Prefecture of Corse-du-Sud and seat of the Collectivité de Corse, Ajaccio is mostly let year-round: 51.3% of main residences are occupied by tenants and only 9.0% of homes are second homes. Prices, rents, neighbourhoods, budgets and yield: what you need to know before buying in Ajaccio from abroad.
The public indicators that matter before buying to let in Ajaccio, each with its source.
Ajaccio has 76,320 inhabitants according to the 2023 INSEE census. 51.3% of main residences are occupied by tenants and 28.8% of households consist of one person.
The rent map of the Ministry of Housing and ANIL gives an advertised rent of about €19.0 per m² including charges for a 1- or 2-room apartment in Ajaccio, compared with €15.5 for 3 rooms or more.
Sales recorded in DVF show the average price per m² for apartments up 3.8% between July 2025 and June 2026 compared with the previous twelve months, with 714 apartments sold.
Vacancy stands at 2.9% of homes according to INSEE. This overall rate includes dilapidated older homes or homes under works: a renovated, well-located property at the right rent generally lets faster.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median price per m² of apartments sold | €3,667/m² (3,786 sales) | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2021 to June 2026 |
| Average price per m² over the last 12 months | 3 980 €/m² | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2025 to June 2026 |
| Population | 76,320 inhabitants | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Average annual population change | +1.3% a year (2017 to 2023) | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Young people aged 18 to 24 in education | 1,572, i.e. 38.7% of 18-24 year olds | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Pupils, students and trainees among 15-64 year olds | 7,5 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Main residences occupied by tenants | 51,3 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Single-person households | 28.8% of households | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| One-room main residences | 4,4 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Vacant homes | 2.9% of homes | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 1 or 2 rooms | €19.0/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 3 rooms or more | €15.5/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Change in the average price per m² of apartments sold | +3.8% (July 2025 to June 2026, compared with the previous 12 months) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr), average weighted by number of sales |
| Apartment sales over 12 months | 714 sales (July 2025 to June 2026) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr) |
| Main residences with one or two rooms | 19,9 % | INSEE, 2023 census, IRIS Housing database (calculation) |
| Second homes and occasional-use homes | 9.0% of homes | INSEE, 2023 census, IRIS Housing database (calculation) |
| Main residences built before 1946, around place Foch (3 IRIS areas) | 55.7% (9.4% for the city) | INSEE, 2023 census, IRIS Housing database (calculation) |
| Unemployment rate in the Ajaccio employment area | 5.9% (8.3% in France) | INSEE, unemployment rate by employment area, 2nd quarter 2026 |
| Staff of Ajaccio hospital | 2,205, including 200 doctors | Ajaccio hospital, key figures 2025 |
| Passengers at Ajaccio Napoléon-Bonaparte airport | 1,593,011 in 2025 | Ajaccio Napoléon-Bonaparte airport, 2025 statistics |
Three typical properties, at the median sale price and the town’s advertised rent: enough to place your budget before you start searching.
1 room of 28 m², the median floor area of studios sold
Market benchmark: 28.8% of households in Ajaccio live alone, which supports demand for small units (INSEE, 2023 census).
2 rooms of 47 m², the median size of two-room apartments sold
Market benchmark: 51.3% of main residences are rented in Ajaccio (INSEE, 2023 census).
4 rooms or more, 90 m², the median floor area sold
The advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its features, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Median DVF sale prices from January 2025 to December 2025 in Ajaccio. Rents estimated at the advertised rent of the 2025 rent map, including charges (€19.0 per m² for 1 or 2 rooms, €15.5 for 3 rooms or more). Notary fees estimated at 8% of the price (7 to 8% for older properties according to the Notaires de France). Gross yield compares the annual rent with the purchase price, excluding fees and charges.
In Ajaccio, homes are mostly let year-round, but the housing stock changes from one neighbourhood to the next: old buildings around place Foch, larger homes towards the station, more second homes in Parc Berthault. The figures come from INSEE, IRIS area by IRIS area.
Around place Foch and the cathedral, 55.7% of main residences date from before 1946 and 48.7% are rented, according to INSEE; this is where homes under 40 m² are most numerous (14.4% of main residences). The old town is a listed heritage area (site patrimonial remarquable), and its apartment buildings must now have a structural survey carried out; the OPAH-RU "Cœur de ville" 2025-2030 scheme subsidises works within its perimeter.
