Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Pau Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Pau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,026 per month in Toulouse vs $1,609 in Pau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,037 per month in Toulouse vs $2,402 in Pau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,047 per month in Toulouse vs $3,194 in Pau, rent included.

Toulouse costs about 26% more than Pau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Toulouse and Pau sit above the global median – Toulouse by 51%, Pau by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.70

$16.23 €13.96

5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.0

$51.6 €44.41

35.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.84

$11.41 €9.82

10.52%

Cappuccino

$3.53 €3.03

$3.30 €2.84

6.97%

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

$2.65 €2.28

$3.41 €2.93

-22.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.89 €1.63

-10.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 €6.95

$5.89 €5.06

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.07

$4.06 €3.49

45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.31 €1.13

12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.24 €1.93

-3.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$1.80 €1.55

67.22%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.68

$4.85 €4.17

-11.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 €21.65

$13.35 €11.49

88.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.29

$12.36 €10.63

15.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.42 €15.85

$25.75 €22.15

-28.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.84

$3.29 €2.83

0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 €2.61

$1.66 €1.43

83.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$2.17 €1.87

51.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.05

$3.41 €2.93

4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$1.76 €1.51

56.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 €2.76

$2.30 €1.98

39.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.23 €1.06

49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.92 €0.79

-2.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 €12.87

$12.80 €11.01

16.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.48

$2.67 €2.29

51.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.64

$3.41 €2.93

-9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.29 €1.11

65.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 €54.6

$26.15 €22.49

142.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 €2.66

$4.52 €3.89

-31.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.18

$2.45 €2.11

-44.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 €35.26

$17.62 €15.16

132.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.10 €1.80

-0.95%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$29.8K €25.6K

26.86%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$34.9K €30.0K

15.08%

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

$193 €166

$185 €159

4.22%

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

$22.68 €19.51

$32.03 €27.56

-29.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.42

$39.03 €33.57

-6.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.31

$40.06 €34.46

-0.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.71 €22.98

$18.44 €15.86

44.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.08

$11.15 €9.59

25.92%

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

$864 €744

$792 €681

9.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K €16.2K

$4,637 €3,988

306.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €108

$103 €88.7

21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 €42.27

$40.06 €34.46

22.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €111

$85.3 €73.4

51.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €142

$82.3 €70.8

100.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 €757

$766 €659

14.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €600

$465 €400

49.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 €1,322

$1,107 €952

38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,015

$734 €632

60.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,362 €5,472

$2,557 €2,200

148.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 €2,844

$2,097 €1,804

57.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 €2,575

$3,123 €2,686

-4.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.71

3.62

2.49%

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

Last update for Toulouse: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Toulouse versus $766 in Pau. 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 Pau, 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 $52.0 in Pau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $358 – making Pau 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 Pau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,026 in Toulouse, $1,609 in Pau – roughly 26% 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 $2,414 in Pau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Toulouse, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Toulouse and $52.0 in Pau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pau, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Toulouse at $2,026. In Pau 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 $1,609 in Pau 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 Pau. 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.