If you are choosing between France and Germany, you are probably weighing two quite different lives. One is a short hop across the Channel, with long lunches and a slower rhythm. The other is Europe’s largest economy, organised and efficient, with more jobs and higher salaries in many fields. Both are a two or three day drive from the UK for your belongings. Both now involve paperwork that did not exist before Brexit.
The quick answer
Germany is usually the better choice if your move is about work: it has the larger job market and, in most professions, higher pay. France is usually the better choice if your move is about lifestyle, retirement or staying close to the UK: it is nearer, easier to visit family from, and offers a wider choice of affordable homes outside the big cities. Overall living costs are close; cost-comparison data puts the two countries within a few per cent of each other, so cost alone rarely decides it. The paperwork order differs: for France you apply for a long-stay visa before you leave the UK; for Germany you register your address within 14 days of arriving.
France and Germany at a glance
| France | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Paris | Berlin |
| Population | approx. 67 million | approx. 84 million |
| Distance from the UK | Channel crossing; much of northern France within a day’s drive | Further; most removals take 7 to 14 days by road |
| Residence route for UK nationals | Long-stay visa (VLS-TS) before you leave, then a residence permit (titre de séjour) | Register your address (Anmeldung) within 14 days, then a residence permit |
| Job market | Smaller; hiring rules make it harder to find work without French | Larger; strong demand in engineering, IT, manufacturing |
| Overall living costs | Similar; housing cheaper outside Paris | Similar; housing expensive in Munich and Frankfurt |
| Everyday language | French essential outside international workplaces | German needed day to day; English more common in large employers |
| Popular with | Retirees, families, remote workers | Professionals and families moving for work |
Can UK citizens live in France or Germany after Brexit?
Yes, but you now need permission to live in either country for more than 90 days. As a UK visitor, you can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Living there is different.
France. You apply for a long-stay visa (Visa de Long Séjour, known as VLS-TS) through the French consulate before you leave the UK. After arriving, you apply for a residence permit (titre de séjour). The type of visa depends on why you are moving: work, family, study, or retirement with enough income to support yourself. Processing times vary, and applying late compresses everything that follows, including your removal date.
Germany. You must register your address at the local registration office (the Anmeldung) within 14 days of moving in; the confirmation document you receive is called the Anmeldebestätigung. You then apply for a residence permit at the local immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). UK nationals can enter Germany without a visa and apply for the residence permit after arrival — there is no requirement to obtain a visa before travelling, but you must apply for the permit within the first 90 days of your stay. The permit type depends on your reason for moving: an employment-based permit, the EU Blue Card for qualified professionals, family reunion, or self-employment.
Why this matters for your removal: in both countries, your belongings can come in free of import duty and VAT under Transfer of Residence relief, but only if you can show you are establishing residence there. For France, that means your visa or titre de séjour reference needs to be in progress before your removal is booked. For Germany, the smoothest order is to arrive, register your address, and have your belongings delivered one to two weeks later. See our guide to for the general rules.
Is it easier to find work in France or Germany?
In most fields, Germany. It is the largest economy in Europe, with a large manufacturing, engineering and technology base and persistent demand for skilled workers. The EU Blue Card route is designed for qualified professionals with a job offer. France’s job market is smaller and its hiring rules are more restrictive, which is one reason France is especially popular with retirees and people who bring their work with them (remote workers, the self-employed). If your move depends on finding a job after you arrive, Germany is usually the safer bet; if you are moving with a job already arranged, the difference matters much less.
Is France or Germany cheaper to live in?
Closer than you might think. Cost-of-living comparison sites put the overall difference between the two countries at only a few per cent (globalcostdata.com, for example, puts it at about 1%), which is why older articles claiming one is “10% cheaper” do not hold up.
Where you live matters far more than which country you choose:
- Housing is where the gap opens. Paris is expensive; rural France, Brittany, Normandy and much of the south-west have some of the most affordable homes in western Europe. In Germany, Munich and Frankfurt are expensive, while cities in the east and parts of the north are much cheaper.
- Salaries are generally higher in Germany, so for someone working locally the cost of living relative to income usually favours Germany.
- Everyday costs such as food, transport and eating out are broadly similar in both.
If budget is the deciding factor, compare the specific towns you are considering, not the countries.
Still Deciding Between France and Germany?
Talk to a move manager about what the removal looks like to each: transit times, customs paperwork, and a realistic price for your home and the towns you are considering. It is often the simplest part of the comparison to pin down.
How does healthcare compare?
Both countries have strong public healthcare systems, and both expect residents to be insured.
- France: after three months of stable residence, you can apply to join the French state healthcare system (PUMa), which covers most of the cost of treatment; most residents add a top-up policy (mutuelle) for the remainder. Note: from 2026, non-EU nationals on long-stay visitor visas (retirees, rentiers, remote workers) are required to pay an annual healthcare contribution before they can access PUMa. Until you qualify, you need private cover, and your long-stay visa application will ask for proof of it.
