Looking for German Expats in Paris?

Thinking about moving to Paris as a German? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what German expats in Paris wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

• The culture and food are the heart of it. Paris scores 86% for culture and nightlife and 92% for culinary variety, and Germans love the beauty, heritage, and cities to discover.

• Healthcare is world-class and affordable. 82% of expats in Paris rate healthcare affordability positively (vs. 61% globally) and 84% the quality of medical care.

• It's walkable and superbly connected. 91% rate the availability of public transportation positively, 85% getting around on foot or by bike, and 92% the opportunity to travel.

• Quality of life and careers appeal. Germans praise the importance of good food and wine, with 49% rating the local job market positively (above the 38% global average).

• Bureaucracy is the loudest complaint. Just 24% of expats in Paris find it easy to deal with local authorities, and Germans call it the worst they've experienced anywhere.

• Housing and costs bite. Only 15% rate housing affordability positively and 23% the general cost of living.

• The welcome can feel cool. Only 27% say making local friends is easy and 50% feel welcome, with some describing unfriendliness toward foreigners.

• Cleanliness and strikes frustrate. Dirty streets, air quality (50%), and frequent strikes come up as everyday gripes, with safety rated 71%.

For Germans, Paris offers culture, food, healthcare, and a beautiful, walkable base for exploring Europe. The trade-offs are the bureaucracy, the housing costs, and a cool social welcome. For culture and lifestyle over convenience, it delivers.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys among expats — asking them about various aspects of their life, from work to leisure. Learn what motivated our German members to move abroad, what keeps them there, and what they struggle with or miss about home.

Here you can find both positive and negative quotes from Germans about their expat life in the Paris. We have collected them from our yearly Expat Insider survey, where our members share their thoughts about the cities and countries they live in.

Let's begin with the positives.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the challenges German expats may experience while living in Paris.

InterNations is a place where German expats in Paris exchange experiences and tips to support each other. The "City Of Light" can be a great place for expats - our community helps you make the most of your experience!

• Browse our Members Network to get to know Paris’s German expats.
• Take part in our Expat Forums to obtain first hand tips from fellow German expats in Paris.
• Use the Expat Guide for Paris to find information on your host city.

Our community in Paris is also very active offline. Our InterNations Ambassadors organize regular events and various expat activities, e.g. a dinner in Paris’s hippest restaurant or an outing with other German expats to explore the salty marshland of the Camargue. These activities are a casual way to get to know expats from Germany in your local community as well as Germans in France nationwide. Interested? Simply become a member and we’ll be happy to welcome you among our Germans living in Paris!