Practical Life Guide

Living abroad:
everything you need to set up

Healthcare, banking, housing, moving, schooling, phone plans, paperwork… The complete guide to the practical aspects of expat life that nobody explains to you before you leave.

Browse by topic

💊 Healthcare & insurance 🏦 Banking & finance 🏠 Housing 📦 Moving 🎓 Children's schooling 📱 Phone & internet 🚗 Vehicle & licence 🌴 Retirement 📋 Admin paperwork

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Healthcare & medical insurance

This is the most critical topic of expatriation. Poor coverage can ruin you financially. Here is how to get properly insured.

🇫🇷 What happens with the French Sécu

If you leave France for more than 3 months, you gradually lose your CPAM entitlements. You have two options:

CFE (Caisse des Français à l'Étranger): keep contributing voluntarily to the French health insurance system. Cost: ~€200–500/month depending on income. Useful if you return to France often or plan to leave for a limited period.
Private international insurance: more flexible, often cheaper for those under 45, covers you worldwide. Mandatory if you no longer contribute to CFE.

⚠️ Dropping your CPAM without signing up for CFE or private insurance leaves you with zero coverage from day one abroad.

🌍 Choosing your international insurance

Key criteria to check:

Coverage zone: worldwide or worldwide excluding USA? (USA coverage = significantly more expensive)
Annual ceiling: minimum €500K, ideally unlimited
Medical repatriation: essential
Maternity: waiting period is often 10 months, plan ahead
Dental & optical: rarely well covered, check the ceilings
Direct billing: do you front the costs or is payment made directly to the clinic?

The international insurers most commonly used by expats

April International

French, great value for money, French-language interface. Ideal for first-time expats. Worldwide coverage available.

Cigna Global

Global leader in expat insurance. Extensive coverage, direct clinic network. Pricier, but justified for high earners or expensive zones (Dubai, USA).

Allianz Care

Solid for families, strong global network, efficient mobile app. Competitive rates in the Europe / North Africa zone.

AXA Assistance

Full coverage, strong presence in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Very robust repatriation option.

SafetyWing

Very popular with digital nomads. Affordable (~€50–80/month), month-to-month subscription. Less comprehensive coverage but enough for young, healthy people.

Foyer Global Health

Luxembourg-based, highly rated in Europe and the Middle East. Strong on direct hospital billing.

💡 Tip: Compare on aggregators like Pacific Prime or William Russell. Average budget: €100–250/month for a single person aged 30–40 without USA coverage.

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Banking & financial management

Managing your money abroad requires a clear strategy. Most expats juggle 2 or 3 accounts to cover every use case.

🇫🇷 Keeping a French bank account

Essential to receive your pension, handle any residual French taxes, and keep a financial foothold. Not every bank tolerates non-resident clients:

Boursorama: generally accepts expats, no fees
Fortuneo: same, widely used by expats
La Banque Postale: legally required to open an account for any French citizen
Traditional banks: some (Crédit Agricole, BNP) offer dedicated "expat" packages

⚠️ Let your bank know you are leaving. Failing to do so risks account closure or freezing for "suspicious activity abroad".

🌍 Multi-currency account for expats

The winning combo for most expats:

Wise (formerly TransferWise), the expat standard

European IBAN + account in 50+ currencies. Real mid-market exchange rates (no markup). Wise card accepted everywhere. Cheapest international transfers on the market. Essential.

Revolut, for day-to-day spending

Free up to €1,000/month in currency exchange, cashback, travel insurance included (premium). Less reliable as a main account but excellent as a secondary.

Local account in the host country

Often mandatory to set up rent direct debits, pay local utilities or receive a local salary. Open one as soon as you arrive with your visa/residence permit.

📋 Reporting obligations: don't overlook them

Article 1649 A of the French Tax Code: any bank account opened, held or used abroad must be declared to the French tax authorities via form 3916, even if you are a non-tax-resident. Penalty: €1,500 per undeclared account (€10,000 in non-cooperative countries).

Transfers and TRACFIN: above €10,000 of cash moved through an EU customs checkpoint, a declaration is mandatory. Bank wire transfers are not subject to this rule but remain traceable.

