Those who have moved to France full time in the last three years

[idun]

 I was wondering just how expensive you have found every day living. Your basics eg......... just to start the list...... like electricity, and bread and butter and cheese in comparison to what you were paying the UK. Is your money stretching as far as you had hoped.

And I suppose those of us who have left France, some comparison could be made too. For my part, I have found most prices very similar..... and some things quite a bit cheaper. However, french friends over the last 18 months have been complaining bitterly about some price rises.

[Mac]

We are at the start of our 2nd full year of living here permenently(?). We had both retired/made redundant between 18 months (hubby) and 9 months (me) before we bought our house so we had lived in the UK on our pensions. We find the cost of living here comparable to the UK. Water is cheaper-although of course no sewerage charges here in the bill.The equivilant to the Council taxes are slightly lower here,petrol cheaper. Electricity is dearer I think and more difficult if not impossible to move supplier. Food about the same-we shop the same way as in the UK-if something is on offer that we use we stock up.We find alternatives to expensive products or don't buy them if we can do without. I make my own bread and cakes ect and cook from scratch a lot more that when I was still working full time. Clothes/shoes I find very expensive and unless you buy from boutiques and special clothes shop -poor quality. I do miss the likes of George at Asda and Sainsbury's clothing range. All in all the cost are similar. Our biggest problems are the cost of health care (not in receipt of OAP yet so had to buy private) and of course the exchange rate can make a big difference

[Sprogster]

If like most Brits in France you are a retiree dependent on a modest £ retirement income, then the exchange rate makes all the difference. At 1.40 euros to the £, most would find France good value, but at the current rate of 1.16 it is apparent that many retired Brits in France are finding it tougher going.

There is a problem in France with escalating prices at the moment, something that has been publicly recognised by the French government, in response to increasing concerns being voiced by the population. 

[Anton Redman]

We moved 11 months ago in the other direction after almost 8 years in France. In France we lived well but shopped arround and did not buy expensive labels or our of season foods.

The only things we found cheaper quality for quality in France were diesel fuel, wine and lager. Beer is a moot point when Lydl are on discount it can be as low as £1 a pint bottle. The drive in Hereford / supermarkets takes about 10 minutes versus 50 minutes when we lived in France.

Price shocks on moving back. A good pub meal and drinks for in Chancery Lane Central London under £10.00 for two people. Versus probably at least three times that when we left. Internet with delivery much cheaper for white goods without delivery from Comet or Currys. B & Q almost up to Castorama prices for most things. Screwfix no longer cheapest, use Toolstation, but still good value.