The honest answer
The amount you need depends on your role, your resort, and your lifestyle. But as a rough guide: if your job includes accommodation, food, and a lift pass, you can get by with surprisingly little. If it doesn't, you need significantly more.
Here's a realistic breakdown for a typical first season in the French Alps.
Before you go
Startup costs
These are one-off expenses before you even arrive:
- Flights: £50–£200 (budget airlines to Geneva or Lyon)
- Travel insurance: £80–£150 for a full season policy with winter sports cover
- Ski gear: £0 if renting in resort (€150–€300 for the season), or £200–£500 if buying your own second-hand
- Clothing: £150–£400 depending on what you already own. See our layering guide
- Food Hygiene certificate: £15–£25 (online, do it before you go)
- Visa costs: Varies. French visa is around €99 for the application, plus your employer handles the work permit
- Buffer savings: At least £500–£800 in the bank as a safety net
Total startup: roughly £800–£1,800 depending on your situation. The biggest variable is gear. If you already own a ski jacket and trousers, that drops significantly.
The buffer is non-negotiable
Your first pay cheque might not arrive until mid-January if you start in December. You'll need money for the first few weeks: transport from the airport, a drink at the local bar, any kit you forgot, and small expenses that add up. Running out of money in week two is stressful and avoidable.
What you'll earn
Typical monthly pay (French Alps)
- Chalet host: €1,200–€1,600/month
- Chalet chef: €1,800–€2,500/month
- Bar staff: €1,000–€1,400/month
- Hotel reception/housekeeping: €1,200–€1,500/month
- Ski instructor: Variable. BASI Level 2 instructors typically earn €1,500–€2,500/month during peak weeks
- Driver/transfer: €1,200–€1,600/month
Most chalet roles include accommodation, food (at least some meals), and a lift pass. This is enormous. If you add up the value of a room, daily meals, and a season pass, it's easily €1,500–€2,000/month in benefits on top of your salary.
After deductions
French tax and social security will take roughly 20–25% of your gross pay. So a €1,400/month chalet host might take home around €1,050–€1,100. This varies, so ask your employer about net pay.
What you'll spend
With accommodation and food included
If your job covers the big three (room, food, lift pass), your monthly spending is essentially discretionary:
- Drinks and nightlife: €200–€400 (the biggest variable by far)
- Eating out: €50–€100 (staff meals cover most days, but you'll want a pizza night occasionally)
- Phone: €10–€20 (a French SIM or roaming add-on)
- Transport around resort: €0–€50 (most resorts are walkable)
- Miscellaneous: €50–€100 (laundry, toiletries, gear maintenance)
Monthly total: roughly €300–€700. The difference between the low and high end is almost entirely nightlife.
Without accommodation included
If your role doesn't include accommodation (common for bar staff, some hotel roles), add:
- Shared room in staff housing: €300–€600/month
- Food: €200–€300/month if you're cooking at home
This changes the maths completely. Without housing, you need either higher pay or lower spending to make it work.
The bottom line
With accommodation included
You could arrive with £800–£1,000 in savings, earn €1,200–€1,600/month, and finish the season having broken even or saved a small amount. Many people finish a season with €1,000–€3,000 saved, depending on how often they hit the bars.
Without accommodation
You'll need more savings upfront (£1,500–£2,000 minimum) and careful budgeting throughout. It's absolutely doable, but requires more discipline.
The biggest financial risk
It's not the cost of living. It's the social spending. A night out in a ski resort can easily cost €50–€80. Do that three times a week and you're spending €600–€1,000/month just on drinks. Most people who struggle financially on a season don't have an income problem. They have a nightlife problem.
Set a weekly budget for going out and stick to it. Pre-drinks at home, staff nights with discounts, and the occasional quiet evening in will make a huge difference.
Is it worth it?
Financially, a ski season isn't going to make you rich. But with accommodation and food included, almost everything you earn is yours. You'll likely spend less in a ski resort than you would living in a UK city, while having one of the best experiences of your life.
The real cost of a season isn't money. It's the career gap (which most employers understand and many respect) and the risk that you'll enjoy it so much you go back for another one.
Create your PeakWave profile and start planning your season budget.