social-security contributions; FIP and golden-visa holders need private insurance |
| Special tax regime | FranceImpatriate regime — tax relief until the end of the 8th year | Greece7% flat on all foreign income for retirees with a foreign pension, up to 15 years |
Cost of Living
Athens Is About €930 a Month Cheaper
| France | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Franceabout €1,385 (Paris) | Greeceabout €665 (Athens)✓ |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Franceabout €1,035 (Paris) | Greeceabout €575 (Athens)✓ |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Franceabout €1,045 (Paris) | Greeceabout €835 (Athens)✓ |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Franceabout €2,430 (Paris) | Greeceabout €1,500 (Athens)✓ |
Living costs: Numbeo estimates for the capital (2026), as shown with sources on each city guide and in the key facts below.
Settling In
France Leads to Citizenship Sooner
| France | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | France10-year carte de résident after 5 years, with B1 French and a civic exam | GreeceLong-term residence after 5 years, with Greek language and civics |
| Citizenship | France5 years, B2 French and a civic exam; dual citizenship allowed✓ | Greece7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed |
| Public healthcare | FrancePUMa: workers from day one, others after 3 months of stable residence | GreecePublic cover through social-security contributions; FIP and golden-visa holders need private insurance |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| France | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Special tax regime | FranceImpatriate regime — tax relief until the end of the 8th year | Greece7% flat on all foreign income for retirees with a foreign pension, up to 15 years |
| Usual company | FranceSAS or SARL — capital deposited with a bank or notary | GreeceIKE — capital from €1; no notary with standard articles |
| Corporate tax | France25% (15% on the first €42,500 for SMEs) | Greece22%✓ |
US citizens & Green Card holdersThe US still taxes you
Wherever you live, the US taxes its citizens on worldwide income. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the year.
Daily Life
Daily Life in Paris and Athens
| France | Greece | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | FranceAbout 2.10 million; 12.6 million in Île-de-France | GreeceAbout 643,000; 3.8 million in Attica |
| Public transport (capital) | FranceNavigo monthly pass €90.80, all zones incl. airports | GreeceMonthly pass €27; metro to the airport €9 |
| Nonstop flights to the US | FranceNonstop to Paris from many US cities | GreeceAbout 10 hours nonstop from New York — year-round and seasonal routes |
| Currency | FranceEuro | GreeceEuro |
FAQ
France or Greece? Your questions
Is Paris or Athens cheaper?
Athens is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,500 a month there, against about €2,430 in Paris (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €1,385 in Paris and €665 in Athens.
Can I retire in France or Greece as an American?
France: Visitor visa — income at least €1,477.93 net a month; no work in France. Greece: Financially independent person — €3,500 a month; no work.
How long until I can get citizenship?
France: 5 years, B2 French and a civic exam; dual citizenship allowed. Greece: 7 years, B1 Greek and civics exam; dual citizenship allowed.
Do I still pay US taxes if I move?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. You keep filing a US return, and an FBAR once your foreign accounts total more than $10,000. Foreign tax credits and the treaties usually prevent paying twice on the same income.