💱 International money transfers

Solution	Average fees	Delay	Best for
Wise	0.3–0.8%	Instant–24h	Regular transfers, any currency
Revolut	0–0.5%	Instant	Frequent small amounts
SWIFT wire	€20–50 flat + 1–3%	2–5 days	Very large amounts only
Western Union	3–8%	Immediate	Countries with no banking infrastructure

🏠

Finding housing abroad

Never sign a lease remotely without visiting in person. The winning play: arrive in an Airbnb for 2–4 weeks, view places on the ground, then sign.

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Phase 1: short-term

Book 2–4 weeks in an Airbnb or furnished flat in your target neighbourhood. Don't pay anything long-term until you've explored in person. Budget: count on 30–50% more than a long-term rental.

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Phase 2: active search

View 5–10 flats. Join Facebook expat groups in the country (the best deals often circulate there before they hit the listing sites). Ask other expats on the ground for referrals.

✍️

Phase 3: lease & move-in

Have the lease translated if needed. Check: duration, notice period, utilities included, deposit (often 1–3 months rent), joint inventory. Photograph everything on move-in day.

Listing platforms by region

🇪🇺 Europe

Idealista (Portugal, Spain) Imovirtual (Portugal) OLX (Romania, Bulgaria) Ingatlan (Hungary) KV (Estonia) Sreality (Czech Rep.) Bezrealitky (Czech Rep.)

🌏 Asia

DDproperty (Thailand) Baania (Thailand) PropertyGuru (Malaysia, Thailand) Nha.vn (Vietnam) Rumah123 (Bali)

🌎 Americas

Encuentra24 (Panama) Inmuebles24 (Mexico) Metrocuadrado (Colombia) Gallito (Costa Rica) Mercadolibre (Uruguay, Argentina)

🌍 Middle East & Africa

Bayut (Dubai) Property Finder (Dubai) Avito.ma (Morocco) Mubawab (Morocco, Tunisia)

💡 Good to know: In Dubai, rents are often paid annually in 1 to 4 post-dated cheques. Plan for the cash you will need well before you arrive. In Thailand, most contracts run 1 year renewable.

📦

International relocation

The golden rule: move as little as possible. Every kilo costs you, and local furniture is often cheaper than shipping.

🛄 What to take, what to sell?

✓Bring: Official documents (originals), computers and work gear, weather-appropriate clothing, prescription medication (6 months supply), irreplaceable personal effects, professional books.

✗Sell or store: Furniture (buying it locally is often cheaper than shipping), appliances (different plugs, different voltage), car (customs paperwork is expensive).

?To evaluate: Books, bike, photo/music gear, depending on destination and planned duration. If 2+ years, shipping is worth it. If <1 year, sell.

🚚 Shipping options

Sea container (20–40 ft)

For a full apartment's furniture. Delay: 3–8 weeks. Price: €2,500–8,000 depending on destination. Recommended movers: AGS, Relocations, JL Movers.

Sea groupage

Share a container. Cheaper (€1,000–3,500), longer delay (4–12 weeks). Ideal for 1–10 m³.

Extra luggage / postal shipping

For under 50 kg. Chronopost International, DHL, or checked air luggage. Simple, fast, but expensive per kilo (~€3–8/kg).

⚠️ Customs: Check customs duties and banned item lists before shipping. Some countries (Dubai, Thailand) have strict restrictions on alcohol, medicines, pork products. An ATA Carnet makes temporary professional equipment easier to clear.

🎓

Children's schooling abroad

This is often the decisive factor for families. Options are plentiful and cost can be the top budget line, ahead of rent.

🇫🇷 AEFE French school

The AEFE (Agency for French Education Abroad) network includes 565 schools across 138 countries. Official French curriculum, diploma recognised in France, French Baccalauréat available.

Pros: Educational continuity, easy reintegration on return to France.
Cons: Waiting list in some cities, high cost (€3,000–15,000/year), less cultural diversity.

🌍 International school

IB (International Baccalaureate) programme or British/American curriculum. Taught in English, perfect for kids who may relocate again.

Pros: Cultural openness, global network, prep for English-speaking universities.
Cons: Very expensive (€5,000–25,000/year), difficult transition back to France.

