Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Rouen Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Rouen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,963 in Toulouse versus $1,620 in Rouen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,077 in Toulouse versus $2,421 in Rouen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,191 in Toulouse versus $3,221 in Rouen.

Living in Toulouse is roughly 21% more expensive than in Rouen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Toulouse 47% above, Rouen 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 €15.09

$13.97 €12.24

23.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €61.1

$56.7 €49.68

23.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 €11.27

$10.35 €9.06

24.35%

Cappuccino

$3.57 €3.12

$3.44 €3.01

3.78%

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

$2.69 €2.35

$2.58 €2.26

4.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.46

$1.75 €1.54

-5.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.17 €7.16

$7.11 €6.22

14.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.96

$5.69 €4.98

-0.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 €1.23

$1.25 €1.10

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 €1.84

$1.17 €1.03

79.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 €2.66

$1.96 €1.72

55.10%

Eggs

$4.10 €3.59

$3.00 €2.63

36.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.25 €22.11

$14.83 €12.99

70.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 €12.88

$10.11 €8.85

45.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.95 €15.72

$21.12 €18.49

-15.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.25 €2.85

$2.26 €1.98

43.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.92 €2.56

$1.88 €1.65

55.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 €2.81

$1.71 €1.50

87.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 €3.08

$3.53 €3.09

-0.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 €2.47

$2.36 €2.07

19.49%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 €2.76

$3.75 €3.28

-16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 €1.59

$1.77 €1.55

2.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.83

$0.69 €0.60

37.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.66 €12.84

$13.91 €12.18

5.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 €8.16

$6.96 €6.10

33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 €3.37

$2.33 €2.04

65.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.63

$1.71 €1.50

75.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.02 €1.77

0.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.9 €57.8

$51.6 €45.18

27.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 €2.57

$4.51 €3.95

-35.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 €1.21

$2.03 €1.78

-31.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.03 €35.06

$35.48 €31.08

12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.85

$2.04 €1.79

3.43%

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

$37.6K €33.0K

$36.5K €32.0K

3.07%

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

$40.0K €35.0K

$38.2K €33.5K

4.66%

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

$190 €166

$174 €152

9.31%

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

$22.13 €19.38

$27.58 €24.15

-19.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.22 €31.72

$33.73 €29.54

7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.67 €34.75

$38.82 €34.00

2.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 €23.26

$17.65 €15.46

50.42%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 €12.33

$13.72 €12.01

2.62%

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

$871 €763

$944 €826

-7.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.3K €16.0K

$8,660 €7,585

111.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €106

$81.1 €71.0

49.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.56 €43.40

$25.13 €22.01

97.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €111

$89.4 €78.3

41.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €144

$103 €90.1

59.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 €765

$568 €497

53.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 €600

$543 €476

26.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,520 €1,332

$1,023 €896

48.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 €1,031

$856 €750

37.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,501 €5,694

$3,857 €3,378

68.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,289 €2,881

$2,369 €2,074

38.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,910 €2,549

$2,620 €2,295

11.07%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Rouen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $874 in Toulouse and $568 in Rouen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Toulouse pays 11% 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 $57.0 in Rouen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $308 per month, with Rouen 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 Rouen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rouen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $874 in Toulouse versus $568 in Rouen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rouen – a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $70.0 in Toulouse. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,963 per month in Toulouse versus $1,620 in Rouen – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,620 in Rouen versus $1,963 in Toulouse, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Rouen but tight or insufficient in Toulouse. The gap between the two cities makes Rouen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rouen 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.

Safety-wise, Toulouse and Rouen 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 Rouen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Toulouse. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.