How to look for a flat in Paris?

• List of documents :

  – ID
  – School certificate
  – Tax income of guarantor
  – Work contract of guarantor
  – Monthly income sheet for the 3 past months
  – Address certificate

• Where to live

  – 20/19/18ème : cheap
  – 3ème “le marais” / 4ème/ 11ème :hipster area with many bars
  – 1/2/6/7/8/16ème : very expensive and chic

• Budgeting:
  

The prices of the flats vary greatly based on location and the agency you are using.  The average price per square meter is 27.93€ per month (so then the budget will depend on how much can you afford).  More precisely, if you want to have a decent apartment in a good location count on minimum 600€ of monthly rent.

Remember there will possibly be additional costs when you rent a flat, such as paying one month in advance. Plus a security deposit (normally the amount of 1 months rent but can also vary).  If you use an agency to rent your flat, you will have to pay their agency fees.  Make sure to ask about this in advance, so you aren’t blind-sided by the extra expense.

Not all the apartments in Paris have all expenses included, you might have to pay extra for electricity, gas, and water (basic utility expenses).  These are fixed prices depending on your consumption of utilities.  Be sure to communicate with your landlord and see if your utilities are included or not, and if not, how to pay them on time

Platforms for normal flats:
seloger.fr
leboncoin.fr
pap.fr
www.jinka.fr

Platforms for roomates:
www.lacartedescolocs.fr/colocations/fr/ile-de-france/paris
https://www.immojeune.com/colocation/paris-75.html

TIPS!

•  get ahead in your research
• watch out for scams
• be sure to have all the required documents (and when you visit an apartment, present yourself with the rental documents)
• if you can, look for a French guarantor
• pay attention to the location of your apartment in relation to the metro (it will avoid you wasting time in transport)
• be careful, very few agencies or owners speak English

What is the budget I need to live in Paris?

Basic budgeting (in euros) :

– Housing : 600/1000
– Electricity : 60
– Food : 200/500
– Transport : 40
– Phone : 10/20
– Going out: 200/500
– Min: 1150 Max: 2150

Tips:

Use the app Unidays for discounts (restaurants, supermarkets, fashion, technology…) 

Whenever you purchase something ask for student discounts

Currency conversion :

https://www.xe.com/fr/currencyconverter/

• Check cost-of-living website

https://fr.numbeo.com/co%C3%BBt-de-la-vie/ville/Paris

RATP:

  is unavoidable in Paris, and a fundamental of Parisian transport.  This is the public transport company that covers Paris and its suburbs for the metro and bus system.

• You can find different plans:
  

If you are not going to use the subway/bus often, then you can buy a carnet: 15€ for 10 tickets.

You can also buy a weekly pass: 5€ the pass, 20€ the week.

Student pass (pass Navigo): this card is a student discount card, with a 38€ monthly fee.  With this card, you have unlimited access to all means of public transportation.

If you are not a student, then you have the normal working pass which is 72€ a month, and you also have unlimited access to the public transportation system.

https://www.ratp.fr/

You can also use Taxi, Uber, Limes (electric scooters), etc. to cross the city (especially at night, subways close at 00:30-1:00 during the week and 2:00 am during the weekend in Paris).

Remember that Paris is a very walkable city.  It is not that big, and you can cross large areas relatively quickly.

• Drivers license
  

Obtaining your driver’s license in France is a possibility, but we do not recommend obtaining it in Paris. First, it’s complicated, long and very expensive (1200/1500€). The advantage of a french license is that the it is valid throughout the whole word.

Is Paris a safe city?

In general Paris is a safe city in most of the areas. But of course, as Paris is one of the biggest cities in Europe and is one of the most visited capitals of the world, there are some less beautiful sides of Paris.

  At night, there are some areas that aren’t the safest due to drug dealing.

• Areas that aren’t super safe at night are:
  

 – 18ème/19ème/20ème
– 11ème can be shady
– Porte de Clignancourt
– In general: try to be especially careful in the north east of Paris

https://en.parisinfo.com/practical-paris/useful-info/staying-safe-in-paris/safety-advice-in-paris

1. France is the biggest country in the European Union.
2. The French army is the only army in Europe to still have racing pigeons in its ranks.
3. France holds the world record for the number of roundabouts.
4. Over 300 kinds of cheese are produced in France.
5. The Baguette is a fundamental part of the french culture, much like wine.  If you place the baguette upside down on the table, it’s very rude and you will be cursed!  Be mindful.
6. The Bise (the french way of saying hi) is not as simple as it seems.  Depending on where in France you come from, depending on the level of friendship, and the moment of the day, you don’t do La Bise the same way.
7. The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be a temporary installation, intended to stand for 20 years after being built for the 1889 World Fair.