I’m a US expat and have been living in France for ~9 years. This topic always comes to my mind when looking for a new place. In terms of costs, that’s a hard on

I’m a US expat and have been living in France for ~9 years. This topic always comes to my mind when looking for a new place. In terms of costs, that’s a hard one to really compare. In my region, Île-de-France, the cost per sqm is very very high. Land is also a luxury which applies to most of Europe. Prices are just generally higher here. Having lived in multiple homes in the US, quality is also subject to whoever builds your home and what materials you invest in. I would say that the standard is generally higher in Europe, but that does come at a cost. I’ve rented multiple homes here in France. The apartment I am in now is simply amazing, I’m friends with my landlord and he explained to me the process he went through when developing the complex. One of the homes I rented was built in the 50s/60s, very solid but lacked a lot of modern amenities. It was also very damp and cold on the inside. The heating bill was horrible in the winters due to the high ceilings and outdated heating system. I upgraded to a more modern home after that, which was built in ’98 and was simply amazing. Layout was very practical, you could have a party on the main floor and the noise heard from the second floor was fairly minimal. There are pros and cons to both approaches. A few that come to mind: EU + sturdy construction that lasts longer than a standard US home + better sound isolation + more resilient to the elements - more expensive - home layouts are very odd due to age/changing standards - renovating is more involved and difficult/costly US + cheaper (in most places compared to EU) + renovating is much easier + better home layouts + easier to find something on a piece of land (if that's a criteria) - less sound isolation - needs repairs more frequently - much less noise isolation I think my biggest gripe is just the costs here in France. Being American, I like my space and having a little bit of land to play on. For what I am accustomed to having in the states would cost something north of a million in this region. Sure, you could find something in the center of France for dirt cheap, but you'll go stir crazy there... I guess the moral of the story is that your problems go away if you have enough money /s