Cost of Living Comparison Between Lille and Toulouse Cost of Living Comparison Between Lille and Toulouse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,920 per month in Lille vs $1,985 in Toulouse, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,927 per month in Lille vs $3,055 in Toulouse, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,933 per month in Lille vs $4,126 in Toulouse, rent included.

Lille is about 3% cheaper than Toulouse, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lille and Toulouse sit above the global median – Lille by 43%, Toulouse by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.02

$17.07 €14.56

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 €59.3

$69.2 €59.0

0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.69 €11.68

$12.75 €10.87

7.37%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.13

$3.55 €3.02

3.38%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 €2.86

$2.63 €2.24

27.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 €1.77

$1.74 €1.49

18.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.03 €6.85

$7.88 €6.72

1.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 €4.97

$5.85 €4.99

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.31

$1.43 €1.22

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 €1.47

$2.19 €1.87

-21.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 €2.54

$2.97 €2.53

0.34%

Eggs

$3.92 €3.34

$4.14 €3.53

-5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.25 €18.98

$24.95 €21.29

-10.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 €11.12

$14.45 €12.32

-9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.34 €20.76

$17.90 €15.27

35.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.73 €3.19

$3.38 €2.88

10.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.20 €1.88

$2.94 €2.51

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 €2.08

$3.17 €2.71

-23.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 €2.72

$3.58 €3.06

-10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.62

$2.79 €2.38

-31.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$3.27 €2.79

-34.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 €1.34

$1.81 €1.55

-13.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 €0.55

$0.95 €0.81

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.79 €11.76

$15.03 €12.82

-8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.77 €7.48

$8.80 €7.50

-0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 €2.05

$4.05 €3.45

-40.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 €3.68

$3.06 €2.61

40.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.94

$2.12 €1.81

7.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.9 €59.6

$63.7 €54.3

9.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 €4.02

$3.06 €2.61

53.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.61

$1.33 €1.13

42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.94 €28.10

$40.76 €34.77

-19.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.75

$2.06 €1.76

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.2K €31.8K

$37.1K €31.7K

0.29%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.4K €31.9K

$40.4K €34.4K

-7.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$196 €168

$187 €160

5.01%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$23.18 €19.77

$22.43 €19.13

3.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.90 €25.51

$35.69 €30.45

-16.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.07 €33.32

$40.01 €34.13

-2.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.81 €15.20

$26.24 €22.38

-32.13%

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 €12.40

$13.73 €11.72

5.90%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$571 €487

$859 €733

-33.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,591 €7,328

$18.2K €15.5K

-52.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 €77.0

$124 €106

-27.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 €31.46

$49.74 €42.43

-25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 €72.3

$129 €110

-34.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 €88.1

$164 €140

-37.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 €720

$849 €724

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 €596

$704 €600

-0.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 €1,365

$1,559 €1,329

2.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,222 €1,043

$1,174 €1,001

4.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,550 €3,881

$6,267 €5,346

-27.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,206 €2,734

$3,593 €3,065

-10.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,138 €2,677

$3,003 €2,562

4.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.69

3.71

-0.54%

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

Last update for Lille: April 21, 2026

Last update for Toulouse: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $844 in Lille versus $849 in Toulouse. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4% higher in Lille, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Lille versus $69 in Toulouse. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Lille vs $408 in Toulouse – so Lille wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Lille vs Toulouse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,920 in Lille, $1,985 in Toulouse – roughly 3% apart. Toulouse costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,881 per month in Lille and $2,978 in Toulouse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lille, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,920 in Lille and $1,985 in Toulouse. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Lille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lille, where all-in costs run around $1,920, than in Toulouse at $1,985. In Lille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toulouse it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lille has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,920 in Lille to $1,985 in Toulouse. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lille. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toulouse makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.