Expatriates rate Paris higher than Parisians, Ifop survey finds
Ifop's 2026 survey shows expats give Paris 6.8/10 for quality of life versus 6.2 from locals, praising balance, architecture and paid leave.
Foreign workers in Paris give the French capital a higher score for quality of life than the people who live there, according to results published on 4 November 2026 from the annual "Workplace in Paris" survey carried out by the French research firm Ifop.
The study compared responses from 127 expatriates from countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and South Africa with those of 1,251 employed French residents working in Paris and its inner suburbs. Expatriates rated Paris’s overall quality of life 6.8 out of 10, while Parisians scored it 6.2.
What expats value
Some 58 percent of expatriates said they believe Paris offers a better work–life balance than their home country. Beyond career opportunities, many cited the way work is integrated with daily life as a positive difference. In the survey, 82 percent of expats said they were proud to work in Paris and 36 percent said they could not imagine living anywhere other than France.
Architecture was another strong selling point: foreign respondents awarded Paris an 8.5 out of 10 for its buildings, compared with 7.9 from locals. Expatriates frequently described Paris as "beautiful" and highlighted routine practices such as taking a lunch in a restaurant or a drink on a terrace after work as characteristic of the Parisian lifestyle.
Paid leave topped the list of valued benefits: 24 percent of foreign workers mentioned it first, compared with only 13 percent of Parisians. Many expatriates also praised the French social model — social protection, paid vacations and workers’ rights — and found working hours in Paris more flexible than in other places.
Not all impressions were favourable. Two-thirds of expatriates said management in France lags behind the rest of Europe, and nearly 30 percent described their manager as "unpredictable, gives unclear instructions." Large majorities of foreign respondents also expressed stereotypical views: 82 percent said the French protest and complain about everything, 81 percent judged they speak poor English, and 76 percent said they are prone to strikes. Some 65 percent perceived arrogance among Parisians, and 45 percent believed the French work less than their neighbours.
Photo: press material from the event
