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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,026 per month in Toulouse vs $1,915 in Lille, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,037 per month in Toulouse vs $2,912 in Lille, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,047 per month in Toulouse vs $3,910 in Lille, rent included.

Toulouse costs about 6% more than Lille, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Toulouse and Lille sit above the global median – Toulouse by 51%, Lille by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.83

$18.28 €15.86

-6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.6

$68.5 €59.4

1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.94

$13.76 €11.94

-8.36%

Cappuccino

$3.53 €3.06

$3.69 €3.20

-4.34%

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

$2.65 €2.30

$3.24 €2.81

-18.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.47

$2.17 €1.88

-22.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 €7.01

$8.07 €7.00

0.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.11

$5.83 €5.06

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.47 €1.28

0.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.88

$1.82 €1.58

19.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.61

$2.96 €2.57

1.69%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.71

$4.02 €3.49

6.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 €21.84

$22.13 €19.20

13.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.39

$13.34 €11.58

7.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.42 €15.98

$24.04 €20.86

-23.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.86

$3.80 €3.29

-13.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 €2.63

$2.19 €1.90

38.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 €2.85

$2.42 €2.10

35.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.08

$3.25 €2.82

9.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.99 €1.72

38.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 €2.79

$2.11 €1.83

52.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.51 €1.31

21.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.64 €0.56

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 €12.98

$13.34 €11.58

12.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.85

$8.96 €7.78

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.51

$2.40 €2.08

68.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.66

$4.27 €3.70

-28.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.34 €2.03

-8.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 €55.1

$68.7 €59.6

-7.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 €2.68

$4.59 €3.98

-32.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.88 €1.63

-27.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 €35.56

$32.93 €28.57

24.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.99 €1.72

4.52%

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

$37.8K €32.8K

$37.2K €32.3K

1.60%

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

$40.2K €34.9K

$38.0K €32.9K

5.88%

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

$193 €168

$200 €173

-3.26%

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

$22.68 €19.68

$23.37 €20.28

-2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.69

$28.96 €25.13

26.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.60

$39.87 €34.59

0.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.71 €23.18

$18.24 €15.83

46.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.18

$14.30 €12.40

-1.82%

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

$864 €750

$579 €502

49.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K €16.4K

$8,540 €7,409

120.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €109

$88.8 €77.0

40.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 €42.64

$37.17 €32.25

32.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €112

$84.8 €73.6

52.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €143

$104 €89.9

58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 €763

$833 €723

5.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €605

$687 €596

1.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 €1,334

$1,619 €1,404

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,024

$1,200 €1,041

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,362 €5,520

$4,507 €3,910

41.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 €2,869

$3,198 €2,774

3.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 €2,598

$3,145 €2,729

-4.80%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lille: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Toulouse versus $833 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 5% 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 $70.0 in Toulouse versus $68.0 in Lille. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $387 – making Lille 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

Toulouse vs Lille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,026 in Toulouse, $1,915 in Lille – roughly 6% apart. Toulouse costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,039 per month in Toulouse and $2,872 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 $2,026 in Toulouse and $1,915 in Lille. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% 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 $1,915, than in Toulouse at $2,026. 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 $1,915 in Lille 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 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.