Personal reflections after one year: Living in France vs India [Opinion]

Published on: June 02, 2025 | Article No: 326 | By: @Sunny S Shah

I’m Sunny S Shah, and after spending a year living and working in France, I’ve had time to reflect on what’s better, what’s harder, and what truly matters when comparing life in France vs India. This isn’t about chasing money or a fancy lifestyle—it’s about the real trade-offs, daily realities, and personal growth that come with moving abroad. Here’s my honest take.

If you have moved to France and would like to share your own experiences, please write to me via prasanthragupathy.com/contact.

Context, Plan and Reality

Let’s get the context right before jumping in. I got a job offer from my existing company—but this time, in France. While it sounds like a transfer, it wasn’t. From a legal and visa standpoint, I was hired as a new French employee from outside the country. More details about it in a detailed article, French Salary visa Application experience: VFS Mumbai and OFII Meeting for New Arrivals in France: Personal Experience about Medical Exam, Interview, Language Test and CIR.

Back in India, I was doing well financially. I won’t get into exact numbers, but I was comfortably in the top 5% income bracket. Not rich-rich, but solid. I had no complaints.

Now to the Main Question: In a WhatsApp group, someone asked

“I’m relocating to Paris with a job offer from a French company. I currently earn ₹38L per annum in India with permanent WFH. What’s a fair salary to ask for in Paris for someone with 11 years of SAP experience? What else should I factor in while negotiating?”

Here’s my take, based on living this dual-country life for a year. I’d been living with my parents in Mumbai for 29 years. I always wanted to move abroad—not for better money or a fancier life, but to challenge myself. Could I manage completely on my own in a foreign country? Could I build something from scratch where I didn’t know anyone?. That was the real motivation.

The Plan vs Reality: My wife and I had a plan. She would visit me twice—once in winter and once in summer—to get a feel for life here. If she liked it, we’d consider staying in France for 3–4 years before eventually returning to India. We both want to live with our parents in the long run.

But life doesn’t follow plans. She ended up getting a job in another country, and visa delays made it tough for us to meet in France. Eventually, we decided she wouldn’t move here at all.

Context Changes Everything: If your spouse is already in France and planning to stay, then the decision is simple—you’ll likely move. But if, like me, your family is elsewhere and not too keen on moving, then the decision gets more nuanced. There are two big angles to think about: Standard of living and Quality of life.

Standard of Living (the external stuff)

These are the things that affect your daily life on paper:

✅ Reliable public transport and infrastructure

✅ Better governance (though not perfect)

✅ Free education and subsidized healthcare

✅ Strong employee protection laws

✅ Clean air and higher food quality

France scores high here. Sure, there are RER delays and housing is expensive, but overall—especially when compared to most of India (outside Tier 1 cities). The standard of living is better.

Quality of Life (the emotional stuff)

This is more personal. It includes:

✅ Being close to family and old friends

✅ Ease of making new social connections

✅ Language and cultural barriers

✅ How you handle grey winters or loneliness

✅ And many more things, which are purely personal and one “CAN” do something about it for themselves.

Quality of life isn’t a checklist. Tons of greys! It’s deeply individual. For someone who thrives on relationships, community and family nearby, like me, this part is tougher abroad.

Other Critical Factors

Financial Liabilities: If you’re still paying rent or an EMI back in India, your French income might feel stretched. Typical breakdown for Paris:

30–40% goes to various taxes
30–40% to living expenses (possibly less outside Paris)
10–15% may still be committed to India

That doesn’t leave much. It can feel more like a downgrade than an upgrade.

Convenience: In France, you can assume zero convenience compared to India. You’ll carry your own groceries, walk more, take public transport, do your own chores. In India, much of this is simpler or handled by someone else. That’s a real lifestyle shift.

Final Thoughts

The question posed was too broad. I don’t know what this person values most. Everyone values different things. But for me:

✅ France wins on standard of living: objectively better systems and infrastructure.

✅ India wins on quality of life: subjectively richer, deeper, more connected life.

I have no regrets about moving to France. But yes, if I’m being honest, life felt better in India.

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