Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Toulouse Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Toulouse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,609 per month in Pau vs $2,026 in Toulouse, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Pau vs $3,037 in Toulouse, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in Pau vs $4,047 in Toulouse, rent included.

Pau is about 21% cheaper than Toulouse, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Pau and Toulouse sit above the global median – Pau by 20%, Toulouse by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 €13.96

$17.09 €14.70

-5.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 €44.41

$69.8 €60.0

-26.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 €9.82

$12.61 €10.84

-9.52%

Cappuccino

$3.30 €2.84

$3.53 €3.03

-6.52%

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

$3.41 €2.93

$2.65 €2.28

28.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.69 €1.46

11.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 €5.06

$8.08 €6.95

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 €3.49

$5.89 €5.07

-31.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.48 €1.27

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.17 €1.87

3.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$3.01 €2.59

-40.20%

Eggs

$4.85 €4.17

$4.28 €3.68

13.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 €11.49

$25.17 €21.65

-46.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$14.29 €12.29

-13.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.75 €22.15

$18.42 €15.85

39.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$3.30 €2.84

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$3.04 €2.61

-45.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$3.28 €2.82

-33.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.55 €3.05

-3.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.76 €2.38

-36.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$3.21 €2.76

-28.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.84 €1.58

-33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.90 €0.78

2.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 €11.01

$14.96 €12.87

-14.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.29

$4.04 €3.48

-33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.07 €2.64

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.14 €1.84

-39.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.15 €22.49

$63.5 €54.6

-58.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.89

$3.09 €2.66

46.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.37 €1.18

78.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 €15.16

$40.99 €35.26

-57.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.08 €1.79

0.96%

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

$29.8K €25.6K

$37.8K €32.5K

-21.17%

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

$34.9K €30.0K

$40.2K €34.6K

-13.10%

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

$185 €159

$193 €166

-4.05%

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

$32.03 €27.56

$22.68 €19.51

41.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.03 €33.57

$36.52 €31.42

6.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 €34.46

$39.88 €34.31

0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 €15.86

$26.71 €22.98

-30.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 €9.59

$14.04 €12.08

-20.58%

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

$792 €681

$864 €744

-8.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,637 €3,988

$18.9K €16.2K

-75.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.7

$125 €108

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 €34.46

$49.14 €42.27

-18.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.4

$129 €111

-33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €70.8

$165 €142

-50.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €659

$880 €757

-12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 €400

$697 €600

-33.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €952

$1,537 €1,322

-27.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 €632

$1,180 €1,015

-37.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 €2,200

$6,362 €5,472

-59.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 €1,804

$3,307 €2,844

-36.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,123 €2,686

$2,994 €2,575

4.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.71

-2.43%

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

Last update for Pau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Toulouse: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Pau versus $880 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 Pau, 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 $52.0 in Pau versus $70.0 in Toulouse. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $411 – making Pau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Pau vs Toulouse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,609 in Pau, $2,026 in Toulouse – roughly 26% apart. Toulouse costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,414 per month in Pau and $3,039 in Toulouse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% more in Toulouse, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Pau and $70.0 in Toulouse. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pau, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Toulouse at $2,026. In Pau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toulouse it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Toulouse has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,609 in Pau to $2,026 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 Pau. 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.