Living in Réunion, pros and cons
Prices, jobs, climate and risks compared with mainland France, with figures from Insee and Météo-France.
Settling in Réunion
The steps and figures to prepare a move to Réunion, from your budget to the cyclone season.
By the Rentîles editorial team Published on Updated on
To settle in Réunion, plan a higher budget than in mainland France and prepare your move 6 months ahead. Prices there are 9% higher on average, and 37% higher for food, according to Insee.
The 5 steps
- Estimate your budget. The budget simulator applies the Insee price gaps to your current spending.
- Prepare the move. Your personal belongings enter free of VAT and octroi de mer with a dated, signed inventory. The conditions are detailed on the octroi de mer exemption page.
- Decide about the car. A car imported tax-free cannot be sold or lent for 12 months.
- Time your arrival around school. The Réunion education authority has its own calendar, with the long holidays from December to February.
- Prepare for the cyclone season. Find your shelter and read the instructions for each alert level.
The island in figures
| Indicator | Réunion | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population on 1 January 2026 | 911,000 inhabitants | Insee Flash Réunion no. 305 |
| Price gap with mainland France in 2022 | +9% (unfavourable) | Insee Analyses Réunion no. 83 |
| Price gap for food | +37% (unfavourable) | Insee Analyses Réunion no. 83 |
| Unemployment rate in 2025 | 16%, against 7.5% in mainland France (unfavourable) | Insee Flash Réunion no. 308 |
The pros and cons in detail are on the living in Réunion page.
Before leaving
- Compare several removal quotes, for a full container or a shared one.
- Draw up an inventory of your belongings, dated and signed in 2 copies.
- Gather your proof of settlement: employment contract, transfer order or certificate of change of residence.
- If you are a transferred public servant, check whether your relocation costs are covered.
The moving checklist lists each step, to tick off.
After arriving
- Change the address on your vehicle registration certificate within a month of moving. It is free for up to 3 changes, according to Service-public.
- Bring in your belongings within a year of settling to keep the exemption.
- Keep the belongings you imported tax-free for 12 months, without selling, renting or lending them.
- Find the cyclone shelter nearest to your home.
The school calendar
Pupils in Réunion start school in mid-August. The southern summer holidays run from 19 December 2026 to 1 February 2027. All the dates until 2029 are on the Réunion school calendar page.
Cyclones
- Cyclone pre-alert I keep informed
- Orange alert I get ready
- Red alert I stay indoors
- Purple alert I stay indoors
- Recovery phase I follow the instructions
The cyclone alert system has 5 levels, from pre-alert to the recovery phase. During a red alert, people stay indoors and all traffic is forbidden. The instructions for each level come from Météo-France and are listed in the cyclone checklist.