cost of living

[Ping]

My husband and I have changed our plans from retiring to Spain to now retiring to Brittany.

We had done a grat deal of research for Spain but now need some up-to-date info on the general cost of living in France.

Can anyone help? Just a very rough guide to living very simply, eating (in, not out)water, electric etc for small house in the country. We are OK on other stuff-liesure persuits, diesel etc.
No children!
Thanks

[Val_2]

Basically, rates are cheaper here than in the UK, water is cheaper and the food is better quality but not necessarily cheaper. Petrol and diesel are currently the most expensive here in France that I have ever seen and have risen by 6 centimes per litre for non leaded 98 since March at our local Super U, diesel has gone up too.
Having no children to pay out for will save you much money!!

On the downside, once you are resident your get telephone and electric bills every two months and the rubbish collection is charged for seperately. You will need also to pay out for a health mutuelle top up insurance and in some cases, where the medical establishment has no machine installed for the Carte Vitale, they will ask for payment at that time and then you claim it back. Some people can't settle and find that they have to keep making trips back to the UK which will eat into your finances deeply, so beware of that trap.

[Quillan]

Having just got back from the UK (first visit in 20 months and glad to be back in France) I had the opportunity to go round my old supermarket and did some price comparisons on the items we buy in France on a weekly basis. I have to say that the UK is now cheaper than France with the exception of meat. Even vegetables are cheaper in the UK. France is defiantly not a cheap place to live. Many of our guests from Germany, Belgium and Spain have all complained about prices in France this year. The only things I could find that were more than France were fag’s petrol and wine.

[SaligoBay]

Mr Kenway, where were you with this information when I needed you, in my mega-squabble over on TF with jasonito?

SB exits stage left, muttering darkly about chivalry, damsels in distress etc.

 

 

[Quillan]

[quote]Mr Kenway, where were you with this information when I needed you, in my mega-squabble over on TF with jasonito? SB exits stage left, muttering darkly about chivalry, damsels in distress etc.[/quote]

Sorry

[Iceni]

I must say that when I was over in the UK earlier this year and shopped for my daughter I was appalled at the cost of food in Tesco's - it was £ for € as far as I could see compared to the stuff we buy over here and the fruit could have been mistaken for water filled coloured shapes.  I suppose it is seasonal and we have noticed that in France veg is very expensive in the summer on some market stalls and better priced straight from the producer.

If you take a retired person it is far more expensive to live over here - no subsidised heat and light, no free prescriptions etc etc BUT if you come over to France with some savings and are willing to find the money yourself it could and should be a better life.  As I said in a previous thread, it is those approaching retirement with only UK state pensions and perhaps a tiny amount in the bank/small private pension who I think will feel the pinch.  I don't just garden for the love of it or the delight and taste of my own produce, every penny I can save gives me the chance of a better life when I can no longer do these things - and as I am now into the wrong half of my 50's, that could be sooner rather than later.

Going to the UK once a year is enough for me - and John has not yet been convinced that he needs to go at all - but a mates Stag night and wedding may change all that.

[opas]

I am not suprised you found It expensive in Tesco, when fresh peppers were 79 p per pound in Asda they were that each in Tesco! Like shopping here in france you have to know where to shop.

[Quillan]

The Tesco and Asda stores are virtually side by side and to be honest there was not much difference in price between the two, probably due competition between them. I noticed in the past that store prices can vary depending on the local competition and from one area to another. They also have different produce depending on the 'class' status of the area would you believe, suppose thats pie and mash in East London and smoked salmon in the south of London

[Patf]

To add to Iceni's comment on uk pensioners - I've just looked up the Government pension site. The basic pension for a couple now is £127.25 per week. This would work out at about 200 euro a week - it would be very difficult to live on this in France. Easier in the uk. Pat.

[isabelmaidment]

It depends where in the UK you are based and how much effort you are prepared to put into living cheaply. The gentle drift on Pound Euro exchange rates and higher TVA rates versus VAT should make France more expensive BUT property cost in France are much lower. Broadly using Leader Price rather than Carrefour or Auchan seems to get prices below Tesco level in UK. Avoiding ready meals where the price per kilo is more than the most expensive ingrediant and checking unit prices pays off. During two recent visits to UK with car we did not find any commodities which were worth bulk buying and taking back to France.

Anton Redman (login explanation is getting tedious)

[Alexis]

I have just got back from the UK where I was Catering Manager for my daughters wedding....

I went to Asda - open all night!  What joy for us early birds!

I spent say, £75 in there but couldn't get all the things I needed.  I perhaps didn't look too closely in my panic, not saying they don't sell them.  Popped to Sainsbury's, which my French husband absolutely LOVED?????  Spent the same for well, nowt!

I didn't find either dear though.  Asda was positively cheap.

BUT.....goodness, it is dear in the UK.  Everything seems to cost £20.  Or should I say that £20 buys nothing?  I was forever peeling off another £20.  Never seemed to be asked for less!

[Teamedup]

It really depends how and where one shops anywhere. A simple Tesco comparison is like saying Carrefour is expensive.

I know when I was back in the summer, my son, who has much to my pleasant surprise, turned into a canny shopper, would put things back on the shelves and take me somewhere else where they were cheaper. Not everything, but still, he knows.

Economic shopping takes time and patience anywhere, even France.

