Buying an apartment in Paris: arrondissements guide

Paris is the most liquid property market in France and one of the most expensive in Europe. It is also a market where the building matters nearly as much as the address: the condominium, its works plans and its rules decide your costs and what you can do with the flat. This guide covers price levels by arrondissement, the Paris-specific legal points, and what a foreign buyer should prepare. It is informational, not legal, tax or investment advice, and all figures are indicative.

Price levels by arrondissement

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements, numbered in a spiral from the centre. The figures below are rounded portal and notary-summary data for autumn 2026. Portals and notaries use different methods, so use them to compare areas, not to value a specific flat.

• The citywide average is around EUR 10,000 to 10,500 per m2, with recent annual growth reported at a low single-digit percentage after the earlier decline.
• The most expensive: the 6th, the 7th, the 4th and the central 1st and 8th. Portal data puts the 6th at roughly EUR 15,800 per m2, and about five central arrondissements are reported above EUR 12,000.
• The 16th (west) is around EUR 12,000 per m2 on portal data, with a family, residential character.
• Mid-range: the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th, which trade somewhere between the average and about EUR 11,000 depending on the street.
• The most affordable: the 19th at roughly EUR 7,800 and the 20th at roughly EUR 8,800 per m2, with the 18th and parts of the 13th and 14th close behind.

For the national comparison, see property prices and buying costs in France. For other regions, see best areas to buy in France.

Small flats and what sells

Most Paris flats are small, in older buildings (Haussmann stone, post-war blocks, and some 1970s towers). Small flats (studio to two rooms) hold liquidity, because buyers and tenants are plentiful. Good signs: a lift for upper floors, a courtyard or street side with light, a recent energy rating (DPE) of D or better and a building in sound condition. Poor energy rating is more than a detail: ratings F and G are restricted for rental, and the timetable of bans has been debated, so check the current status in the France rental yield article.

Loi Carrez: the surface you pay for

In a condominium flat, the seller must state the private surface area in the preliminary contract; this is the Loi Carrez measure. If the real area is smaller than the stated one by more than about 5%, the buyer can ask for a proportional price reduction, within a limited period after the final deed. Cellars, balconies and areas under 1.8 m ceiling height are generally not counted. Check the rule and period on service-public.fr and ask for the surveyor's certificate. Do not rely on the figure in an advertisement.

Copropriete: read the documents

Almost every Paris flat is in a copropriete, a condominium where you own your lot and a share of the common parts. Before signing, ask the agent or notary for:

• the minutes of the last three general meetings, to see approved and planned works;
• the annual charges and the budget, and the works fund (fonds de travaux);
• the by-laws (reglement de copropriete), which may restrict professional or tourist use;
• the technical diagnostics, including the energy rating and asbestos or lead reports where relevant;
• any pending legal disputes of the condominium.

Big works voted before the sale may be charged to the buyer under the contract terms, so ask who pays. Our resale checklist for France lists the rest.

Rent control in Paris

Paris applies rent control (encadrement des loyers) to furnished and unfurnished main-residence lets. A prefectoral order sets reference rents per m2 by district, number of rooms, construction period and furnished status, and the rent cannot exceed the median reference rent plus 20%. The scheme was reported as running until mid-2027, and new reference rents were published in June 2026. Check the current order on the Paris city portal before you calculate yield. In practice, controlled rents and high prices keep gross yields in the low-to-mid single digits, around 4% on the figures we found, before costs.

Tourist lets (meuble de tourisme) in Paris

Paris is among the strictest cities. The rules we found: a main residence can be let to tourists for a limited number of nights per year (reported as 90) with a registration number; a second home generally needs a change-of-use authorisation with compensation, reported at hundreds of euros per m2 in central districts; registration moved to a national online system in 2026. The condominium may also forbid it. Because penalties are high, confirm the current rules with the city before you buy a flat for this purpose. See also short-term rental rules in France.

Buying costs and process

• Notary costs ("frais de notaire") for resale property are typically quoted at about 7% to 8.5% of the price, and for new build about 2% to 3%. Ask for a written estimate.
• Agency fees are included in the advertised price or paid on top; the advertisement must say which.
• The process: offer, preliminary contract with deposit, a cooling-off period for the buyer, notary checks, financing conditions, then the final deed. Parisian sales often close in about three months.
• Financing: foreign buyers can borrow from French banks, usually with a larger deposit; see mortgages for foreigners in France.

For Russian-speaking buyers and expats

Paris has Russian-speaking lawyers, notary-office staff, interpreters and accountants, and a long-standing community, which helps with documents and appointments. The notarial deed itself is in French, so budget for a sworn translator or interpreter at the signing. Prepare your passport, proof of address, proof of the origin of funds and the bank trail of the transfer in advance; French notaries and banks apply anti-money-laundering checks to all buyers and may ask more questions of buyers from outside the EU. Pay only to the notary's account from an account in your own name. We support only lawful, fully documented purchases. Residents of Poland and other EU countries should also check what their home tax office expects for foreign property.

FAQ

Which arrondissement is best to buy in Paris? There is no single best one. The 6th, 7th and 16th are the most prestigious and dear, the 9th to 15th offer a middle ground, and the 18th to 20th are cheaper per m2.

What is the Loi Carrez? It requires the seller to state the private surface of a condominium flat in the preliminary contract, and lets the buyer claim a price reduction if the real surface is more than about 5% smaller.

Is rent control applied to all Paris flats? It applies to main-residence lets, furnished or not, within the legal limits. Check the current reference rents before you set the rent.

Can I use a Paris flat as a holiday rental? Only within strict limits and registration; a second home normally needs a change-of-use authorisation. Confirm with the city and the condominium before buying.

How much extra will I pay on top of the price? Plan for roughly 7% to 8.5% in notary costs on resale property, plus agency fees if not included, plus translation and any furnishing costs.

How we help

We are a trilingual platform (Russian, Polish, English) that finds properties and coordinates independent local lawyers and tax advisers. You can browse listings in France and run your numbers in the calculators. This text is informational and is not legal, tax or investment advice; rules and rates change, so verify them with a French notary and tax adviser before you commit.