From cours Grandval to the station, 56.6% of main residences are rented and only 0.8% of homes are vacant, according to INSEE. The Lycée Fesch is on cours Grandval, and the Chemins de fer de la Corse trains leave from the station: an area of working professionals and families, where homes are rather large (17.9% with one or two rooms).
In the Hauts de Pietralba, Avenue Franchini and Suartello IRIS areas, 55.4% of main residences are rented, of which 20.0% are social housing, and 23.1% have one or two rooms, according to INSEE. The housing stock is recent (1.1% from before 1946) and second homes are rare (3.1%). The Jules Antonini vocational school is on avenue Noël-Franchini: an area of families and working professionals, let year-round.
In the Parc Berthault and Résidence des Îles IRIS areas, 25.1% of homes are second homes, nearly three times the city average, according to INSEE. Homes with one or two rooms are more common than elsewhere and 43.8% of main residences are rented, almost all in the private sector (3.9% social housing). Letting a second home as a furnished tourist rental there requires, as everywhere in Ajaccio, a one-year renewable change-of-use authorisation.
INSEE figures (2023 census, IRIS Housing database), grouped by sector; DVF prices are only published at municipal level: €3,667 per m² median price for apartments from July 2021 to June 2026. In the Les Cannes, Candia, Avenue Maréchal-Juin and Le Finosello IRIS areas, 68.9% of main residences are rented, of which 41.6% are social housing; the city has two priority neighbourhoods, Salines - Cannes and Nord rocade.
Civil servants, healthcare staff, tourism employees and families: in Ajaccio, where unemployment remains low, rental demand comes first from working professionals living here year-round.
The Ministry of Higher Education atlas counts 613 students enrolled in Ajaccio in 2025-2026: the Université de Corse, with about 5,000 students, has its seat in Corte. Student demand remains modest; aim instead at working professionals and families.
Ajaccio hospital has 2,205 staff, including 200 doctors, and the Collectivité de Corse, which sits in Ajaccio, 4,368 staff across the island: civil servants and healthcare staff make up steady demand all year round.
According to INSEE, 4.4% of main residences in Ajaccio have only one room. A furnished studio or two-room flat meets this demand for single-person homes.
According to INSEE, only 10.0% of households in Ajaccio moved in less than two years ago: tenants stay a long time, which limits vacancy between two leases.
Sources: Ministry of Higher Education, 2025-2026 enrolment atlas; Université de Corse; Ajaccio hospital (2025); Collectivité de Corse (2025); INSEE, 2023 census. Unemployment stands at 5.9% in the Ajaccio employment area in the second quarter of 2026, against 8.3% in France (INSEE).
In Ajaccio, rent levels are not capped, but tourist letting of a second home requires authorisation from the town hall: choose the formula according to the neighbourhood and the tenant you are targeting.
Investing in a house share from abroad →| Option | In Ajaccio | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Unfurnished rental | The first rent is free, then the tight housing zone rule applies on re-letting. Four main residences out of five have three rooms or more: these large homes are let to families on three-year leases. | For a large home |
| Furnished | 28.8% of households in Ajaccio live alone, but only 19.9% of main residences have one or two rooms: a furnished studio or two-room flat finds takers among working professionals, with one month’s notice. | To prioritise |
| House share | Possible in a large home, for young working professionals rather than students, who are few in Ajaccio: check the co-ownership rules. | Worth studying |
| Mobility lease | From 1 to 10 months, furnished, for a tenant in higher education, on an internship, in an apprenticeship, in vocational training, in civic service, on a job transfer or on a temporary assignment. | For a few months |
| Short-term rental | Registration number compulsory, one-year change-of-use authorisation for a second home, 120 days a year at most for a main residence, and residence tax surcharged by 60% on second homes. | Tightly regulated |
In Ajaccio, rents are not capped, but the city is in a tight housing zone, closely regulates tourist letting and is tightening checks on buildings in the centre. Check the rules below before costing your project.
Ajaccio is in a tight housing zone. Rent levels are not capped, but for a new lease signed between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, the rent may not exceed that of the previous tenant, except for an authorised annual review, and no increase is allowed for a home rated F or G. A home that has been empty for at least a year is taxed at 17% of its rental value in the first year, then 34%, statutory rates that the commune can raise.
