How Much Does It Cost to Live In Toulouse?
Toulouse is a very fancy city with the unique must-see attractions that can be seen only in the capital of Occitania.
Sure, you can take a sightseeing tour or walk with a guide.
There are boat trips to witness the unmissable monuments.
Although this is the city where almost half a million people live.
If you are planning to become one of them, then the information below is for you.
By the way, Toulouse has a nickname Ville Rose because of the color of the bricks.
Toulouse is definitely the city that you will not be able to lose in your memories.
France : Cost of Living by City
Cost of Living in France
RESTAURANTS
The city of Toulouse loves to welcome guests and knows how to do that in the right way.
A lot of restaurants and bars are open for you to taste the most delicious meals and wine selections that local chefs have to offer.
The prices are lower than in most French cities.
MARKETS
In case you are searching for fresh organic products, go to the covered and outdoor markets.
Around 18 markets in the area offer you to have a chat about the product with the producers or have a bite of any sort of goods you wish to buy.
Traditional cheese and wine will cost you $17.55 and $6.82 respectively.
TRANSPORTATION
The transport infrastructure in Toulouse is very logically planned and well-developed.
The city uses such means of public transport like metro, tram, and bus.
Taxi costs $6.25 for a start and $2.84 for a kilometer.
If you stay in the city for a long time, we recommend that you buy a monthly pass for $56.83.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
The prices for utilities in Toulouse for one month depends on the type of the living space you rent, own or share with your friends.
An average bill for electricity, water, garbage, heating, and cooling in an 85 sqm apartment is $152.45.
A local mobile tariff is lower than in the rest of France and makes $0.15 per minute.
SPORTS & LEISURE
The leisure time in Toulouse is never a problem to neither locals nor tourists.
There are numerous bars, pubs, casinos, theatres, golf clubs and spa centers.
Kayaking, roller skating, water skiing, bowling, billiards, and a few theme parks invite families to rest and recreate.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Toulouse suggests arriving at its central streets to discover the diversity of clothes and shoes for sale.
There are some second-hand shops too where you can bargain a little to get an even better price.
Chain stores offer the jeans, summer dresses, and running shoes at sweet prices.
RENT PER MONTH
A one-bedroom apartment in the city center costs $679.27 compared to the same square meters outside the downtown for $498.98.
Students and young couples prefer to rent a three-room apartment and share it with their friends or relatives.
The prices are more than affordable if you do so: a three-bedroom apartment in the suburbs is just $907.40.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Toulouse
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $13.64 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $6.25 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.42 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.10 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.61 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.31 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.93 |
| Monthly Pass | $56.83 |
| Gasoline | $1.61 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $152.45 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.15 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $27.49 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $39.96 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $13.26 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $11.37 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $92.80 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $28.87 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $94.53 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $679.27 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $498.98 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $1264.49 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Toulouse?
Almost 500 thousand people live in the Ville Rose Toulouse, and there are eighteen markets with fresh products from the producers.
This is not surprising that most of the family budget is spent there on the markets.
Rent per month takes the second place in the charts of the expenses in Toulouse, while restaurants are the third.
Thanks to multiple social programmes, and cheap monthly passes for all means of transportation, Toulouse is the city where people can save on transportation.
Only 13.4% of the income is spent on the metro, buses, taxis, and trams.
Percentage of expenses for clothing and shoes is traditionally low in France.
Average Costs Breakdown
Toulouse: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The salary which an average employee receives every month in Toulouse is at the level of $2,335.32.
Taking into account that the prices for transportation, utilities, rent, and communications are rather low, the average salary after tax is well enough to enjoy life here.
You can still save a good deal of money if you are planning well in advance and set priorities.
If in many European countries the minimum wage is too little to have a decent life, the things are different in Toulouse.
The national minimum wage has been fixed at $1,741.8 which is enough to rent an apartment outside the city center, pay bills and live an active life.
Many tourists and French who are coming to settle down in Toulouse, think of taking a housing loan for twenty years.
An average interest rate based on the number of brokers and banks information is 1.57% annually.
Toulouse Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Toulouse Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: HIGH
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Toulouse
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Bordeaux | 76.31 |
| Grenoble | 78.43 |
| Lille | 67.73 |
| Lyon | 78 |
| Marseille | 64.64 |
| Montpellier | 74.08 |
| Nantes | 72.37 |
| Nice | 75.84 |
| Paris | 84.68 |
| Strasbourg | 75.47 |
