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The truth about living in Paris 
a thread! *tea*
a thread! *tea*
So, why do I feel entitled to âexposeâ Paris? Well, Iâve been there multiple times as a tourist, and one of my best friends has been living there as a Parisian citizen for over 3 years. So thatâs two points of view!
* Remember these are my friendâs and Iâs experiences and opinions, and you may feel completely different about Paris! You can share your opinion at the end of this thread. I donât intend to offend anyone.
⢠The money: Paris is VERY expensive. If you want to live within the city center (or close to it), you have 2 options: pay less to live in a matchbox, or pay an incredible amount of money for just a little more space.
⢠Many of the apartments are actually interior (views are still great!), but they donât get the amazing street views or much sunlight. Some may just have 1 tiny window. My friend lives in one of these and she says it can get claustrophobic at times. She pays 700⏠for about 9m2.
⢠Groceries are expensive too! Also, not many big supermarkets to choose from in the center. âCommonâ shops and restaurants like Zara or McDonaldâs are also more expensive in Paris just because itâs Paris.
⢠The architecture of the city is breathtaking. Paris has this mysterious and nostalgic aura to it that I love. But itâs not very clean! And you may find a couple of rats here and there.
⢠Most restaurants are tourist traps and theyâre highly overpriced. People these days pay whatever to get a good instagram picture (and for sure do it if youâre visiting as a tourist!), but if youâre actually living there...going out to eat often isnât a realistic possibility.
⢠People are always in a rush. Weâve both noticed that Parisians are always in a rush (or they pretend to be). Iâd advise you not to ask them for directions; theyâre so unbothered theyâd literally point you towards the opposite direction just to be left alone quickly.
⢠Also, something I dislike about Paris is that people always judge you and your clothes. You canât run to the shops in your sweats - people will side-eye you! You donât have to be wearing high end clothes all the time, but you have to look presentable when leaving the house.
⢠People *generally* judge you too much based on your looks, so making friends can be difficult. If you donât speak fluent French, natives may not want to speak to you just because they donât want to bother with the language. Theyâre generally very private.
⢠As I said, they donât bother with the language. So, if you donât speak French very well or if you donât understand something, they generally wonât adapt to make things easier (in the streets,shops,university). Some may even point out that you donât sound âFrenchâ or âParisianâ
â˘My friend doesnât really think Paris is a city where oneâd want to stay forever. Not just because itâs very expensive, but also because life is so busy and agitated that it wears you off after a while. She recommends living there for at least a year to get the full experience.
