The Talking Suitcase

Cruise & Curated Travel Specialist

Europe Travel with Kids

How Much Does It Cost to Live in France? January 2015 Expenses

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January 2015 Expenses in France


Moving overseas is terrifying.   Most people don’t think they could ever pick up and live abroad, especially with kids. We are sharing our expenses living in France for a year to help you see that your dream can be a reality. While our expenses may be different from what your family would spend, this is what my family of 4 spends per month in Nice, France. How Much Does It Cost to Live in France? January’s data is a little skewed. We were supposed to arrive in France on 1/6, but we had to push back our trip to 1/22 due to family obligations. We still paid 3 weeks rent, and the exchange rate at time of payment was approximately 1.23€ to the dollar.

View near our apartment
View near our apartment

We are staying in a 2 bedroom apartment along the Port of Nice. We wanted a central location for experiencing the city on foot.  We could have rented cheaper accommodations but the locations weren’t as central.

There are 10 days of food which include many start up necessities such a cleaning products, laundry detergent, olive oil, spices, etc. We also ended up eating out 3 times. Our budget allows for 1 meal out per week, so we blew that one this month.

We also spent 45€ for a taxi ride to the apartment from the airport and experienced a bit of a mishap with the tram that cost us an extra 6€.

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Tips to Get a Cheap Flight to France

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cheap flight to france
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Going to France may just be a dream for some, but finding a cheap flight to France can easily make that dream come true. As far as other costs, you have to pay to live somewhere during that time and it may as well be France. Watch your budget when it comes to entertainment and food. Other than that, your only added expense will be the bills you already pay at home, a hotel, and your transportation to and from France.

How to Get a Cheap Flight to France:

Last Minute Deals

Last minute deals are always a great way to save money as long as you can be prepared to leave for France on very short notice. Airlines don’t like to have empty seats because they have to pay the expense of the flight whether the seats are full or not. Obviously they make more money if the seats are full. By selling you last minute tickets for a low rate that can at least recover some of their money. The downside is that you may not get the seat you want. You might also have to travel in a section that you don’t want to, like economy class instead of first class.

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Why We Chose a France Rental Apartment

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France Rental Apartment vs hotel
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One of the biggest decisions we had to make when planning our France vacation was where to stay. There are countless lodging choices in France (and throughout Europe) – hostels, bed and breakfasts, hotels and apartments. Obviously, a hostel with 2 kids was not even an option. Bed and Breakfasts were also out due to the kid factor. Most B&B’s don’t want kids running around crazy in their homes.

So do we stay in a hotel or a short term France rental apartment? Both options came with an array of location and price ranges. First and foremost, we knew we wanted to be centrally located. While public transport in France is great, we didn’t want to waste our time riding a bus or train in and out of the city multiple times a day.

Once we knew the areas we wanted to stay, we looked at rates. Hotel rooms in France are small compared to American hotel rooms, and finding a room to sleep 4 jumped the price up substantially. I do need to note that I’m also a hotel snob, so that does factor into the price 🙂

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Best European Cities for Foodies

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Best European Cities for Foodies

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I thought it would be fun to share a post from Sophie on the best European cities for foodies. She’s traveled through Europe and gives her take on the incredible cities that can satisfy the foodie pallet.  I’m just getting ready to start traveling Europe, so this post is as much for me as it is for all of you 🙂

Traveling through Europe can be a whirlwind of places, sites and meals, but sometimes its the meals that we remember the most. For a foodie, travel is the best way to really get to know a place, its culture and most importantly, its people. Some European cities are much easier to eat your way through, sampling and nibbling as you go, with new food discoveries always on the horizon.

Use this guide to plan out your next trip to Europe, choosing among the best European cities for foodies. Each destination is a combination of convenience and the best food coming out of the kitchens of each chef.

Barcelona

Any foodie, or anyone that enjoys a good meal, that has ever been to Barcelona knows why this European city has made the list. Spain in general is a great place for foodies to explore new tastes and fresh flavor combinations that are conveniently served up in small portions, but Barcelona is the best city in all of Spain to do this. Dining out is a highly prioritized tradition among the locals, so every restaurant is competing to put out their best every day in order to keep up with a very demanding clientele. The Sarria district is best for adventurous foodies, for fresh seafood and traditional Catalan dishes head towards the city’s beaches, where the catch is brought in daily.

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We’re Going to France! Planning a France Vacation

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Planning a France Vacation

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We’re finally fulfilling my life-long dream of going to France!  If I didn’t have the plane tickets as proof, I’d think it was just a dream.  But no, I’m really planning a France vacation!!

France has always been one of those places I’d hoped to explore, but never imagined I’d actually go.  Well, maybe when I was 60, retired and my kiddos had kids of their own.

So, how did all this come about?  After my back surgery in November 2013 (and even before) I spent a LOT of time laying around in bed.  It occurred to me that I might not be able to walk well enough when I’m older to take such a trip.  My back will continue to deteriorate and strolling through quaint French towns might not be possible.  The more I thought about it, the more I realized that life is too short.  Sometimes putting things off until the right time,  isn’t the best idea.  Will there ever really be a right time?

What’s even better than spending 2 weeks in France?  The possibility of moving there for a year or two!

The more my husband & I talked about it, the more I realized I wanted to live abroad. I desperately wanted to expose my kids to another culture, to another language.  Part of me is utterly terrified.  I’ve lived my entire life within a 30 mile radius of where I was born.  I’d always had my Mom and little brother close by.

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