Dreaming of Paris? Let's talk about rent
Are you dreaming of moving abroad to Paris, enjoying the charming cobblestone streets, croissants in cozy Parisian cafés, and getting lost in the city's rich culture and romantic vibe? If you're considering relocating to Paris or extending your stay in Paris for the long term, one of your primary questions is, "How much does it cost to rent a flat in Paris?"
In this guide, we'll walk you through all the potential expenses related to renting a furnished apartment in Paris, from monthly rent to additional fees, and share tips for finding a place that fits your budget and lifestyle.
1. Monthly rent for a furnished apartment rental in Paris
The monthly rent is the most significant expense when renting a long-term furnished apartment in Paris. Rent prices can vary considerably depending on factors such as location, size, and amenities.
In our latest survey, the average monthly rent per square meter for a furnished apartment for rent in Paris is approximately €34 to €47 per m², according to the Paris Rental Agency, leader in high-end furnished rentals in Paris.
Here's a breakdown of the average rent prices for furnished rentals in Paris in various apartment sizes. Remember that these figures are average values that may vary depending on the arrondissement and the amenities and comfort provided, such as furnishing, view, and services such as cleaning, heating, wifi, etc.
Average monthly rent in Paris for a furnished apartment by size:
- Studio: The average rent of a studio in Paris is 900€ to 1500€
- 1-bedroom apartment rental in Paris: 1500€ to 3000€
- 2-bedroom apartment rental in Paris: 2500€ to 4000€
- 3-bedroom apartment rental in Paris: 3500€ to 5000€
Rents can vary from 10% to 50% depending on the apartment size (m2) and luxury amenities.
2. Security Deposit - Paying Upfront
What is a security deposit?
The security deposit protects against damages, unpaid rent, or rental charges. The security deposit is a one-time payment, payable upon signing the lease and is refundable at the end of the lease, in whole or in part, depending on the apartment's condition.
How much is the security deposit for a furnished apartment rental in Paris?
Security of a furnished apartment:
The security deposit for a furnished apartment is two months' rent, stipulated in the lease. However, depending on the apartment's luxury features, the security deposit may be higher for Corporate or Secondary Residence leases.
Security deposit of an unfurnished apartment:
The security deposit for an unfurnished apartment is one month's rent.
The owner cannot increase the security deposit during the lease term or upon lease renewal.
When do you pay the security deposit to the landlord?
You pay the security deposit and the first month's rent to the landlord upon signing the lease.
3. Paying the first month's rent - upfront payment
At the lease's signature, the first month's rent upfront payment is due in whole or pro rata to the number of days remaining.
4. Agency Fees in Paris Explained
Let's say you rent a furnished apartment in Paris for long-term through a real estate agency. In this case, tenants will be charged an agency fee in exchange for the services the real estate agency provides. The agency's services cover the selection of one or more apartments to suit the client's needs, the viewing of the rental apartment, the drafting of the lease, and, in the case of a corporate or second-home lease, the installation of electricity, gas, and internet, and contact with a bank.
Agency fees vary according to the commune, the type of lease, and the agency's services.
When should the tenant pay an agency fee?
The tenant pays the agency fee upon signing the lease. Then, they receive the key and can move into the apartment.
How much is the agency fee for renting an apartment in Paris?
In France, real estate agencies are free to set their rates for corporate rentals and second-home leases.
Agency fees for a corporate lease & secondary residence lease
Generally, the agency charges between 10 and 12% of the annual rent for a corporate rental or secondary residence lease, depending on the range of services offered to the tenant.
Agency fees for a pimary residence lease
For a principal residence lease under the Loi Alur, estate agency fees amount to €12 per m2, including tax. However, no services are included in these fees.
Example:
For a 40 m² apartment, the amount the real estate agency invoiced to the tenant is €480 incl. VAT, i.e. 40 x 12 = €480.
5. Home Insurance Subscription - Protecting Your Rental & Liability Coverage
In France, home insurance is mandatory for tenants of residential rental properties to protect the apartment, their belongings, and the tenant's liability. The tenant must comply with this obligation, regardless of nationality or length of stay in France.
Generally speaking, before the landlord hands the keys to the tenant, they'll ask for proof of homeowner's insurance. Suppose the tenant fails to provide evidence of subscribing to rental home insurance. In that case, the landlord may refuse to hand over the keys, terminate the lease, or take out a "rental risk " insurance in the tenant's name and at the tenant's charge.
How much does home insurance cost in France?
According to Selectra, in 2024, the average cost of home insurance for an apartment is around €216 per year, and for a house, it was €372 per year.
What home insurance do you need in France as a tenant?
At a minimum, you must take out rental risk insurance, which covers damage to the rental property caused by fire, explosion, or water damage.
