In short
Rome is the cheaper capital: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,930 a month, against about €2,430 in Paris. France offers Americans a retirement visa. Italy offers Americans a digital nomad visa, a retirement visa and a golden visa. Citizenship takes about 5 years of residence in France and 10 in Italy. 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.
- You will run a company — corporate tax is 25% (15% on the first €42,500 for SMEs).
Choose Italy if…
- You want lower costs — about €500 a month less for a single person with a central 1-bedroom in Rome.
- You work remotely: Digital nomad visa — at least €24,789 a year; degree or experience required; 1 year, renewable. France has none.
- You want residence through investment: Investor visa — €250,000 in an innovative startup, €500,000 in a company or €2 million in bonds; no property route. France has none.
- You have a job offer — the EU Blue Card salary bar is lower: about €36,300 a year (2026).
Retirement Visa
France Asks Less Income From Retirees
| France | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Retirement / passive-income visa | FranceVisitor visa — income at least €1,477.93 net a month; no work in France✓ | ItalyElective residence visa — about €31,000 a year of passive income; no work at all |
| Public healthcare | FrancePUMa: workers from day one, others after 3 months of stable residence | ItalyFree SSN for workers; others pay at least €2,000 a year to join |
| Special tax regime | FranceImpatriate regime — tax relief until the end of the 8th year | Italy7% flat on foreign income for pensioners in small southern towns (10 years) |
Cost of Living
Rome Is About €500 a Month Cheaper
| France | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-bed apartment, city centre | Franceabout €1,385 (Paris) | Italyabout €1,085 (Rome)✓ |
| 1-bed apartment, outside centre | Franceabout €1,035 (Paris) | Italyabout €780 (Rome)✓ |
| Everyday costs, single person (no rent) | Franceabout €1,045 (Paris) | Italyabout €845 (Rome)✓ |
| Total a month — single, central 1-bed | Franceabout €2,430 (Paris) | Italyabout €1,930 (Rome)✓ |
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 | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent residence | France10-year carte de résident after 5 years, with B1 French and a civic exam | ItalyEU long-term permit after 5 years, with A2 Italian |
| Citizenship | France5 years, B2 French and a civic exam; dual citizenship allowed✓ | Italy10 years, B1 Italian; dual citizenship allowed |
| Public healthcare | FrancePUMa: workers from day one, others after 3 months of stable residence | ItalyFree SSN for workers; others pay at least €2,000 a year to join |
Tax & Business
Taxes & Company Rules
| France | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Special tax regime | FranceImpatriate regime — tax relief until the end of the 8th year | Italy7% flat on foreign income for pensioners in small southern towns (10 years) |
| Usual company | FranceSAS or SARL — capital deposited with a bank or notary | ItalySRL — €10,000 standard capital, or €1 if fully paid in cash; notarial deed |
| Corporate tax | France25% (15% on the first €42,500 for SMEs)✓ | Italy24% IRES plus 3.9% IRAP |
| US tax treaty | France1994 treaty with a 2009 protocol | ItalySigned 1999, in effect since 2010; Social Security agreement since 1978 |
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 Rome
| France | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Population (capital) | FranceAbout 2.10 million; 12.6 million in Île-de-France | ItalyAbout 2.75 million; 4.2 million in the metropolitan city |
| Public transport (capital) | FranceNavigo monthly pass €90.80, all zones incl. airports | ItalyMonthly pass €35; Leonardo Express to Fiumicino €14 |
| Nonstop flights to the US | FranceNonstop to Paris from many US cities | ItalyRome and Milan about 8–9 hours nonstop from the East Coast |
| Currency | FranceEuro | ItalyEuro |
FAQ
France or Italy? Your questions
Is Paris or Rome cheaper?
Rome is cheaper: a single person with a central 1-bedroom spends about €1,930 a month there, against about €2,430 in Paris (Numbeo, 2026). Rent for a central 1-bedroom is about €1,385 in Paris and €1,085 in Rome.
Can I retire in France or Italy as an American?
