France rental yields in 2026: the published figures, and what comes off them.
// Short answer
Global Property Guide puts France's average gross rental yield at 4.83% in Q2 2026, with Paris at 4.69%, Marseille 5.57% and Lyon 4.56%. Those are gross figures from asking rents and asking prices, not what an owner keeps, and not a Brinkman Data calculation. The same source says net is typically 1.5 to 2 points lower.
Rules and rates as of September 2026. Transfer duty is set by each department and letting rules are changing, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
What is the average rental yield in France?
Global Property Guide puts France's average gross rental yield at 4.83% for Q2 2026. The figures are computed from median asking rents and median asking prices on local platforms, and the source notes net yields are typically 1.5 to 2 points lower. It is not a Brinkman Data calculation.
A gross yield is rent before any cost. The costs that come off it are listed further down this page.
What are rental yields in Paris and other French cities?
Per Global Property Guide's Q2 2026 data, average gross yields are Marseille 5.57%, Nantes 5.20%, Montpellier 4.87%, Paris 4.69%, Nice 4.67%, Toulouse 4.64%, Lyon 4.56% and Bordeaux 4.46%. All are gross, from asking data, and other published Paris figures may differ.
| Market (Global Property Guide, Q2 2026) | Average gross yield |
|---|---|
| France | 4.83% |
| Marseille | 5.57% |
| Nantes | 5.20% |
| Montpellier | 4.87% |
| Paris | 4.69% |
| Nice | 4.67% |
| Toulouse | 4.64% |
| Lyon | 4.56% |
| Bordeaux | 4.46% |
Why does a citywide yield average mislead in France?
Because unit size moves the figure more than the city does. In the same Global Property Guide data, studios run about 5.5% to 8.3% gross while units of three bedrooms or more run about 3.2% to 4.2%. The top figure is studios in Marseille's 10th arrondissement at 8.28%.
The question that matters is never the city. It is the building, the unit size and the rent it can actually get.
What comes off a gross rental yield in France?
Taxe foncière each year, co-ownership charges, vacancy, and tax on the rent: a minimum 20% income tax rate for a non-resident (30% on the higher band), plus social charges of 17.2% on unfurnished rent, or 7.5% for owners covered by EEA, Swiss or UK social security.
- Co-ownership charges: vary widely by building. No official national average was found.
- Second-home taxe d'habitation: applies only if the home is not let as someone's main residence.
- Tax on rent: detail in France property tax for foreigners.
Sources
Can a foreign owner let a French property to tourists?
Yes, as a meublé de tourisme, declared to the mairie with a registration number shown in every listing. In Paris, letting a home that is not your main residence this way needs a change-of-use authorisation with compensation before the first night. A national online registration service is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.
Fines for failing to declare reach EUR 5,000; Paris change-of-use breaches can reach EUR 100,000. A main residence can be let this way for 90 to 120 days a year depending on the commune; Paris applies 90. Where a change of use is needed, the home must be rated A to E on the DPE. From 2025, unclassified tourist lets get only a 30% micro-BIC allowance, with a low receipts ceiling.
Sources
What limits apply to long-term lets in France?
Energy rating and, in some cities, rent control. Homes let under a new or renewed lease must be rated A to F from 2025, A to E from 2028 and A to D from 2034. Rent control applies in Paris, Lyon, Lille, Montpellier, Bordeaux and other listed areas.
Under rent control, base rent may not exceed the local reference rent plus its allowed margin. The scheme is an experiment with an end date: in some territories it expires on 24 November 2026, and whether it will be extended was not confirmed as of September 2026. DPE letting rules have also been under political review.
Sources
// Buying in France?
Every listing in your budget, ranked on net yield, appreciation and resale. Any market with public listing data; book a free call first so I can confirm your city has the data.
See the $499 report, page by pageFrequently Asked Questions
What is a good rental yield in France?
Is Marseille's yield higher than Paris's?
Can I Airbnb my apartment in Paris?
Can I let a G-rated home in France?
Header photo: Drong, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.