However, many online insurance policies only cover the rented property and do not cover damage caused to third parties or neighbors. Such damage requires additional insurance, called third-party and neighbor claims (recours des voisins et des tiers), which is optional.
Rental risk insurance does not cover personal belongings that may be damaged in an incident unless the tenant takes out a comprehensive option, choosing coverage based on the value of their personal possessions. To guarantee your possessions, you need to take out additional insurance, commonly known as comprehensive home insurance (multirisques habitation).
6. Electricity and/or gas installation expenses for tenant in France
For short-term furnished rentals, electricity and gas are often included in the rent.
However, for most long-term rentals in Paris, tenants are required to set up the utilities themselves, which means taking out an electricity and gas contract in their own name and covering the costs of consumption.
And it's essential to understand the costs of opening utility accounts as a tenant. Here's a breakdown of the electricity and gas installation costs:
Cost of opening an electricity account for the tenant in France (EDF):
For a standard electricity installation:
- €1.66 (including VAT) if your home is equipped with a Linky meter.
- €30.37 (including VAT) if your home is not equipped with a Linky meter.
N.B. The electricity installation cost will appear on your first electricity bill.
Cost of opening a gas consumption for the tenant in France (Enedis):
For a standard gas connection service: €20.94 (including VAT).
If a GRDF technician ((gas distribution network operator)) is required to open the gas meter, five working days are required to install this service. However, you can request an urgent service at a cost of:
- 46.26 € incl. VAT for an "Express" service, within 2 working days
- 140.28 € incl. VAT for an "Emergency" service within the same day
If you need further details or assistance regarding opening an EDF meter as a tenant, please reach out to your EDF advisor at 3404 (free service + call charge), available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 8 pm. Besides, the EDF has an English customer service hotline at 09 69 36 63 83 or +339 69 36 63 83 for international clients.
To learn more about the electricity bill cost in Paris, consult our guide "How much will electricity cost in Paris in 2023?
7. Cost of Internet installation for the tenant in France
In France, when renting an apartment on a long-term basis, the Internet is generally not included in the rent. The tenant is responsible for handling the Internet installation and paying the monthly subscription fees themselves. Before going into detail about the costs of installing Internet in France, we'll give you a brief overview of subscribing to new Internet services.
Step-by-Step guide to establishing Internet in your rental apartment in Paris
1) Choose the ideal Internet service provider:
Choose the Internet subscription that best suits your needs and budget.
2) Contact the operator and arrange the line installation appointment
Before you start arranging internet installation services, check with your landlord to see if the apartment already has a line installed. This can be a fiber line (fiber) or an ADSL line (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line). If no line is installed in your home, you must contact your chosen Internet service operator to fix an appointment and send a technician to install a new line in your rental apartment.
3) Receive your Internet box by mail or pick it up directly at the operator's store
When the operator acts on your subscription demand, you can have your Internet box delivered by post or collect it directly from one of the operator's stores closest to your home.
4) Line Activation & Installation of a new line
If the rental apartment has no line connected, the installation will require that a technician bring a new line to your home, which may incur a line opening cost.
5) Internet box setup (fiber or ADSL)
Suppose a line is connected to your home. In that case, the Internet activation process will be straightforward. You need to connect to the Internet box you received. Contact your provider's customer service hotline if you have questions about installing your Internet box.
When you subscribe to a new Internet service in your apartment rental, you may have to pay various costs (bring the Internet connection to your home, connect several devices, install the fiber, etc.)
Internet installation fees for tenants in France
Internet installation costs (frais de mise en service)
Internet installation costs cover setting up your Internet service and generally include:
- Administrative fees.
- The activating of your line and equipment.
The internet installation fee in France is around €50, but it varies according to the operator and the chosen service. Fees are due when you take out a new Internet subscription, whether for optical fiber or ADSL and may vary depending on your chosen operator. You are billed only once for the box installation. It is not a monthly fee.
N.B.: Installation fees should not be confused with additional costs associated with your Internet subscription, such as line opening, equipment rental, or fiber installation.
In addition to activation costs, you may incur other charges when taking out your Internet subscription. Here are some of the additional charges you may encounter:
Line Opening Fees:
Some operators may charge a fee for setting up or re-establishing a line to your home. The costs are as follows:
-
Orange: €69
- SFR: €49
- Free and Bouygues Telecom: €39.99
Fiber connection and installation costs:
If you opt for fiber optics, you may have to pay a fiber installation or connection fee to bring the fiber to your home.
Fiber installation in an apartment without complication:
In most cases, the fiber optic connection is entirely free and fully covered by the operator, and you never pay for the technician to come to your apartment.
