😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,026 in Toulouse versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,037 in Toulouse versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,047 in Toulouse versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Toulouse is roughly 60% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Toulouse is 51% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.09€14.72
$4.70฿154
263.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.8€60.1
$45.37฿1,483
53.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.61€10.86
$8.43฿276
49.58%
Cappuccino
$3.53€3.04
$2.93฿95.7
20.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65€2.28
$0.69฿22.42
284.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69€1.46
$0.37฿12.00
356.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.08€6.95
$2.41฿78.7
235.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89€5.07
$3.72฿122
58.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.27
$2.23฿73.0
-33.63%
White Bread(500g)
$2.17€1.87
$1.83฿59.9
18.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.01€2.59
$2.17฿70.9
38.71%
Eggs
$4.28€3.68
$2.21฿72.4
93.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$25.17€21.67
$19.74฿645
27.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.29€12.30
$3.63฿119
293.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.42€15.86
$13.53฿442
36.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.30€2.84
$3.28฿107
0.61%
Banana(1kg)
$3.04€2.62
$1.61฿52.7
88.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.28€2.83
$2.41฿78.7
36.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.55€3.06
$2.08฿68.1
70.67%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76€2.38
$1.53฿49.97
80.39%
Onion(1kg)
$3.21€2.77
$1.48฿48.41
116.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.84€1.59
$0.99฿32.32
85.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.78
$0.51฿16.68
76.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.96€12.88
$4.41฿144
239.23%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.05€7.79
$19.38฿634
-53.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.04€3.48
$1.78฿58.1
126.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07€2.64
$2.71฿88.7
13.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.14€1.84
$1.37฿44.83
56.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.5€54.7
$11.39฿372
457.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09€2.66
$3.02฿98.7
2.32%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.37€1.18
$0.99฿32.51
38.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.99€35.30
$14.10฿461
190.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.08€1.79
$1.36฿44.55
52.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.8K€32.5K
$28.2K฿921.9K
33.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.2K€34.6K
$32.9K฿1.1M
22.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$193€166
$122฿3,978
58.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.68€19.53
$13.57฿444
67.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.52€31.45
$18.31฿599
99.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.88€34.34
$60.2฿1,969
-33.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.71€23.00
$17.14฿560
55.83%
Cinema Ticket
$14.04€12.09
$8.69฿284
61.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$864€744
$693฿22.7K
24.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.9K€16.2K
$15.7K฿512.8K
20.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$125€108
$59.5฿1,946
110.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.14€42.32
$34.77฿1,137
41.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$129€111
$115฿3,746
12.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$165€142
$83.3฿2,723
97.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$880€758
$613฿20.0K
43.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$697€600
$437฿14.3K
59.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,537€1,324
$2,094฿68.5K
-26.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,180€1,016
$1,509฿49.3K
-21.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,362€5,478
$3,749฿122.6K
69.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,307€2,847
$2,616฿85.5K
26.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toulouse
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,994€2,578
$508฿16.6K
489.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.71
5.33
-30.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Toulouse: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Toulouse and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Toulouse pays 489% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $293 per month, with Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Toulouse?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Toulouse or Phuket?
Toulouse pays 489% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Toulouse and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Toulouse versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $864 in Toulouse versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Toulouse and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Toulouse. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Toulouse or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,026 in Toulouse, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Toulouse. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Toulouse or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Toulouse, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Toulouse or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Toulouse and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.