Destinations / France / Marseille

Marseille, France

Data grade A: DVF open transaction data  Updated Oct 2026

France’s oldest city, reinventing fast: calanques, culture money and prices far below the Riviera.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

about 3,400 euros/m2 (approx)

asking price level

4 to 5% approx

gross rental yield

about 870,000

population

about 2,800 h sunshine/year

climate

Marseille airport (MRS)

getting there

Marseille divides opinion and rewards those who look closely: Europe’s culture-capital investments, the Vieux-Port and the calanques national park on the city’s edge, at prices the Riviera abandoned decades ago. Neighbourhood choice matters more here than anywhere else in France; the arrondissement is the decision.

What your money buys here

Typical buys at each band, drawn from current local asking prices. Use the price per square metre in the bar above as your anchor: multiply it by the size you need and you will spot an overpriced listing in seconds. Figures are approximate, lean to the cautious side, and get refreshed as our data passes land.

$200k

A 2-3 bed in the 5th or 10th arrondissement

$350k

A renovated apartment near the Vieux-Port or in the 7th

$500k

A sea-view apartment toward the Corniche or a house in the 8th

Worth exploring nearby

Aubagne, La Ciotat and Martigues: La Ciotat is regenerating fast around its old shipyard. Going one town over usually buys a size or quality upgrade on the same budget, and these smaller markets are where patient buyers find the mispriced gems. Fewer listings means more waiting, so set the alert and be ready to travel when the right one appears.

Listings open on partner portals. Some links may earn us a commission, always marked.

Where to look

1. Le Panier and Vieux-Port: the historic heart
2. The 7th and the Corniche: sea-facing, prized
3. The 8th: beaches, families, the safe-bet south

All-in cost at $350k

Property price: $350,000

Notaire fees and taxes (resale): about 7 to 8% all together

Agent fee: usually included in the advertised price

Rule of thumb: budget 8 to 9% on top

New builds carry lower notaire fees (2 to 3%) plus VAT in the price. Figures approximate.

Visas and residency (most passports)

Digital nomad visa: No dedicated one. Remote workers use the long-stay visitor route without local employment.

Long-stay visitor (VLS-TS): Yes, with sufficient passive income and insurance; no French employment.

Buy-to-reside: No. Buying grants no status.

90-day rule: Without a visa, 90 days in any 180 in Schengen.

Healthcare and insurance

PUMA public coverage after three months of stable residence; top-up mutuelle insurance typically 100 to 250 euros/month for a family. Excellent hospitals across the south.

Schools and family

Free public schooling for residents. International and bilingual schools in Nice, Montpellier and Aix, typically 5,000 to 15,000 euros/year.

Serious about Marseille?

Talk it through with a relocation and buying advisor. Visas, timing and the buying process, in one call.

Sources: DVF (official sale records), notaires de France barometers, SeLoger reports, France-Visas pages. Figures marked approx are indicative and verified in our monthly data pass. Guidance, not legal or financial advice.

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