Furnished or unfurnished rental in Paris: which should you choose in 2026?

Unfurnished lease or furnished rental? It's one of the first questions Paris owners ask. The answer depends on your situation, your property and your goals.

What the law says

In France, furnished rentals are governed by rules distinct from unfurnished rentals. A furnished dwelling must be fitted with a minimum list of furniture defined by decree (bedding, equipped kitchen, storage, lighting…) allowing the tenant to live normally from the day they arrive.

The minimum lease term also differs: 1 year for a standard furnished lease (versus 3 years for an unfurnished dwelling), and 1 month minimum for a mobility lease (bail mobilité) — the latter being particularly suited to traveling professionals.

Yield: the furnished advantage

In Paris, a furnished apartment rents on average for 15 to 25% more than a comparable unfurnished apartment. This rent premium reflects the added value of the equipment, but also the greater flexibility offered to tenants.

For a 30 m² studio in the 6th arrondissement, expect:

• Unfurnished rental: about €900 to €1,100/month
• Standard furnished rental: about €1,100 to €1,300/month
• Furnished rental to professionals (mobility lease): €1,400 to €1,800/month depending on the period

Taxation: a net advantage for furnished

Income from an unfurnished rental falls under property income (revenus fonciers): you can deduct your actual expenses (interest, works, management fees) but not depreciate your property. And if your property income is positive, it is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate.

Income from a furnished rental falls under BIC (Industrial and Commercial Profits, Bénéfices Industriels et Commerciaux). Under the LMNP (non-professional furnished landlord status) actual-expenses regime (régime réel), you can deduct all your expenses and depreciate your property. For many owners, this translates into a zero taxable result for 10 to 20 years.

Rental risks: a more nuanced picture

Unfurnished rental is often seen as more stable because tenants commit for a minimum of 3 years. In practice, the average length of a tenancy in Paris is 4 to 6 years for both types of lease.

However, furnished rental offers more flexibility to take your property back. And if you go through a guaranteed-rent operator like Belvie, the question of rental risk disappears entirely: you are paid every month, regardless of what happens in your apartment.

When to choose unfurnished rental?

Unfurnished rental remains relevant in certain cases:

• You have a sparsely equipped apartment and don't wish to invest in furnishing
• Your apartment is in an area with few tourists or few professionals
• You are in a low marginal tax bracket and LMNP taxation brings you little advantage
• You prefer the administrative simplicity of a standard lease

Our verdict for Paris

For a well-located Paris apartment (1st–16th arrondissement, close to transit and business districts), furnished rental to professionals consistently offers the best overall yield — provided you have the right partner to handle turnover without friction.