Since 5 May 2025, any furnished tourist rental must have a registration number, to be displayed on every listing. Letting a second home also requires a change-of-use authorisation, personal, valid for one year, renewable and non-transferable; a main residence can only be let for 120 days a year, according to the City. Without a number, the civil fine can reach €5,000, according to service-public.gouv.fr.
Ajaccio applies the maximum 60% surcharge on the residence tax for second homes, according to the DGFiP study of the 2026 council decisions: a home kept for yourself between two stays costs more every year.
Since the city council meeting of 1 October 2026, apartment buildings in the Genoese centre and on cours Napoléon must have a structural survey carried out, to be renewed every ten years; the mayor can order it of his own accord, at the expense of the owner or the co-ownership. The OPAH-RU "Cœur de ville" 2025-2030 scheme subsidises works within its perimeter: file your application before signing a quote.
The centre of Ajaccio has been a listed heritage area (site patrimonial remarquable) since 2005: external works require the opinion of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France. An extension towards the quartier des Étrangers, the Casone, cours Napoléon and cours Jean-Nicoli was put to public inquiry in spring 2026. The City subsidises façade renovation for co-ownerships in the area, up to €30,000.
Géorisques lists for Ajaccio flood risk prevention plans, including that of the Gravona, under revision, a ground movement prevention plan, a forest fire plan and two technological risk prevention plans, around the Antargaz and GDF sites in Loretto. Read the risk report for each property.
Since 1 January 2025, a home rated G can no longer be let under a new lease, F-rated homes will follow in 2028 and E-rated homes in 2034, according to service-public.gouv.fr. In Ajaccio, a furnished tourist rental in a second home must in addition be rated A to E to obtain the change-of-use authorisation.
Your rents are taxed in France, whatever your country of residence. What changes is how they are treated at home and the rate of social contributions.
BelgiumFor a property held directly and let unfurnished, Belgium exempts these rents but uses them to set your tax rate. Social contributions: 7.5% if you are affiliated to Belgian social security and not dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Belgium →
United KingdomThe United Kingdom also taxes your rents, with a credit for French income tax. The British tax authority (HMRC) includes in this credit the 7.5% solidarity levy, which is due if you are affiliated in the United Kingdom. Only the CSG and CRDS are excluded from it by the tax treaty.
Investing from the United Kingdom →
SwitzerlandSwitzerland exempts your French rents, but takes them into account for your tax rate. The 7.5% rate requires you to be covered by Swiss compulsory health insurance (LAMal) and not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Switzerland →The reduced rate depends on your affiliation, not your country: without affiliation in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, or if you are dependent on a compulsory French scheme, you pay the full rate.
Tax treaties by country →Rules taken from our country pages and our tax page, for 2025 income. Your exact situation depends on your affiliation and on your country’s tax treaty.
Your rents and your capital gain are taxed in France, even if you live abroad.
On resale, the tax on the capital gain is withheld by the notary, with allowances for length of ownership from the 6th year: exemption from tax after 22 years, and from social contributions after 30 years.
Depending on your situation, our strategies and the way your purchase is structured can reduce, or even neutralise, the tax: we look at them with you from the very first call.
Taxation for the expat investor →Property tax and household waste tax apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest notice to know the amount. Ajaccio applies a 60% surcharge on the residence tax for second homes (2025). Sources: collectivites-locales.gouv.fr, impots.gouv.fr, notaires.fr.
Here is a simple example, for illustration purposes: a 40 m² two-room flat, at the median sale price and the average advertised rent.
| Furnished letting, micro-BIC regime | Affiliated in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom | Other cases (full rate) |
|---|---|---|
| Rents over one year | 9 120 € | 9 120 € |
| Taxable income after the 50% allowance | 4 560 € | 4 560 € |
| Income tax at the 20% minimum rate | − 912 € | − 912 € |
| Social contributions | − 342 € (7,5 %) | − 848 € (18,6 %) |
| Left after tax | 7 866 € | 7 360 € |
| Yield after tax | ≈ 5,4 % | ≈ 5,0 % |
Assumptions: furnished letting under the micro-BIC regime, 50% allowance, 20% minimum rate for non-residents (2025 income), rents received counted in full. The 7.5% rate also requires you not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme: a retired person who receives only a French pension pays the full rate. Charges, property tax, notary fees and loan interest are not deducted: under the actual regime (régime réel), the tax can be significantly lower.
