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: $2,038 in Toulouse versus $1,787 in Melun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,085 in Toulouse versus $2,595 in Melun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,133 in Toulouse versus $3,403 in Melun.

Living in Toulouse is roughly 14% more expensive than in Melun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toulouse 49% above, Melun 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.85

$13.22 €11.53

28.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 €70.3

$53.9 €46.97

49.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.30

$13.83 €12.05

2.02%

Cappuccino

$4.57 €3.98

$3.24 €2.82

41.05%

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

$4.32 €3.76

$1.74 €1.52

148.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.68

$1.71 €1.49

79.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 €6.69

$7.37 €6.42

4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 €5.87

$5.63 €4.90

19.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 €1.19

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.90

$1.98 €1.72

9.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.74 €2.39

$2.97 €2.59

-7.74%

Eggs

$4.86 €4.23

$4.35 €3.79

11.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.66

$22.45 €19.57

5.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.46

$13.15 €11.46

8.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.09 €18.39

$23.60 €20.57

-10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 €2.92

$3.53 €3.08

-5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 €2.24

$2.24 €1.95

14.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.05

$2.38 €2.08

47.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 €3.04

$3.15 €2.75

10.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.19

$1.92 €1.68

30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 €2.51

$2.11 €1.84

36.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 €1.39

$1.74 €1.51

-8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.81

$0.64 €0.56

45.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.34 €12.50

$14.50 €12.64

-1.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 €7.83

$8.72 €7.60

2.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.66 €3.19

$2.54 €2.21

44.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.08

$4.43 €3.86

-20.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 €1.97

$1.91 €1.67

18.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.1 €58.5

$50.1 €43.70

33.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 €7.14

$2.29 €2.00

257.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 €2.02

$2.18 €1.90

6.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.01 €34.00

$25.32 €22.07

54.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 €1.90

$2.19 €1.91

-0.46%

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

$35.3K €30.8K

$35.6K €31.0K

-0.63%

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

$34.2K €29.8K

$35.4K €30.9K

-3.42%

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

$228 €198

$203 €177

12.26%

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

$14.96 €13.04

$15.64 €13.64

-4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.45 €29.16

$28.83 €25.13

16.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.38 €31.71

$36.28 €31.63

0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.33 €19.46

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 €12.30

$10.55 €9.20

33.74%

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

$1,123 €979

$635 €553

76.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K €9,262

$8,365 €7,292

27.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €105

$88.6 €77.2

36.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 €48.78

$42.44 €36.99

31.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €106

$104 €90.9

16.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €145

$105 €91.9

57.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$920 €802

$780 €680

17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 €597

$595 €519

15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,468 €1,280

$1,193 €1,040

23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,109 €967

$918 €800

20.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,683 €5,825

$4,083 €3,559

63.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,415 €2,977

$3,129 €2,728

9.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,974 €2,592

$2,506 €2,184

18.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.92

-3.32%

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

Last update for Toulouse: September 12, 2026

Last update for Melun: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $920 in Toulouse and $780 in Melun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 19% 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: $81.0 in Toulouse vs $54.0 in Melun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $387 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 14% in total monthly costs ($2,038 vs $1,787 including rent). Melun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% higher in Toulouse, 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: $920 in Toulouse versus $780 in Melun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,038 per month in Toulouse versus $1,787 in Melun – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Melun runs roughly 34% less than in Toulouse. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,787 in Melun versus $2,038 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 14% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.