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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Toulouse costs about 3% more than Lille, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.07 €14.56

$17.60 €15.02

-3.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.0

$69.5 €59.3

-0.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 €10.87

$13.69 €11.68

-6.87%

Cappuccino

$3.55 €3.02

$3.67 €3.13

-3.27%

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

$2.63 €2.24

$3.36 €2.86

-21.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 €1.49

$2.07 €1.77

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 €6.72

$8.03 €6.85

-1.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 €4.99

$5.83 €4.97

0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.54 €1.31

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 €1.87

$1.73 €1.47

26.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.97 €2.53

$2.98 €2.54

-0.34%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.53

$3.92 €3.34

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 €21.29

$22.25 €18.98

12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.45 €12.32

$13.03 €11.12

10.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.90 €15.27

$24.34 €20.76

-26.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 €2.88

$3.73 €3.19

-9.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 €2.51

$2.20 €1.88

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 €2.71

$2.43 €2.08

30.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 €3.06

$3.19 €2.72

12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.38

$1.90 €1.62

46.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 €2.79

$2.14 €1.82

52.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 €1.55

$1.57 €1.34

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.81

$0.65 €0.55

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.03 €12.82

$13.79 €11.76

8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 €7.50

$8.77 €7.48

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.05 €3.45

$2.40 €2.05

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 €2.61

$4.31 €3.68

-29.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 €1.81

$2.28 €1.94

-7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.7 €54.3

$69.9 €59.6

-8.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 €2.61

$4.71 €4.02

-35.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 €1.13

$1.89 €1.61

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.76 €34.77

$32.94 €28.10

23.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.76

$2.06 €1.75

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

$37.1K €31.7K

$37.2K €31.8K

-0.28%

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

$40.4K €34.4K

$37.4K €31.9K

7.96%

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

$187 €160

$196 €168

-4.77%

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

$22.43 €19.13

$23.18 €19.77

-3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.69 €30.45

$29.90 €25.51

19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.01 €34.13

$39.07 €33.32

2.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.24 €22.38

$17.81 €15.20

47.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 €11.72

$14.54 €12.40

-5.57%

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

$859 €733

$571 €487

50.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.2K €15.5K

$8,591 €7,328

111.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$124 €106

$90.3 €77.0

37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.74 €42.43

$36.88 €31.46

34.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €110

$84.8 €72.3

52.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €140

$103 €88.1

58.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 €724

$844 €720

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$704 €600

$699 €596

0.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,559 €1,329

$1,600 €1,365

-2.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 €1,001

$1,222 €1,043

-3.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,267 €5,346

$4,550 €3,881

37.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,593 €3,065

$3,206 €2,734

12.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,003 €2,562

$3,138 €2,677

-4.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.71

3.69

0.54%

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

Last update for Toulouse: April 21, 2026

Last update for Lille: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $849 in Toulouse versus $844 in Lille. 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 $69 in Toulouse versus $70 in Lille. Groceries tell a different story – $408 in Toulouse vs $385 in Lille – 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

Toulouse vs Lille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,978 per month in Toulouse and $2,881 in Lille. 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 $1,985 in Toulouse and $1,920 in Lille. 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. Toulouse 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.