 

What I can say with regards to fruit and veg etc in the UK. Last summer I some wonderful charantaise melons, excellant flavour and they were cheaper than I was paying here. We had them a few times from Morrisons. The potatoes I bought were very good and better flavour than we have had in a long time. The english strawberries were very good too. The rest, well frankly I didn't notice any difference......... although I think that frozen green beans in the UK are generally degueulasse.

[Coral]

Not sure where to post this question but in my packing up to move I realize some things need cleaning - drycleaning.  So which is  the cheapest for dry cleaning France or UK?

Thanks

Coral

[Quillan]

The thing about comparisons is like for like. I only compaired brand names not outlet named goods eg. cat food, we feed out cats Felix pouches, £3.98 in Asda €4.20  (£3.07 @ €1.4 to £)in Champions, just one example. Melons £1.50 in UK €1.00 in Champions (these are ASDA prices by the way). Now we can buy unbranded cat and dog food but the animals won't eat it. I don't like ASDAS or Tesco tinned toms or backed been because they are a lot cheaper and more runny. So if you have to live on a very tight budget it may be cheaper but if you like quality produce you pay for it and it costs more in the UK/

Cheap cloths in Matalan are better quality than in France plus they go to size 22 for women in all products, something they don't do in France (wife says they don't go over a 14 normally). Matalan stuff is very cheap even compaired to our cheap shops here and the markets. I bought loads of thick cotton shirts in Matalan, 2 for £6. They are the same as I bought 2 years ago before I moved and have lasted very well.

I do think that the quality of supermarkets in the UK are much better than France (layout and ease of use) but then we have just had out Champions and LeClerc updated and now they are more like UK supermarkets.

[SaligoBay]

Hello again Chris

I agree absolutely about clothes - cheaper and better quality is available in UK. 

Now, these 'ere French supermarkets. Our Leclerc, like many others, has just been done up.  Before, all the food was together, seemed sensible and efficient.  Now you have, e.g. household stuff (microwaves, DIY etc) , then some food (chilled and fruit/veg), then you have to go through the clothes and bedlinen, and finally some more food again.  

I suppose it's like IKEA's plan of forcing you through the whole store in the hope that you do lots of impulse purchases.

But these French supermarkets are so BIG!  And I'm NOT going to impulse-buy a double quilt, a baby's bath, and 3 unattractive jumpers on my way between the sliced ham and the tins of tomatoes. 

I guess it's progress, eh?  Must be getting old!    

 

[Teamedup]

Talk about turning full cycle. When I first got here clothes were so horribly expensive. Even a pattern to make something cost a fortune. And as the years went by, things changed and I could afford things here without breaking the bank. And lo and behold, this last year or so, I 've found that when I go back to the UK, not only is there more choice, especially in my size, but very reasonable too.

In fact, I have looked at the autumn stuff here and there is absolutley nothing that I would want to buy at the prices even say Kiabi are asking.

I wasn't paying £1.50 a melon in the UK last summer. I wouldn't have done that.

[Coco]

"But these French supermarkets are so BIG!  And I'm NOT going to impulse-buy a double quilt, a baby's bath, and 3 unattractive jumpers on my way between the sliced ham and the tins of tomatoes. "

Never say never SB.  I NEVER impulse buy but yesterday, between the ciabatta bread and carrots I bought:

2 alarm clocks

2 mini radios with ear plugs

50 tea-lights

a hammer

a set of decorating knives

and YES, a duvet!

I must admit, I did get the whole lot for €19.99!!!  Who says life in France isn't cheaper than the UK.  And of course, we absolutely NEEDED all of the above.  Couldn't have got by without them!!!!

BTW less than amonth ago I was paying €2 for 3 melons.  Now they're 3 euros each, they're off the menu!

[Russethouse]

Yesterdays Tescos buys included 4 'Value' pillows £2 each, toilet brush & holder £1.99 and in the leaflet at the checkout they were promoting a set of china for 4 people, plain white £6.99 !

We have 2 TVs that came from Tescos too, basic, but thats what was required, about £60 I think, and they were not the cheapest.

UK supermarkets seem to get more and more like French ones in the variety of goods!

[Patf]

All this discussion about supermarkets is very intersting, but only a small proportion of or weekly budget goes on food. If you cook from scratch you can eat cheaply and well on very lttle, especially if you have no children to feed. The expensive things are electricity gas and health cover, and keeping vehicles maintained etc. Pat.

[Quillan]

[quote]All this discussion about supermarkets is very intersting, but only a small proportion of or weekly budget goes on food. If you cook from scratch you can eat cheaply and well on very lttle, especially...[/quote]

One thing I have found cheaper IS car maintance. Over £500 for a full service on my Discovery in the UK, only €380 for the same service in France through a main agent. Before anyone says anything I have to use a main dealer whilst the car is in warranty.

[Quillan]

"In fact, I have looked at the autumn stuff here and there is absolutley nothing that I would want to buy at the prices even say Kiabi are asking."

Pat told me, as I dutifully followered her around Toulous with my wallet at the ready (what fun lads), that the cloths for 'the fuller figured woman' were like something your granny would wear. It would seem that French women are expected (in fashion terms) to stay a size 10 to 12 until they are about 65 years old. The problem for me now is that Pat wants to return every 3 or 4 months for some retail therapy, I shall therefore need some serious wallet therapy there after, are there any support groups I can join chaps?