I moved our family of four from the US to France & pay just $2,235 for everything – but the grocery stores blew me away

ONE woman up and left America with her husband, two children, and dog five years ago and has since been enjoying an affordable lifestyle across the globe in France.

The expat has come to love not only the rich culture and beautiful landscape of the European country, but also the accessibility offered by the French mentality, with her family’s monthly bills totaling just $2,235.

Allison Sacleux

Allison Sacleux, a mother of two, moved her family to France back in 2020[/caption]

Allison Sacleux

Sacleux moved to southern France from Florida right after the pandemic hit[/caption]

Allison Sacleux

Sacleux has enjoyed not only the French lifestyle, but also its affordability[/caption]

The cost-of-living in America is relatively high, ranking as the 13th most expensive country when compared to hundreds of nations, per data company Numbeo.

Many Americans struggle to afford basic necessities as housing prices, inflation, wage stagnation, and healthcare costs all put pressure on their finances.

As it becomes progressively harder to maintain a comfortable standard of living, an increasing number of Americans are packing their bags and heading abroad in search of a more affordable lifestyle.

Allison Sacleux, a mom of two and a Goldendoodle, did just that.

The content creator, expat coach, and travel planner moved her family from Orlando, Florida, to France, she exclusively told The U.S. Sun.

Her husband Patrick, a French professor at the University of Central Florida, had a green card due to his French heritage, so the duo decided to move to France in 2020 when the political situation in America “felt very insecure.”

The expat dished out the details on how her move to Banassac-Canilhac, France, a few years back has been great for her and her family, cutting down on their overall daily expenses all while indulging in the European lifestyle.

CUTTING DOWN COSTS

Since moving to France five years ago, Sacleux has been in awe of the quality and affordability of her newfound lifestyle.

While the United States ranks as the 13th priciest country, France is a little friendlier on the budget, coming in at 24th place.

Although the European country has a relatively high cost of living, especially in big metropolitan areas such as Paris, expenses can greatly vary depending on location and lifestyle. 

A number of cities and rural areas in France offer more affordable options, such as Banassac-Canilhac, a small, picturesque village situated in the Lozère department of the Occitanie region in southern France, roughly a six-hour drive from Paris.

Not only is the Occitanie region beautiful, but also more affordable than other parts of France.

Sacleux’s three-story home in Banassac-Canilhac, measuring roughly 2,150 square feet, costs approximately $870 per month.

After living there for several years, she and her family moved to their new home in the town of Cazères, around 30 minutes south of Toulouse, on July 11.

The new home, 1,500 square feet and with four stories, has a slightly higher monthly rent of around $985 because it is closer to a metropolitan area.

In Florida’s Winter Park area, where Sacleux previously lived, a similarly sized home would run a family on average $2,885 per month, according to Apartments.com.

HEALTHY AND HAPPY

Aside from housing costs, one of the most noteworthy price differences between the US and France, according to Sacleux, was insurance.

The US has hefty insurance costs compared to many other developed countries, especially when it comes to health and auto insurance. 

While America spends a significantly greater portion of its GDP on healthcare than other developed nations, it also has some of the highest per capita healthcare costs and comparatively lower health outcomes. 

On the other hand, insurance is “so affordable” over in France, said Sacleux.

“I was paying around $500 a month for my car and house insurance and could not even afford health insurance for myself,” explained the expat. “Now it’s about $200 for our house, health, and car insurance all together.”

Sacleux shared that a visit to a general practitioner in France costs roughly $35, and anywhere between $70 and $85 for a specialist.

However, because France has “wonderful healthcare” and she also has private insurance, Sacleux is reimbursed for at least 90 to 95% of what she spends at the doctors.

“In the four years that we’ve lived here, I can only remember paying out of pocket at the pharmacy three times,” she said.

AFFORDABLE EATS

Another appealing aspect of her family’s move to Banassac-Canilhac was the food, especially at the grocer.

“I was blown away by their food prices at the grocery store,” said Sacleux. “I’ve found on average most items are one-third of the price as they are in the USA.”

For example, a four-pack of natural yogurt that would run you upwards of $5 in the US costs just $1.50 in France.

The expat pays roughly $1,050 each month for groceries for her family of four, which she admitted was slightly hiked due to her growing teenage son as well as her choice to splurge a little on healthy, high-quality groceries.

If she were to purchase standard groceries, Sacleux said she could bring her monthly grocery bill in France down to around $700 to $800.

This is drastically less than her monthly grocery costs of $1,300 when she was living in Florida back in 2020, before inflation and the current trade war spiked food prices.

I was blown away by their food prices at the grocery store,” said Sacleux. “I’ve found on average most items are one-third of the price as they are in the USA.”

Allison Sacleux

Not only are the groceries in France cheaper, but also better for you, according to Sacleux, who noted that much of the food sold at French grocery stores is produced in the country.

She pointed out that there are farms everywhere, with the French government striving to provide affordable, high-quality foods to all residents.

Produce is inexpensive in France, while junk foods are taxed higher than whole foods.

“High-quality food is just normal, and you don’t have to pay a premium for it because the French government feels like everyone has the right to eat well,” said Sacleux.

“That’s the French mentality and the mentality of politicians that subsidize certain foods to bring the prices down to make sure that their population is healthy.

“If you have a healthy population, then you have a population that can work and reproduce and go to school and keep your country moving forward.”

MAKE THE MOVE

Sacleux encouraged other Americans to consider moving abroad, emphasizing that not only was France more affordable, but also her family’s lifestyle was much more relaxed.

“You learn to slow down,” said the mother. “The first couple of months you’re still in American go-go-go mode, and then after a while, you realize why French people sit at the café for an hour or two.

“They have the time and you just learn to slow down.”

Sacleux talked up the work-life balance in France, sharing that she had much more time to spend with her kids and relax.

Every job offers a minimum of six weeks of vacation time, she said, and many roles only work 35 hours per week.

Not to mention, her kids only have half a school day on Wednesdays.

“It’s nice for them and it’s nice for us so we get some downtime in the middle of the week. It’s good for everybody’s mental health,” she said.

The U.S. Sun previously spoke to other Americans who have ditched their lives in the US to move abroad.

One man from California escaped the US for a cheaper and safer city across the world – he saves $2,300 a month on rent and food costs have plummeted.

Plus, another couple fled America for one of Europe’s cheapest places – their monthly expenses for two fell to $1,500 and they didn’t need a visa.

Allison Sacleux

Sacleux moved to Banassac-Canilhac, France, with her two kids, dog, and husband[/caption]

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The expat has found that France is much more affordable than the US, with cheaper food, housing, and healthcare[/caption]

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Sacleux praised the food in France as being not only healthier and more wholesome, but also cheaper[/caption]