Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Besancon and Toulouse

For one person, living is cheaper in Besancon: $1,762 a month against $2,023 in Toulouse, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Besancon, France
Toulouse, France
Besancon
🇫🇷 France
$1,762
/mo nomad
Toulouse
🇫🇷 France
$2,023
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Besancon and in Toulouse

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Besancon and in Toulouse actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,762 in Besancon versus $2,023 in Toulouse.

  • Besancon $1,762
  • Toulouse $2,023

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,545 in Besancon versus $3,089 in Toulouse.

  • Besancon $2,545
  • Toulouse $3,089

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Besancon versus $4,154 in Toulouse.

  • Besancon $3,327
  • Toulouse $4,154

Living in Besancon costs roughly 13% less than in Toulouse, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Besancon 30% above, Toulouse 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.71 €14.87
$16.65 €14.82
0.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.3 €50.1
$78.1 €69.5
-27.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.25 €10.02
$13.47 €11.98
-16.48%
Cappuccino
$3.08 €2.74
$4.49 €4.00
-31.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 €2.10
$4.04 €3.60
-41.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 €1.36
$3.06 €2.72
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.60 €5.87
$7.53 €6.70
-12.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.61 €4.99
$6.86 €6.11
-18.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.30 €1.16
$1.31 €1.17
-0.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.69 €1.50
$2.12 €1.89
-20.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 €1.91
$2.49 €2.22
-14.06%
Eggs
$4.64 €4.13
$4.75 €4.23
-2.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.44 €18.19
$23.81 €21.19
-14.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.01 €9.80
$14.56 €12.96
-24.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.30 €16.28
$21.31 €18.96
-14.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 €2.44
$3.39 €3.01
-18.88%
Banana (1kg)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.36 €2.10
-5.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 €2.44
$3.27 €2.91
-16.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.45 €2.18
$3.51 €3.13
-30.20%
Potato (1kg)
$2.45 €2.18
$2.47 €2.20
-0.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.45 €2.18
$2.77 €2.47
-11.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.39 €1.24
$1.57 €1.40
-11.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 €1.02
$0.97 €0.86
17.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.16 €12.60
$13.98 €12.44
1.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.67 €8.60
$8.69 €7.73
11.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.75 €4.23
$3.39 €3.02
40.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.06
$3.35 €2.98
2.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.76 €1.56
$2.29 €2.04
-23.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.94 €39.10
$65.4 €58.2
-32.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.50 €3.12
$8.10 €7.21
-56.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 €1.90
$2.32 €2.07
-8.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.95 €33.77
$39.79 €35.41
-4.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.83
$2.25 €2.00
-8.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.4K
$34.8K €31.0K
-1.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.5K €34.3K
$36.0K €32.1K
6.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$224 €199
$217 €193
3.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.46 €12.87
$15.20 €13.52
-4.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.29 €30.52
$34.21 €30.45
0.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.89 €23.93
$36.50 €32.48
-26.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.69 €17.53
$21.93 €19.52
-10.21%
Cinema Ticket
$11.14 €9.92
$13.37 €11.90
-16.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$334 €298
$1,018 €906
-67.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,187 €6,395
$13.1K €11.6K
-45.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$96.3 €85.7
$114 €102
-15.86%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.67 €35.30
$51.6 €45.93
-23.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.8 €80.8
$118 €105
-23.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 €112
$161 €143
-21.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$637 €567
$888 €791
-28.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$592 €527
$687 €611
-13.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$997 €887
$1,502 €1,337
-33.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$795 €707
$1,139 €1,014
-30.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,862 €2,547
$6,128 €5,453
-53.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,280 €2,029
$3,408 €3,033
-33.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Besancon
Toulouse
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,159 €1,921
$3,071 €2,733
-29.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.62
3.79
-4.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Besancon: November 2, 2026

Last update for Toulouse: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Besancon
$592
Toulouse
$687 16% $95
Groceries & Markets
Besancon
$360
Toulouse
$405 12.5% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Besancon
$273
Toulouse
$266 2.4% $6.6
Eating Out
Besancon
$264
Toulouse
$307 16.3% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Besancon
$158
Toulouse
$200 26.3% $42
Getting Around
Besancon
$65
Toulouse
$94 44.7% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Besancon
$49
Toulouse
$63 28.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $637 in Besancon and $888 in Toulouse. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 42% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $56 in Besancon vs $78 in Toulouse for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $405 per month, with Besancon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Besancon
🇫🇷 Toulouse
🕒 Local time
23:16 11:16 PM
23:16 11:16 PM
Same time as Besancon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
119,198
504,078
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Besancon Toulouse 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Besancon
  • Toulouse

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Besancon vs Toulouse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Besancon or Toulouse?
Besancon wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Toulouse. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Besancon the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Besancon or in Toulouse?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Besancon. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Besancon compared to Toulouse?
Rent for a central apartment: $637 in Besancon versus $888 in Toulouse. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Besancon compared to Toulouse?
A monthly transit pass in Besancon runs roughly 33% less than in Toulouse. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Besancon and in Toulouse?
Childcare runs $334 in Besancon versus $1,018 in Toulouse. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Besancon or in Toulouse?
At $1,762 in Besancon versus $2,023 in Toulouse, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Besancon but tight or insufficient in Toulouse. The gap between the two cities makes Besancon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Besancon or Toulouse?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Besancon compared to Toulouse?
Safety-wise, Besancon and Toulouse are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Besancon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Besancon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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