Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Lisbon

For one person, living is cheaper in Toulouse: $1,987 a month against $2,223 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Lisbon outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Toulouse
🇫🇷 France
$1,987
/mo nomad
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,223
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toulouse and in Lisbon

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 Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,987 in Toulouse versus $2,223 in Lisbon.

  • Toulouse $1,987
  • Lisbon $2,223

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,020 in Toulouse versus $3,271 in Lisbon.

  • Toulouse $3,020
  • Lisbon $3,271

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,053 in Toulouse versus $4,319 in Lisbon.

  • Toulouse $4,053
  • Lisbon $4,319

Living in Toulouse costs roughly 11% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toulouse 47% above, Lisbon 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.66 €14.82
$16.50 €14.67
0.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.4 €68.8
$61.3 €54.5
26.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.40 €11.92
$11.27 €10.03
18.90%
Cappuccino
$4.19 €3.73
$3.06 €2.72
36.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03 €3.59
$2.26 €2.01
78.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 €2.60
$1.73 €1.54
68.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.27 €6.47
$3.39 €3.02
114.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.80 €6.05
$3.40 €3.02
100.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.43 €1.27
$1.12 €1.00
27.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.12 €1.89
$1.86 €1.65
13.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 €2.30
$1.53 €1.36
69.28%
Eggs
$4.66 €4.14
$3.96 €3.53
17.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.85 €20.33
$12.76 €11.35
79.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.75 €13.12
$7.90 €7.02
86.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.83 €18.53
$16.97 €15.09
22.75%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 €2.99
$2.27 €2.02
48.46%
Banana (1kg)
$2.54 €2.26
$1.75 €1.55
45.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 €2.97
$1.85 €1.64
80.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.43 €3.05
$2.57 €2.28
33.46%
Potato (1kg)
$2.39 €2.12
$1.86 €1.65
28.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.83 €2.52
$2.02 €1.80
40.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.51 €1.35
$1.44 €1.28
4.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 €0.81
$0.82 €0.73
10.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.73 €12.21
$6.56 €5.83
109.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.99 €8.00
$5.62 €5.00
59.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.44 €3.06
$1.28 €1.14
168.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 €3.01
$2.07 €1.84
63.29%
🚌 Getting Around
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.21 €1.96
$2.35 €2.09
-5.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.9 €56.0
$44.18 €39.30
42.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.04 €7.15
$3.99 €3.55
101.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.34 €2.08
$1.09 €0.97
114.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.12 €33.01
$16.64 €14.81
123.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 €1.98
$2.28 €2.03
-2.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K €31.0K
$33.7K €30.0K
3.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K €29.7K
$39.3K €35.0K
-14.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$218 €194
$167 €149
29.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.90 €12.36
$18.80 €16.72
-26.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.02 €29.37
$33.09 €29.43
-0.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.27 €33.15
$46.01 €40.93
-19.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.50 €19.12
$19.19 €17.07
12.04%
Cinema Ticket
$13.36 €11.88
$9.84 €8.75
35.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,045 €930
$677 €602
54.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K €8,940
$16.9K €15.1K
-40.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$113 €101
$101 €90.1
11.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.8 €46.93
$45.76 €40.70
15.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 €102
$100.0 €88.9
14.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160 €143
$123 €109
30.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$892 €793
$1,614 €1,436
-44.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$664 €590
$1,197 €1,065
-44.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,430 €1,272
$2,862 €2,545
-50.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,068 €950
$1,990 €1,770
-46.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,445 €5,733
$7,577 €6,740
-14.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,239 €2,881
$4,307 €3,831
-24.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toulouse
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,902 €2,581
$1,588 €1,412
82.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.79
3.85
-1.56%

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

Last update for Toulouse: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toulouse
$664
Lisbon
$1.2K 80.3% $533
Groceries & Markets
Toulouse
$404
Lisbon
$269 33.3% $134
Eating Out
Toulouse
$302
Lisbon
$242 19.7% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toulouse
$265
Lisbon
$219 17.1% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Toulouse
$198
Lisbon
$166 16.1% $32
Getting Around
Toulouse
$92
Lisbon
$63 31.2% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Toulouse
$64
Lisbon
$66 2.7% $1.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $892 in Toulouse and $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $77.0 in Toulouse vs $61.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $269 per month, with Lisbon cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Toulouse
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🕒 Local time
05:28 5:28 AM
04:28 4:28 AM
1 h behind Toulouse
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
504,078
545,923 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toulouse Lisbon 1,040 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Toulouse
  • Lisbon

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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Toulouse and in Lisbon?
Toulouse and Lisbon differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,987 vs $2,223 including rent). Toulouse is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Toulouse or Lisbon?
Average pay runs 83% 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 do apartment prices compare in Toulouse and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $892 in Toulouse versus $1,614 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Toulouse and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $1,045 in Toulouse versus $677 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 50% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,987 in Toulouse versus $2,223 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Toulouse but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Toulouse the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Toulouse and Lisbon?
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.
Is Toulouse or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Toulouse and Lisbon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Toulouse or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Toulouse gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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