Angouleme vs Saint-Tropez

Angouleme is a genuinely affordable small city where a single adult can live on $823/mo at the budget tier, and even the comfortable tier lands at $1,392/mo, which is remarkable against a $2,530/mo average net salary. The catch is that English proficiency is limited and the expat community is small, so you will need French and a tolerance for a 42 thousand person town where everyone knows everyone. Safety is excellent at 78/100 and air quality sits at 35, making it a strong pick for retirees and FIRE types who want quiet over convenience. Digital nomads should look elsewhere unless they qualify for the France Digital Nomad Visa at $5,000/mo, since the local scene is thin.

Saint-Tropez is a tiny, expensive playground for the rich, not a practical place for most expats. With a population of just 4,000 and a 3-bedroom city center rent of $1,040, it's shockingly affordable for a celebrity hotspot, but the high cost of living and limited opportunities make it a tough sell. The expat score of 84/100 and retiree score of 86/100 are decent, but the digital nomad score of 76/100 reflects the lack of a serious nomad infrastructure. Unless you're retired with a Long-Stay Visitor Visa and a taste for the Mediterranean, skip this overpriced postcard.