French developers and entrepreneurs have some of the highest effective tax rates in the EU. Moving to Cyprus changes that picture significantly. Here is a practical breakdown of what actually shifts and what the numbers look like.

Why this matters more for France than most countries

France combines:

Income tax up to 45%

Social contributions (CSG/CRDS + cotisations sociales) that can push total burden above 60% for self-employed

Wealth tax (IFI) on real estate assets above EUR 1.3M

Capital gains tax up to 30% flat (PFU)

An exit tax on unrealised gains when you leave

The exit tax alone is a reason French residents do more relocation planning than most Europeans.

What Cyprus offers instead

Cyprus has a 0% Non-Dom dividend tax (SDC) for the first 17 years.…