France: Visitor visa — income at least €1,477.93 net a month; no work in France. Italy: Elective residence visa — about €31,000 a year of passive income; no work at all.
How long until I can get citizenship?
France: 5 years, B2 French and a civic exam; dual citizenship allowed. Italy: 10 years, B1 Italian; 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 Italy: 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) |
| Italy: 1-bed apartment, Rome | about €1,085/month in the centre, €780 outside (Numbeo, Sep 2026) estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Rome (Sep 2026) |
| Italy: Living costs, single person (Rome) | about €845/month without rent estimate Source: Numbeo: cost of living in Rome (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) |
| Italy: Elective residence visa | About €31,000 a year of passive income per adult (US consulates ask about €62,000 for a couple); registered lease or deed; no work of any kind, including remote work Source: Consulate General of Italy in Houston: elective residence visa checklist (Dec 2025) · Embassy of Italy in Washington: elective residence visa |
| 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) |
| Italy: Healthcare | Workers are enrolled in the national health service (SSN) for free; retirees and others not working in Italy pay at least €2,000 a year to join voluntarily (since 2024) Source: Arletti Partners: voluntary national health service enrolment (€2,000 minimum) |
| France: Impatriate regime | Tax relief for people recruited from abroad, until the end of the 8th year Source: impots.gouv.fr: impatriate regime |
| Italy: 7% regime for pensioners | 7% on all foreign income for 10 years if you receive a foreign pension and move to a southern town of up to 30,000 people (since April 2026); no Italian tax on foreign assets Source: Fiscomania: 7% flat tax for foreign pensioners — towns up to 30,000 · Il Sole 24 Ore: no foreign-asset reporting for the 7% regime |
| 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 |
| Italy: Permanent residence | EU long-term permit after 5 years: no more than 6 months away in a row or 10 months in total, A2 Italian and enough income Source: Assolombarda: EU long-term residence permit |
| 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 |
| Italy: Citizenship by residence | 10 years of legal residence, B1 Italian and enough income; €250 fee; dual citizenship allowed Source: InfoImmigrazione: citizenship by residence (Jul 2026) · Chamber of Deputies: Italian citizenship law — current rules |
| 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 |
| Italy: Usual company type | SRL (limited liability company): €10,000 standard capital, or €1–9,999 if fully paid in cash; notarial deed Source: Civil Code art. 2463 (SRL capital) |
| 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 |
| Italy: Corporate taxes | IRES 24% plus regional IRAP 3.9% (4.82% in Lazio) Source: PwC Tax Summaries: Italy — corporate income tax · InformazioneFiscale: regional IRAP rates |
| France: US tax treaty | Treaty of 1994 with 2009 protocol; saving clause lets the US tax its citizens Source: IRS: US–France income tax convention · IRS: 2009 protocol to the US–France treaty |
| Italy: US tax treaty | Signed 1999, in effect since 2010; US citizens still file US returns Source: Accounting Today: the US–Italy tax treaty enters into force |
| 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 |
| Italy: Population | Italy 58.9 million (ISTAT, 1 Jan 2026); Rome 2.75 million, metropolitan city 4.22 million Source: ISTAT: demographic indicators (Mar 2026) · Il Sole 24 Ore: Rome, Italy's most populous municipality (ISTAT data) |
| France: Paris transport | Navigo monthly pass €90.80 (all zones, including airports); single ticket €2.55 (2026) Source: Île-de-France Mobilités: fares 2026 |
| Italy: Rome transport | Monthly pass €35, annual €250; 100-minute ticket €1.50; Leonardo Express to Fiumicino €14, about 32 minutes Source: ATAC: Rome tickets and passes · Trenitalia: Leonardo Express to Fiumicino |
| 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 |
| Italy: Flights from the US | Rome and Milan about 8–9 hours nonstop from the East Coast; nonstops to many US cities; none to Florence Source: Boltflight: direct flights from the US to Rome · The Local Italy: new direct US–Italy flights in 2026 |
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
- FoundersStartup Visas
- 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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