🏠 Local school + CNED

The child is enrolled in the host country's school for cultural integration AND follows the CNED (French National Centre for Distance Education) in parallel to maintain their French level.

Pros: Cheaper (CNED: €500–1,500/year), full immersion.
Cons: Heavy workload, requires an available parent.

Schooling budget by destination

City	French school	International school	Local school
Dubai	€8,000–15,000/yr	€12,000–25,000/yr	€3,000–6,000/yr
Lisbon	€4,500–8,000/yr	€8,000–18,000/yr	Free (EU)
Bangkok	€5,000–9,000/yr	€10,000–20,000/yr	€500–2,000/yr
Tallinn	€3,000–6,000/yr	€6,000–12,000/yr	Free (EU)
Casablanca	€3,500–7,000/yr	€5,000–12,000/yr	€300–1,500/yr

💡 AEFE support: Scholarships are awarded by French consulates to families whose incomes stay below certain thresholds. Ask your embassy's Cooperation and Cultural Action Service (SCAC).

📱

Phone & internet

Keep your French number (useful for banking, 2FA) by switching to a contract-free plan or relying on roaming (e.g. Free International).

International eSIM:

Airalo: the benchmark, 190+ countries
Holafly: unlimited data
eSIM2Fly: Southeast Asia

Local SIM:

Buy a local SIM upon arrival. Often under €15/month for unlimited data (Thailand, Georgia, Morocco). Sometimes requires a local residence permit.

VPN: Essential to access Netflix France, TF1+, Canal+ from abroad. Recommended: Mullvad, ProtonVPN, NordVPN.

🚗

Vehicle & driving licence

Driving licence:

In the EU: your French licence is valid indefinitely
Outside the EU: International Driving Permit (IDP) required in some countries. Get it at the prefecture before leaving (free + 3 photos)
Long-term residence: most countries require you to exchange for a local licence after 3 to 12 months of residence

Buying a local vehicle:

Wait until you have your local residence permit. Rules vary: in Thailand a foreigner can own a motorbike but not a car without a local company. In Dubai, everything is easy with a residence visa.

⚠️ Don't export your French car: customs duties + homologation = prohibitive cost in most non-EU countries.

🌴

Retirement abroad

Pension contributions:

CFE: contribute voluntarily to the French pension scheme from abroad. Recommended if you still have years to validate.
Bilateral agreements: France has conventions with 40+ countries: quarters contributed abroad can count towards your French pension.
PER (Retirement Savings Plan): your French PER remains valid from abroad.

Pension taxation:

Your French pension may be taxed in France or in the host country, depending on the bilateral tax treaty. Always check before leaving; some countries (Morocco) offer an 80% reduction on foreign pensions repatriated locally.

📋

Admin paperwork before leaving

The full checklist to tackle in the 3 months before your departure, plus the first weeks abroad.

✈️ Before leaving (in France)

Consular registration: register on the Registry of French Citizens Established Outside France (service-public.fr). Free, very useful for paperwork and voting.

Declare your departure to your tax office and CPAM. Request an E104 or S1 form if needed (healthcare coverage abroad).

Documents up to date: renew your passport and ID card. Get extra passport photos made (useful for every visa and administration).

Notarised power of attorney: give a trusted relative authority over routine acts in France (signing documents, property management, etc.).

Digitise everything: birth/marriage certificates, diplomas, family record book, employment contracts, payslips. Store on encrypted cloud (Proton Drive, Tresorit).

Cancel or suspend: subscriptions (EDF, internet, TV box, gym), home insurance, rental lease (1–3 months notice depending on situation).

🛬 On arrival (in the host country)

Visa and residence permit: check filing deadlines. In many countries, the entry visa must be converted into a residence permit within 30–90 days.

Open a local bank account: with passport + proof of address (lease, utility bill). Some banks require a local residence permit, others accept the passport alone.

Tax registration: if you become a tax resident, register with the local tax authority. Get your local tax identification number (TIN).

Health insurance: subscribe from the day you leave France. Do not leave a single day uncovered.

Contact the embassy/consulate: finalise your consular registration, learn about available services (civil status, voting, emergency assistance).

Local network: join French-speaking expat groups (Meetup, Facebook, InterNations). The freshest practical info always comes from the community.