Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Saint-Etienne Cost of Living Comparison Between Toulouse and Saint-Etienne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,026 per month in Toulouse vs $1,502 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,037 per month in Toulouse vs $2,293 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,047 per month in Toulouse vs $3,084 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

Toulouse costs about 35% more than Saint-Etienne, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Toulouse and Saint-Etienne sit above the global median – Toulouse by 51%, Saint-Etienne by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.09 €14.72

$16.63 €14.32

2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.1

$45.66 €39.32

52.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 €10.86

$13.36 €11.50

-5.61%

Cappuccino

$3.53 €3.04

$2.05 €1.77

72.20%

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

$2.65 €2.28

$2.72 €2.34

-2.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 €1.46

$1.18 €1.01

43.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.08 €6.95

$3.94 €3.39

105.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.07

$4.52 €3.90

30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.25 €1.08

18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.18 €1.02

83.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.62 €2.26

14.89%

Eggs

$4.28 €3.68

$3.56 €3.07

20.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.17 €21.67

$18.35 €15.80

37.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.29 €12.30

$15.48 €13.33

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.42 €15.86

$20.63 €17.77

-10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.30 €2.84

$3.23 €2.78

2.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 €2.62

$2.24 €1.93

35.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$2.51 €2.16

30.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.55 €3.06

$3.45 €2.97

2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$2.37 €2.04

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 €2.77

$2.72 €2.35

18.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.56 €1.35

17.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.36 €0.31

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.96 €12.88

$12.88 €11.09

16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.79

$8.00 €6.89

13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.04 €3.48

$3.11 €2.68

29.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.64

$3.81 €3.28

-19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 €1.84

$1.57 €1.35

36.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.5 €54.7

$48.08 €41.40

32.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 €2.66

$5.17 €4.45

-40.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.76 €1.52

-22.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.99 €35.30

$32.95 €28.37

24.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.99 €1.71

4.52%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$37.8K €32.6K

-0.15%

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

$40.2K €34.6K

$37.4K €32.2K

7.46%

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

$193 €166

$122 €105

58.94%

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

$22.68 €19.53

$27.75 €23.90

-18.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.52 €31.45

$34.01 €29.28

7.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.34

$31.67 €27.27

25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.71 €23.00

$6.92 €5.96

285.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.09

$10.55 €9.08

33.08%

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

$864 €744

$782 €673

10.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.9K €16.2K

$8,188 €7,051

130.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €108

$80.9 €69.6

54.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.14 €42.32

$44.05 €37.93

11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 €111

$85.2 €73.4

51.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €142

$114 €98.3

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 €758

$575 €495

52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 €600

$451 €388

54.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,537 €1,324

$902 €777

70.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 €1,016

$691 €595

70.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,362 €5,478

$1,765 €1,520

260.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,307 €2,847

$1,707 €1,470

93.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,994 €2,578

$2,319 €1,997

29.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.71

3.64

1.92%

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

Last update for Toulouse: June 1, 2026

Last update for Saint-Etienne: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $880 in Toulouse versus $575 in Saint-Etienne. 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 29% higher in Toulouse, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Toulouse versus $46.00 in Saint-Etienne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $411 vs $363 – making Saint-Etienne 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 Saint-Etienne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Toulouse is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,039 per month in Toulouse and $2,254 in Saint-Etienne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 32% less in Saint-Etienne. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $864 per month in Toulouse and $782 in Saint-Etienne. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Etienne, where all-in costs run around $1,502, than in Toulouse at $2,026. In Saint-Etienne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toulouse it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Etienne – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Saint-Etienne. 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.