France vs Greece: key factsLast verified 30 September 2026
| France: 1-bed apartment, Paris | about €1,385/month in the centre, €1,035 outside estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Paris (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|
| France: Living costs, single person (Paris) | about €1,045/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Paris (Sep 2026) |
| Greece: 1-bed apartment, Athens | about €665/month in the centre, €575 outside estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Athens (Sep 2026) |
| Greece: Living costs, single person (Athens) | about €835/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Athens (Sep 2026) |
| France: Visitor visa (visiteur) | For people living on their own means who will not work in France; income at least the net SMIC — €1,477.93 a month (from June 2026) Source: Service-Public: temporary residence card "visiteur" · Service-Public: SMIC (minimum wage) |
| Greece: Financially independent person (FIP) | €3,500 a month (€42,000 a year), +20% for a spouse and +15% per child; no work in Greece Source: TaxLaw Greece: residence permit for financially independent persons (Feb 2026) |
| France: Public health insurance (PUMa) | Workers from the start of their job; others after 3 months of stable residence Source: Service-Public: universal health protection (PUMa) |
| Greece: Healthcare | Public cover (EOPYY) comes through Greek social-security (EFKA) contributions; FIP and golden visa holders need private insurance Source: Argophilia: optional health insurance for third-country pensioners · TaxLaw Greece: residence permit for financially independent persons (Feb 2026) |
| France: Impatriate regime | Tax relief for people recruited from abroad, until the end of the 8th year Source: impots.gouv.fr: impatriate regime |
| Greece: 7% regime for pensioners | If you receive a foreign pension, all your foreign income can be taxed at a flat 7% for up to 15 years; not tax resident in Greece in 5 of the previous 6 years; apply by 31 March Source: Income Tax Code art. 5B: 7% regime for foreign pensioners · PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — individual tax incentives |
| France: Carte de résident | After 5 years; 10-year card; income at least the gross SMIC, B1 French (under 65) and a civic exam Source: Service-Public: EU long-term resident card · Service-Public: French language and civic exam for multi-year cards and the carte de résident |
| Greece: Long-term residence | After 5 years; absences of at most 6 months in a row and 10 months in total; Greek language and civics, income and insurance needed Source: AIDA (ECRE): long-term residence in Greece |
| France: Citizenship | 5 years (2 after two years of French higher education); B2 French from 2026, civic exam and interview; fee €255; dual citizenship allowed Source: Service-Public: naturalisation by decree · US Department of State: dual nationality |
| Greece: Citizenship | 7 years of legal, continuous residence (usually after long-term residence; 12 years on other permits); PEGP exam (B1 Greek + civics, €150); fee €550; dual citizenship allowed Source: Mitos (gov.gr): naturalisation of foreign nationals · gov.gr: PEGP naturalisation knowledge exam · US Department of State: dual nationality |
| France: Capital deposit | Deposited with a bank or a notary; at least 50% paid in at formation for an SAS, 20% for a SARL Source: Service Public Entreprendre: depositing share capital |
| Greece: Usual company type | IKE (private company): capital from €1 or even zero; no notary needed with the standard articles Source: Law 4072/2012 art. 43: IKE capital · Law 4072/2012 art. 49: IKE formation document |
| France: Corporate tax | 25%; 15% on the first €42,500 of profit for SMEs (turnover ≤ €10M, capital paid up, 75%+ held by individuals) Source: Service Public Entreprendre: corporate income tax |
| Greece: Corporate tax | 22% Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Greece — corporate income tax |
| France: Population | France 69.1 million (1 Jan 2026); Paris 2.10 million; Île-de-France 12.6 million Source: INSEE: demographic report 2025 · INSEE: legal population of Paris · INSEE: Île-de-France population |
| Greece: Population | Greece about 10.4 million (2025); Athens 643,000 and Attica 3.8 million (2021 census) Source: ELSTAT: estimated population 2025 · ELSTAT: 2021 census results |
| France: Paris transport | Navigo monthly pass €90.80 (all zones, including airports); single ticket €2.55 (2026) Source: Île-de-France Mobilités: fares 2026 |
| Greece: Athens transport | 90-minute ticket €1.20; monthly pass €27; metro to the airport €9 (about 40 minutes from Syntagma) Source: OASA: Athens ticket prices · STASY: metro line 3 timetable |
| France: Flights from the US | Nonstop to Paris from many US cities; Nice also has nonstops; Toulouse and Marseille routes are due in 2027 Source: Connexion: new US–France direct flights |
| Greece: Flights from the US | About 10 hours nonstop from New York — year-round on Emirates, seasonal from many US hubs Source: The National Herald: US cities with nonstop flights to Athens |
Go deeper
The full guides
Across Europe
Every guide and comparison
- OverviewMove to Europe
- CountriesAll 29 Countries
- LivingExpat Guides
- RetirementRetire by Country
- CitiesBest Cities to Live In
- BusinessCompany Formation
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- InvestorsGolden Visas
- Remote workDigital Nomad Visas
- RetirementRetirement Visas
- CitizenshipCitizenship by Descent
- CostsCost of Living
- HealthHealthcare
- TaxTax Residency
- PetsMoving with Pets
- DrivingUS Driver's License
- PropertyBuying Property
- EducationStudy in Europe
- SafetySafety & Stability
- WorkWork-Life Balance
- TravelTravel & Schengen
- LifestyleLifestyle
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