- Germany: health insurance is mandatory for every resident. Employees are usually enrolled in statutory health insurance through their employer; the self-employed and higher earners can choose private cover instead.
- UK state pensioners moving to either country can usually register an S1 form, which means the UK funds their state healthcare there. Check your eligibility with the NHS Overseas Healthcare Services before you go.
Do I need to speak French or German?
For everyday life, yes, in both, and more so in France. In Germany, English is widely used in larger international employers, in universities and among younger people in the big cities, which can make the first months easier for professionals. In France, much of daily life (the bank, the doctor, the local mairie) happens in French, and making the effort to learn is noticed and appreciated. In either country, learning the language is the single biggest thing that helps you feel at home. Gerson Moving Services offers language training as part of its settling-in services if you would like a head start.
Which is better for families?
Both are good places to bring up children, with free state schooling, strong childcare provision and international schools in the major cities. France’s big advantage for many UK families is proximity: grandparents can visit for a weekend, and you can drive home for a family event. Germany’s advantages tend to be structural: generous parental leave, well-organised childcare, and good job prospects for both parents. International schools in both countries are expensive and oversubscribed in the main cities, so apply early. Our guide to the compares both with other destinations.
What does the removal look like for each country?
Both are road moves: your belongings travel by lorry, usually through the Channel Tunnel or on a ferry, rather than by sea container. Since Brexit, both involve customs clearance on arrival, which is why the paperwork order above matters.
| France | Germany | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical transit time (dedicated vehicle) | 1 to 2 days (Normandy, Brittany); 2 to 3 days (Paris); 3 to 4 days (Lyon, Bordeaux); 4 to 5 days (Provence, Côte d’Azur); 5 to 8 days (Corsica) | 7 to 14 days by road, plus 1 to 3 days customs clearance; usually 2 to 3 weeks from packing day to delivery |
| Approximate cost, 1-bedroom flat | Priced on survey | Part-load £2,500 to £3,000; dedicated vehicle £3,500 to £4,500 |
| Approximate cost, 2-bedroom flat | Priced on survey | Part-load £3,500 to £4,500; dedicated vehicle £5,000 to £6,500 |
| Approximate cost, 3-bedroom house | Priced on survey | Part-load £5,000 to £7,000; dedicated vehicle £7,000 to £9,000+ |
| Duty-free import | Transfer of Residence relief; needs VLS-TS or titre de séjour reference and 12 months’ proof of UK residence | Transfer of Residence relief; goods owned and used for at least 6 months; German customs form 0350 |
| Key timing rule | Visa in progress before the removal is booked | Arrive, register (Anmeldung), then deliver 1 to 2 weeks later |
Part-load (also called groupage) means your belongings share a vehicle with other customers’ moves, which is cheaper but less flexible on dates. A dedicated vehicle carries only your belongings. Prices are approximate; your move manager provides a survey-based quote for your actual volume and addresses.
Your move manager holds the file from your survey through to delivery, prepares the customs paperwork with you, and coordinates with the partner who clears and delivers your belongings in France or Germany. For more detail, see our France and Germany country guides.
Living in France Vs. Germany – FAQs
Is it better to live in Germany or France?
It depends on why you are moving. Germany usually suits people moving for work, with a larger job market and higher salaries in most fields. France usually suits people moving for lifestyle or retirement, or who want to stay close to family in the UK. Living costs overall are similar, so work, language and location tend to decide it.
Is France or Germany cheaper to live in?
Overall, they are close: comparison data puts the difference at only a few per cent. Housing varies far more within each country than between them; rural France and eastern Germany are much cheaper than Paris or Munich. Compare the specific towns you are considering rather than the national averages.
Do UK citizens need a visa to live in France or Germany?
For stays over 90 days, yes, you need permission to live in either country. For France, you apply for a long-stay visa (VLS-TS) before leaving the UK. For Germany, you register your address within 14 days of arriving and apply for a residence permit; UK nationals can generally apply after arrival, but check current guidance for your circumstances.
Is it easier to find work in France or Germany?
In most professions, Germany. Its economy is the largest in Europe and there is steady demand for skilled workers, including through the EU Blue Card. France’s job market is smaller and harder to enter without fluent French.
Which is better for families, France or Germany?
Both are good for families, with free state schooling and strong childcare. France is closer to family in the UK; Germany offers generous parental leave and more job options for two working parents. International schools in both are in high demand, so apply early.
How long does a removal from the UK to France or Germany take?
To France, a dedicated vehicle typically takes 1 to 5 days depending on the region (up to 8 for Corsica). To Germany, allow 7 to 14 days by road plus 1 to 3 days for customs, usually 2 to 3 weeks from packing to delivery. Shared part-load moves take longer because the vehicle collects and delivers for several customers.
Related Topics
Weighing up France and Germany? Your move manager can price the removal to both, explain the paperwork order for each, and help you plan the timing around your visa or registration, all in the first conversation. Set up a call and get your customised quotation.
