Why champions like Duplantis live in Monaco
Publié par Paolo Petrini le 23/07/2026
Temps de lecture
9
min.
Living in Monaco
Armand Duplantis lives in Monaco for the same reasons as Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton or Jannik Sinner before him: rare security, a setting where you can move around freely, a network of champions already in place and very long-term stability. Favourable taxation matters, but it is only one factor among these reasons, never the only one.
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The pole vault world record holder is the latest name on a long list. The Principality today concentrates a unique share of the planet's sporting elite, from the Formula 1 drivers who reside in Monaco to the biggest names in tennis. It is a subject we are asked about regularly: Le Figaro reached out to us in 2026 for its feature on the Monaco Grand Prix. The question always comes back, and so does the answer.
Key takeawaysAthletes in Monaco
Key takeaways: athletes in Monaco
Armand Duplantis's arrival is a reminder of why so many top-level athletes live in Monaco. Here is what matters, beyond the tax cliche.
- — Armand Duplantis, the pole vault world record holder, is the latest champion to make Monaco his home.
- — He joins Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and Jannik Sinner: the Principality concentrates a unique share of the world's sporting elite.
- — Monaco has levied no income tax on its residents for more than 150 years, apart from French nationals, but that is not the only reason.
- — The real drivers the agency observes: rare security, protected privacy, a network of peers and long-term stability.
- — A decisive practical edge: Nice airport 20 km away, i.e. 7 minutes by helicopter, access to competitions and secure buildings with garages.
- — These profiles most often rent first, within an observed premium range of 15,000 to 40,000 € per month, before buying.
- — The average price reached 57,569 €/m² in 2025 according to IMSEE's Property Observatory.
- — A recurring news topic: Le Figaro approached the agency in 2026 for its feature on the Monaco Grand Prix.
Strategic takeaway: for an exposed champion, the right choice never comes down to the tax rate. Discretion, security and guidance that knows the market building by building weigh as much as taxation in the success of settling in Monaco.
Duplantis, the latest champion to make Monaco his base
Armand Duplantis, nicknamed "Mondo", is one of the greatest pole vaulters of his generation, an Olympic champion and world record holder. By settling in Monaco, he was among the headliners of the Herculis meeting, the Monegasque leg of the Diamond League held at the Stade Louis-II. Living, training and competing within the same two-square-kilometre perimeter: the argument goes far beyond the tax return alone.
He is not an isolated case, he is the continuation of a movement. Tennis led the way with Jannik Sinner, who chose to live in Monte-Carlo, as did a large part of the professional circuit. Formula 1 has settled almost its entire grid there. Athletics, with Duplantis, adds one more discipline to an already spectacular directory. With each new arrival, the same question resurfaces in the press and on search engines: why them, why here?
No, taxation does not explain everything
Taxation attracts, but it does not decide on its own. Monaco has levied no income tax on its residents for more than 150 years and taxes neither wealth nor capital gains, with the exception of French nationals subject to the 1963 convention. For an athlete with international income the advantage is real, and our page dedicated to Monaco taxation details how it works. But other financial hubs offer this argument too. If it were enough, these champions would live elsewhere.
What we see, case after case, is that the decision comes down to what money alone cannot buy. Lewis Hamilton himself put it in his own way: what matters is being able to live normally, surrounded by people you know. Taxation gets Monaco onto the shortlist; it is security, the quality of life and the neighbourhood that make people sign.
Professional insight
Reducing Monaco to a tax advantage means missing what matters most
Every time a public figure settles here, the same shortcut resurfaces: Monaco equals zero tax. The observation is not wrong, but it is incomplete, and it hides what we actually see on the ground.
The champions we assist do not choose a rate, they choose an environment: the certainty of walking in safety, a territory where everything is accessible on foot, an exceptional neighbourhood and rare institutional continuity. None of these criteria appear in any tax brochure.
That is why we invite you to read the arrival of an athlete like Armand Duplantis for what it truly is: not a tax escape, but a considered life choice, in which taxation is only one parameter among others. This reading, based on real relocations, sets a field analysis apart from a cliche.
