Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Melun Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Melun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,026 in Toulouse versus $1,723 in Melun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,037 in Toulouse versus $2,558 in Melun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,047 in Toulouse versus $3,393 in Melun.

Living in Toulouse is roughly 18% more expensive than Melun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toulouse 51% above, Melun 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.83

$13.42 €11.64

27.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.6

$55.0 €47.72

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.94

$13.94 €12.10

-9.54%

Cappuccino

$3.53 €3.06

$3.16 €2.75

11.71%

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

$2.65 €2.30

$1.78 €1.54

48.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.47

$2.06 €1.79

-17.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 €7.01

$7.61 €6.61

6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.11

$5.93 €5.14

-0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.53 €1.33

-3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.88

$1.81 €1.57

19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.61

Eggs

$4.28 €3.71

$3.98 €3.45

7.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 €21.84

$22.04 €19.12

14.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.39

$12.95 €11.24

10.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.42 €15.98

$23.88 €20.71

-22.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.86

$3.75 €3.25

-12.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 €2.63

$2.23 €1.93

36.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 €2.85

$2.48 €2.15

32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.08

$3.28 €2.84

8.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.40

$1.90 €1.65

45.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 €2.79

$2.09 €1.82

53.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.60

$1.60 €1.39

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.68 €0.59

32.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 €12.98

$13.77 €11.94

8.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.85

$8.91 €7.73

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.51

$2.42 €2.10

66.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.66

$4.31 €3.74

-28.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.33 €2.02

-8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 €55.1

$48.68 €42.24

30.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 €2.68

$4.75 €4.12

-34.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.19

$1.81 €1.57

-24.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 €35.56

$31.93 €27.70

28.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.02 €1.75

2.97%

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

$37.8K €32.8K

$37.6K €32.6K

0.59%

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

$40.2K €34.9K

$37.4K €32.5K

7.44%

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

$193 €168

$194 €169

-0.69%

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

$22.68 €19.68

$23.33 €20.24

-2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.69

$28.41 €24.65

28.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.60

$36.33 €31.52

9.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.71 €23.18

$18.25 €15.83

46.36%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.18

$10.32 €8.96

36.05%

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

$864 €750

$559 €485

54.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K €16.4K

$8,449 €7,330

123.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €109

$91.1 €79.1

37.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 €42.64

$36.06 €31.28

36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €112

$87.0 €75.5

48.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €143

$105 €91.1

56.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 €763

$774 €672

13.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €605

$599 €520

16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 €1,334

$1,199 €1,040

28.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,024

$926 €804

27.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,362 €5,520

$4,199 €3,643

51.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 €2,869

$3,191 €2,768

3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 €2,598

$2,608 €2,263

14.81%

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 Melun: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Toulouse and $774 in Melun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 15% 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: $70.0 in Toulouse vs $55.0 in Melun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $385 per month, with Melun cheaper across the board.

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 Melun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Toulouse and Melun differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($2,026 vs $1,723 including rent). Melun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Toulouse pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Toulouse versus $774 in Melun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,026 per month in Toulouse versus $1,723 in Melun – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melun runs roughly 30% less than in Toulouse. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,723 in Melun versus $2,026 in Toulouse, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Melun but tight or insufficient in Toulouse. The gap between the two cities makes Melun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Toulouse and Melun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Melun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.