How do you say “Cost an arm and a leg” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is coûter un bras, which literally means “to cost an arm”. English speakers use cost an arm and a leg to mean to be extremely expensive. This is the most common contemporary informal expression used by native speakers. It mirrors the anatomical exaggeration of the English idiom. It is informal and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
coûter un bras
/ku.te œ̃ bʁa/
- Literal meaning
- “to cost an arm”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
Both English and French rely on exaggerated physical sacrifice to express an exorbitant financial price. Where English demands both an arm and a leg, modern colloquial French settles for just one arm with 'coûter un bras'. The tone, punchiness, and informal everyday usage match the English counterpart almost perfectly.
Historically, the standard French equivalent was 'coûter les yeux de la tête' (costing the eyes in your head), which remains extremely common and works well in neutral to informal registers. However, 'coûter un bras' has become the dominant colloquial favorite in spoken French over the last few decades.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity4 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
coûter les yeux de la tête
Literally: “to cost the eyes of the head”
The most traditional idiom; slightly more neutral and universally understood across all generations.
coûter un rein
Literally: “to cost a kidney”
A very popular modern colloquialism, especially among younger speakers.
coûter la peau des fesses
Literally: “to cost the skin of the buttocks”
A more colorful, slangy alternative used in relaxed conversational settings.
Don't translate it literally
coûter un bras et une jambe
This is a direct word-for-word calque of the English expression; French only sacrifices one arm.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
I'd love to buy that new phone, but it costs an arm and a leg.
French
J'adorerais acheter ce nouveau téléphone, mais il coûte un bras.
English
Repairs on imported cars usually cost an arm and a leg.
French
Les réparations sur les voitures importées coûtent généralement un bras.
Related expressions
- What “Cost an arm and a leg” means in English
- Cut corners, To skimp on quality to save time or money.
Last reviewed 2026-09-11