An advertised rentThe rent from the map is an advertised rent including charges, so it is higher than the rent excluding charges that you will receive.
The rent at your addressThe advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its size, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Costs and chargesNotary fees, renovation works, property tax, insurance and management then reduce the net yield.
This calculation helps compare cities or properties; it does not guarantee any result.
You live abroad and you are looking at Ajaccio? In 45 minutes, we tell you what is feasible with your budget, your down payment and your country of residence.
Book a call →On an island, everything goes by air or sea: Ajaccio is linked all year round to Paris-Orly, Marseille and Nice, several times a day, and by direct flight to Geneva and Brussels from April to October, according to its airport. A night ferry also links it to Marseille.
All year round, with Air Corsica and Air France, according to Ajaccio Napoléon-Bonaparte airport, which welcomed 1,593,011 passengers in 2025.
All year round, with Air Corsica; from Marseille Saint-Charles station, Paris is then 3 h 03 away by direct TGV.
All year round, with Air Corsica; Nice Côte d’Azur schedules 60 flights a week to London and 25 to Geneva this winter.
With easyJet, from 2 April to 24 October 2026, according to Ajaccio airport.
With Air Corsica, from 4 April to 24 October 2026; the airport also announces a route to London in 2027.
Overnight crossing between the port of Ajaccio and Marseille, with La Méridionale, according to the company.
Frequencies noted on 11 November 2026 on the destinations page of Ajaccio airport (2026 season), on the winter schedule of Nice Côte d’Azur airport and on the official SNCF timetable (Tuesday 17 November 2026); they vary by day and season.
Yes. Ajaccio is among the communes in a tight housing zone, in the decree of 25 August 2026 that replaces the 2013 decree in 2027. For a lease signed between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, the rent of a home that is re-let may not exceed that of the previous tenant, except for exceptions provided for by law, and the tenant of an unfurnished home benefits from a reduced notice period of one month. However, Ajaccio does not apply reference-rent capping as in Paris or Lyon.
Yes, under conditions. Since 5 May 2025, any furnished tourist rental must have a registration number, obtained online and displayed on every listing. For a second home, you also need a change-of-use authorisation, granted personally for one renewable year, with an energy rating of A to E. A main residence can only be let for 120 days a year. Finally, check that the co-ownership rules allow furnished tourist rentals.
Yes. According to the DGFiP study of the 2026 council decisions, Ajaccio applies the maximum 60% surcharge on the residence tax for second homes.
Since the city council meeting of 1 October 2026, the City applies the 2024 law on dilapidated housing: apartment buildings in the Genoese centre, rue du Cardinal-Fesch, boulevards du Roi-Jérôme and Sampiero and cours Napoléon must have a survey of their structure carried out, then renew it every ten years. Before buying in this perimeter, ask the managing agent whether the survey has been done and what works it plans.
By air, via Paris-Orly, Marseille or Nice, linked to Ajaccio all year round, several times a day, or by direct flight from Geneva and Brussels from April to October, according to Ajaccio airport. A night ferry also links Marseille to Ajaccio in about twelve hours.
According to sales recorded in DVF from January 2025 to December 2025, a studio sold for a median price of €136,000, a two-room apartment for a median price of €187,800 and a large home for a median price of €289,200. Allow about 8% notary fees on top for older properties, and a works budget if the energy rating is poor.
In 2026, the municipal property tax rate is 36.47%, plus 10.50% for the inter-municipal authority. These rates apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest property tax notice to know the amount.
For a 40 m² furnished two-room apartment bought for €146,680 and let for €760 a month, about 5.4% of the price remains after tax if you are covered by a scheme in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom without depending on a mandatory French scheme, and 5.0% otherwise, under the micro-BIC regime and at the minimum rate of 20%. Charges, property tax and purchase costs are not deducted.
The capital gain is taxed in France at 19%, plus social contributions, and the notary withholds this tax at the time of sale, with an exemption from tax after 22 years and from social contributions after 30 years of ownership.
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