Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Brest, France

For one person, living is cheaper in Brest: $1,385 a month against $2,004 in Toulouse, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toulouse, France
Brest, France
Toulouse
🇫🇷 France
$2,004
/mo nomad
Brest
🇫🇷 France
$1,385
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toulouse and in Brest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,004 in Toulouse versus $1,385 in Brest.

  • Toulouse $2,004
  • Brest $1,385

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,072 in Toulouse versus $2,163 in Brest.

  • Toulouse $3,072
  • Brest $2,163

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,140 in Toulouse versus $2,941 in Brest.

  • Toulouse $4,140
  • Brest $2,941

Living in Toulouse is roughly 45% more expensive than in Brest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toulouse 47% above, Brest 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.88 €15.13
$15.75 €14.12
7.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.4 €71.2
$43.99 €39.42
80.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.44 €12.05
$11.15 €9.99
20.54%
Cappuccino
$4.50 €4.03
$2.91 €2.61
54.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.95 €3.54
$2.92 €2.62
35.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.95 €2.64
$2.11 €1.89
39.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.33 €6.57
$6.76 €6.06
8.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.86 €6.15
$5.24 €4.70
30.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.33 €1.19
$1.14 €1.02
16.67%
White Bread (500g)
$2.04 €1.83
$1.60 €1.44
27.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$2.52 €2.26
2.78%
Eggs
$4.62 €4.14
$3.63 €3.25
27.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$23.00 €20.61
$18.30 €16.40
25.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.66 €13.14
$10.22 €9.16
43.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.29 €19.08
$14.01 €12.56
51.96%
Apples (1kg)
$3.34 €2.99
$3.01 €2.70
10.96%
Banana (1kg)
$2.59 €2.32
$1.91 €1.72
35.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.57 €2.30
28.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.57 €3.19
$2.79 €2.50
27.96%
Potato (1kg)
$2.48 €2.22
$1.73 €1.55
43.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.79 €2.50
$2.12 €1.90
31.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.50 €1.34
$1.32 €1.19
13.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 €0.86
$0.34 €0.31
182.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.91 €12.47
$13.59 €12.18
2.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.80 €7.88
$6.53 €5.85
34.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.51 €3.15
$2.67 €2.39
31.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43 €3.07
$2.77 €2.48
23.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.85 €1.65
19.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.2 €57.5
$40.15 €35.98
59.85%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.19 €7.34
$8.12 €7.28
0.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.33 €2.09
$3.03 €2.72
-23.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.97 €34.03
$31.43 €28.16
20.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €2.00
$2.09 €1.88
6.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €31.5K
$35.7K €32.0K
-1.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7K €32.0K
$33.9K €30.4K
5.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 €195
$138 €124
57.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.92 €12.47
$28.25 €25.32
-50.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.51 €30.03
$30.40 €27.24
10.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.27 €31.61
$35.19 €31.53
0.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.83 €19.56
$15.11 €13.54
44.47%
Cinema Ticket
$13.23 €11.86
$13.91 €12.47
-4.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,002 €898
$224 €201
346.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,903 €8,874
$11.6K €10.4K
-14.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €102
$70.2 €62.9
61.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.5 €47.00
$30.19 €27.05
73.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 €105
$79.5 €71.2
47.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165 €148
$72.1 €64.6
128.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 €793
$508 €455
74.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 €602
$381 €342
76.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,507 €1,350
$864 €775
74.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,124 €1,007
$737 €660
52.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,940 €5,323
$2,809 €2,517
111.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,403 €3,050
$2,453 €2,198
38.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toulouse
Brest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,916 €2,613
$2,594 €2,325
12.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
3.82
-0.79%

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

Last update for Toulouse: October 26, 2026

Last update for Brest: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toulouse
$672
Brest
$381 43.2% $290
Groceries & Markets
Toulouse
$405
Brest
$302 25.5% $103
Eating Out
Toulouse
$307
Brest
$259 15.8% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toulouse
$265
Brest
$197 25.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Toulouse
$202
Brest
$113 43.8% $88
Getting Around
Toulouse
$93
Brest
$71 23.8% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Toulouse
$62
Brest
$63 2.1% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Toulouse and $508 in Brest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 12% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $79 in Toulouse vs $44 in Brest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $302 per month, with Brest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Toulouse
🇫🇷 Brest
🕒 Local time
08:02 8:02 AM
08:02 8:02 AM
Same time as Toulouse
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
504,078
139,619
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toulouse Brest 700 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Toulouse
  • Brest

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
Toulouse vs Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Toulouse or Brest?
Brest wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Toulouse. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Brest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Toulouse or in Brest?
Average pay runs 12% higher in Toulouse, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Toulouse compared to Brest?
Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Toulouse versus $508 in Brest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Toulouse and in Brest?
Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $44 versus $79 in Toulouse. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Toulouse compared to Brest?
All in, you’ll spend $2,004 per month in Toulouse versus $1,385 in Brest – Brest is about 31% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Toulouse or in Brest?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Brest is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Toulouse or Brest?
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 Toulouse compared to Brest?
Safety-wise, Toulouse and Brest 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 Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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