What the sporting elite really buys in Monaco
Above all, security and discretion. For these exposed profiles, being able to go out without a protection detail is worth more than ostentatious prestige: the Principality is regularly ranked among the safest places in the world, an asset that our page dedicated to security in Monaco documents in detail. Then come the quality of life, with a Mediterranean climate that allows year-round training, and pure practicality: Nice airport 20 km away, i.e. 7 minutes by helicopter, enclosed garages and quick access to European competitions.
Location follows the same logic. An athlete training at the Stade Louis-II naturally appreciates the Fontvieille district, residential and quiet, a stone's throw from the facilities. It is precisely on this match between an extraordinary lifestyle and the property that suits it that the quality of guidance in luxury real estate in Monaco is decided: knowledge building by building, the memory of residences and transactions, the ability to present in complete confidentiality the rare properties that tick every box. This depth, accumulated over more than forty years of archives by the agency, makes the difference between a mere viewing and a successful move.
What a top-level athlete moving to Monaco is looking for
Source: observations by the Petrini Exclusive Real Estate agency, 2026. A qualitative reading of this clientele's criteria.
| Criterion | Priority for this profile | Petrini benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Security and discretion | Secure buildings, private entrances, everyday anonymity | The number-one priority, even before visible prestige |
| Logistical practicality | Nice airport 7 minutes away by helicopter, enclosed garages | Decisive for constant travel schedules |
| Quality of life | Mediterranean climate, security, everything within walking distance | What makes people stay, beyond the tax advantage |
| Entry budget | Premium rental of 15,000 to 40,000 €/month before buying | Renting almost always precedes purchase |
| Location | Quiet residential districts, close to training venues | Fontvieille and its surroundings, steps from the Stade Louis-II |
Table produced by Petrini Exclusive Real Estate Monaco. A qualitative reading based on the properties sought by this clientele, excluding confidential transaction data.
Renting or buying: how these champions settle in
Most rent first, then buy. A top-level athlete's move almost always begins with a premium rental, while they confirm their footing in Monaco. According to our agency's observations, this type of profile positions itself in a range between 15,000 and 40,000 € per month, with a clear preference for apartments to rent in Fontvieille and the residential areas close to training venues.
The move to buying comes later, and it is measured against one of the world's most expensive markets: the average price stands at 57,569 €/m² in 2025 according to IMSEE's Property Observatory. At this level, an exceptional pied-a-terre runs into the millions, which explains why even a comfortable sporting fortune often begins by renting. Our page dedicated to the price per square metre in Monaco breaks down these levels district by district for anyone wanting to go deeper.
Monaco, world capital of athletes: a widening circle
Yes, there is a genuine knock-on effect, and Duplantis's arrival confirms it. Athletes settle here partly because others are already there: the same circles, the same recommendations, the same word of mouth. The Principality first attracted drivers and tennis players; it now captures world athletics, adding one more discipline to the international community established in Monaco.
This phenomenon feeds a self-sustaining loop: every champion who settles here strengthens the appeal for the next. Duplantis is not an exception, he is the latest link in a chain that keeps getting longer. And behind each name, the same discreet requirement: to find, far from prying eyes, the place that fits an extraordinary life.
FAQAthletes in Monaco
Frequently asked questions: athletes in Monaco
- Why does Armand Duplantis live in Monaco?
Armand Duplantis lives in Monaco for the security, a setting where you can move around freely, a network of champions already in place and long-term stability. Favourable taxation matters, but it is only one reason among others. - Which famous athletes live in Monaco?
Monaco brings together a unique share of the world's sporting elite: Formula 1 drivers such as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, tennis players such as Jannik Sinner, and now the pole vault world record holder Armand Duplantis. - Do athletes pay taxes in Monaco?
Monaco has levied no income tax on its residents for more than 150 years, nor on wealth or capital gains. Only French nationals remain subject to it, under the 1963 Franco-Monegasque tax convention. - Why do so many athletes live in Monaco?
According to observations by the Petrini Exclusive Real Estate agency, athletes choose Monaco for security, discretion, the proximity of Nice airport and a powerful network effect, with many of their peers already living there. - How much does a home in Monaco cost for a top-level athlete?
These profiles often rent first, within a premium range of 15,000 to 40,000 € per month, before buying. To buy, the average price reaches 57,569 €/m² in 2025 according to IMSEE's Property Observatory, i.e. several million for an exceptional property.
Author
Photo: Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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