Installing fiber with particular complications or in a single-family home:
If there are any complications with installing the fiber to your apartment, or if you live in an individual house, you may have to pay the fiber installation cost. For an individual house, connection fees may be charged, depending on the provider:
- An underground installation can cost up to €150
- An aerial installation can cost up to €300.
Overall, these fees may vary depending on your service provider and the specific circumstances of your installation. Sometimes, real estate companies have connections to assist with internet installation, ideal for tenants with busy schedules, expats navigating language barriers, or those unfamiliar with the process in France.
8. Expenses relating to entry inventory of fixtures paid by the tenant
Entry inventory of fixtures drawn by the owner personally:
If the landlord personally carries out the move-in inspection with the tenant, there is no charge for the tenant.
Entry inventory of fixtures drawn by a bailiff/huissier:
If a bailiff conducts the entry inventory of fixtures, the bailiff's fees will be shared equally between the owner and the tenant.
Suppose one of the parties (tenant or landlord) cannot complete the entry inventory of fixtures in a contradictory way and fails to attend. In that case, either party can appoint a judicial commissioner.
Please note that the judicial commissioner will notify the parties by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, at least 7 days in advance, of the day he/she will carry out the inventory of fixtures. The sums charged by the judicial commissioner are legally regulated.
Prices up to April 30, 2024
Entry inventory of fixtures drawn by a professional:
When the tenant and a professional (e.g., a third-party inventory expert) carry out the initial inventory of fixtures together, the tenant of a primary residence is responsible for a part of the costs.
However, for a principal residence under the Alur law, the share of entry inspection costs paid by the tenant may not exceed:
- Half of the fee charged by the inventory of fixtures service provider
- And a maximum amount of €3 per square meter (tax included)
Exemple:
For a 100 m² apartment, if the initial inventory of fixtures costs €400 ( all taxes included):
- Half of the invoiced costs equal €400 / 2 = €200.
- The maximum amount payable by the tenant is equal to: 100 x 3 € = 300 €
So the tenant has to pay €200 (because €200 is less than €300) and the owner has to pay the remaining amount, i.e. €200 (obtained by €400 - €200).
Here is an official simulator you can use to calculate your part of entry inventory expenses as tenant:
https://www.service-public.fr/simulateur/calcul/LocationImmobiliereEtatDesLieux
9. The moving cost for relocating into a new apartment in Paris
Moving costs for relocating to an apartment in Paris can vary depending on various factors, such as the distance of the move, the number of belongings you have, and whether you hire professional movers or opt for a DIY approach. Generally, you can expect to budget for expenses including:
Transportation expenses for moving truck in Paris:
The price of renting a moving truck to transport your belongings to your new apartment can vary widely in Paris. For example, a 9 m3 truck may cost €50 a weekday, and a 22 m3 van with a tailgate may cost more than €200 on weekends.
Cost of packing supplies:
Expenses for boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and other packing materials to secure your belongings during the move. Here are the prices of some essential packing supplies
- standard boxes: between 2€ and 4€ depending on the volume of the container
- bubble wrap: between 8€ and 10€ per 10 meters
- scotch tape: between 6€ and 8€ per dispenser and roll of scotch tape
Professional Movers costs in Paris:
The cost of hiring movers will depend on factors such as the volume of your possessions and the distance of the move. According to La Poste, the price of a professional moving service is around €350 to €700 for short distances and €650 to €1,200 for long distances.
Price of furniture lift rental in Paris:
A furniture lift is very common in Paris for moving. It is a kind of large outdoor elevator used for lifting heavy objects, such as furniture and appliances, to the upper floors of buildings without squeezing through Parisian buildings' narrow corridors or using small elevators.
The rental cost for a furniture lift in Paris is around €100 per hour. You can hire a furniture lift for half a day at an average price of €220 or a full day at €350.
Additional Fees: Parking
Depending on the situation, there may be additional fees, such as parking permits for the moving truck or elevator fees if you move into a high-rise building.
10. Essential household items
When you rent a fully furnished apartment, you'll have very few items to buy when you move in. However, you may need to purchase some essential household items to get started on your new home checklist, such as linens (sheets, towels, and tea towels), which owners are not required to provide in furnished rentals in France; household cleaning products; standard kitchen supplies, etc.
Considering the expense of renting a furnished apartment in Paris, it's still comparatively lower than many major cities in the States or the U.K. Despite the extra costs, Paris offers an incomparable living experience and a unique culture. Most importantly, Paris is expat-friendly, dynamic, inclusive, and LGBTQ+-friendly where expats can live, raise kids, and work. Welcome to Paris, and do not hesitate to contact Paris Rental if you want to rent a furnished apartment for the long term.
Editor: Siyi Chen
Sources: Selectra
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