Nantes
France · Europe · 320K people
Consistently ranked one of France's most livable mid-sized cities.
Ranked #60 of 303 overall · 47.22, -1.55
Overview
With a population of around 320,000, Nantes is one of France's notable cities, part of the wider Europe region. It has become a go-to base for remote workers over the past few years. It has a reputation as a solid, practical choice for raising a family. People who choose to settle in Nantes tend to point to a strong sense of safety, solid infrastructure for remote work, and reliable healthcare as the deciding factors. Against its 103 tracked peers in Europe, Nantes's 7.1/10 overall score sits 0.2 points above the regional average of 6.9. On CityMatch, Nantes scores 7.1/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #60 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 8/10, while cost of living is its softest spot at 6/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
No major pollution concerns on average.
Workable without being exceptional.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
A strong pick if healthcare matters most to you.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Nantes right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 8/10 safety score puts Nantes among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Healthcare scores 8/10, a meaningful factor for families, retirees, or anyone planning to stay long-term.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Cost of living is Nantes's comparatively softest spot at 6/10 — still a workable budget, just not its standout strength.
Climate is the comparatively softer spot at 6/10 — pleasant enough, just not where Nantes stands out most.
Is Nantes safe?
Nantes scores 8/10 on safety — one of the more reassuring cities in our database. Most residents and visitors report feeling comfortable with ordinary city awareness rather than specific precautions.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Combined with a healthcare score of 8/10 and environment score of 7/10, Nantes looks like a genuinely solid pick for raising a family.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (8/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Nantes?
Climate here (6/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Nantes
Put together, quality of life in Nantes is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: nantes tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
Nantes tends to run at a calmer, more settled pace, the kind of rhythm that suits routine and family life more than nightlife.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (7/10) and climate (6/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Nantes isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Nantes tends to suit people who prioritize safety and healthcare over cost of living — see "Who Nantes suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Nantes?
Environment scores 7/10 here, solidly average: no particular pollution concern, but not a headline strength either.
Public spaces
Public space quality isn't separately measured in our data; the environment score above is the closest proxy we have, and it points to an unremarkable, workable baseline.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Nantes suits
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Safety-first mover
Safety-first movers — people relocating somewhere unfamiliar who weigh personal safety above all (fit score 7.4/10 here).
Young family
Young familys — households with kids prioritizing safety, healthcare and clean air (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 7.1/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 6/10 for cost of living, Nantes lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 8/10 on our safety score, Nantes ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
Weather here (6/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
What stands out about Nantes is how even its scorecard is — no criterion drags the average down much, giving a global score of 7.1/10 built on safety as the high point and cost of living as the lowest. The average across all seven criteria is 7.1/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Nantes covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 8/10 for internet, Nantes is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Nantes?
Nantes scores consistently well across the board (7.1/10 overall), led by safety. Unlike many cities on our site, there's no single criterion here that should give you pause.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Nantes safe?
Yes — Nantes scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Nantes?
Nantes scores 6/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Nantes good for families?
Nantes works well for families: safety (8/10), healthcare (8/10) and environment (7/10) average out to a strong combination for raising kids.
Is Nantes a good city for students?
Nantes isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (6/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Nantes suitable for digital nomads?
Yes — Nantes is one of our tagged digital-nomad destinations, with an internet score of 8/10 and a cost-of-living score of 6/10 to match.
What's the climate like in Nantes?
Nantes scores 6/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Nantes pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Nantes scores 6/10 on climate and 7/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Nantes a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 7.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Nantes?
Yes — Nantes scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Nantes a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.3/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Nantes?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Bordeaux and Strasbourg are the closest matches to Nantes in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Nantes worth living in?
Reasonably — Nantes scores 7.1/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Nantes?
Based on its score profile, Nantes suits people who value safety and healthcare more than the average mover — see the "Who Nantes suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Nantes walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Nantes scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Nantes?
Safety is Nantes's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Nantes?
Cost of living is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 6/10 — the lowest of Nantes's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.