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Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

France · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

49
Overall Score

Cannes, situated on the French Riviera in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, is globally renowned for its luxurious lifestyle, Mediterranean coastline, and the prestigious annual Cannes Film Festival. Historically a modest fishing village, the city transformed into an elite resort town during the 19th century when British and European aristocrats built winter residences along the coast. Today, it balances its glamorous international reputation with a vibrant local community, scenic palm-lined boulevards, and historic quarters like Le Suquet. People are continually drawn to Cannes for its exquisite climate, cultural prominence, and high standard of coastal living.

About Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) is a region in southeastern France known for its diverse landscapes, from the Mediterranean coastline of the French Riviera to the Southern Alps. The economy is heavily driven by tourism, but also boasts strong sectors in technology, such as microelectronics and biotechnology, as well as aerospace, marine technology, cosmetics, and the food industry. Living in PACA generally offers a desirable lifestyle with a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild winters, and a relaxed pace of life. However, the cost of living is higher than the French national average, particularly along the coast, with average monthly costs for a single person around $2,138 including rent.

74,152
Population
$44K
Avg Salary
105
Cost Index
49.3
Quality Score
How this 49/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 78 / 100 78.0 30% 23.4
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 105.0 37.5 25% 9.4
Economy & jobs Median household income: $42,500 Income needed to live here: $48,000 Unemployment rate: 8.5% 14.7 20% 2.9
Growth Population growth rate: 0.4% Job growth rate: 1.5% 42.5 15% 6.4
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 72 / 100 72.0 10% 7.2
Overall score 49.3

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

Businesses in Cannes

Featured local businesses in Cannes.

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Quality Scores

Business
72
Livability
82
Affordability
58
Growth
70

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Cannes is notably higher than the French national average, driven largely by high demand for real estate along the Mediterranean and luxury tourism. Housing costs, whether renting or buying properties near the Croisette, command premium prices due to limited geographic space and intense international interest. Everyday expenses such as dining out, groceries, and services also reflect the upscale nature of the resort city, though everyday essentials remain manageable outside the immediate tourist zones.

Average Rent
$1,450/mo
Groceries
$420/mo
Transport
$85/mo
Utilities
$175/mo
Healthcare
$220/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$50.00
Cinema ticket
$13.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$25.00
Monthly groceries
$380.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$30.00

Salary Insights

Cannes's economy is heavily anchored by tourism, hospitality, large-scale international events, and congresses hosted at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Beyond tourism, the surrounding region supports a growing tech and innovation sector, particularly tied to the Sophia Antipolis technology park located just inland. While seasonal fluctuations affect hospitality employment, professional services, maritime industries, and event management provide year-round economic stability.

The average salary in Cannes is $44,000 per year. You would need approximately $48,000 to live comfortably.

Top Industries

Tourism and Hospitality +1.80% Real Estate and Construction +1.20% Technology and Professional Services +3.10% Events and Congresses +2.20% Retail and Luxury Commerce +1.50%

Climate

🌡️
17°C
Avg Temp
☀️
30°C
Summer High
❄️
7°C
Winter Low
🌧️
41.10"
Annual Rain
💧
65.00%
Humidity
🌤️
275
Sunny Days

Transport

Getting around Cannes is convenient via its pedestrian-friendly center, extensive municipal bus network, and the Gare de Cannes railway station providing regional connections along the coast. While walking and cycling are popular for traversing the downtown area, driving can be challenging during peak summer months and major festival periods due to heavy traffic and limited parking. The nearby Nice Côte d'Azur Airport offers comprehensive international flight connections just a short drive or train ride away.

24 min
Avg Commute
62.00/10
Transit Score
75.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Enjoy over 270 days of sunshine annually with a mild Mediterranean climate ideal for outdoor living.
Proximity to Sophia Antipolis, Europe's leading technology and innovation hub.
World-class cultural events, including the internationally acclaimed Cannes Film Festival.
Excellent rail connectivity along the French Riviera, linking Nice, Monaco, and Marseille.
High safety standards and a secure community environment for families and retirees.
Drawbacks
Significantly higher cost of living and housing prices compared to the French national average.
Severe traffic congestion and parking shortages during peak summer tourist seasons and major festivals.
Seasonal economic fluctuations heavily tied to tourism and hospitality cycles.
Intense crowds in central districts and beaches during high-profile international events.
Competitive long-term rental housing market with limited affordable inventory.

Questions about Cannes

What people ask about living in and moving to Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

Gathering the most common questions about Cannes…

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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