Toulouse
Toulouse is the capital of southern France's Occitanie region Europe's aerospace capital and France's fourth-largest city, sitting on the Garonne River between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, 90 minutes from each. Airbus assembles the A320, A330, and A350 here; Thales Alenia Space and the European Space Agency anchor an enormous engineering workforce; the Université Toulouse 1 Capitole is one of France's top public law and economics universities. The terracotta-pink Roman brick architecture (giving the city the nickname "La Ville Rose") wraps the historic centre between the Place du Capitole, the Basilique Saint-Sernin (Europe's largest Romanesque church), and the Garonne riverbank. Carmes and Saint-Étienne are the favourite expat heartlands. Compared to Paris, the lifestyle is far more relaxed and rents are 40% cheaper. A one-bedroom in Carmes or Saint-Étienne costs €700–950/month.
Thinking about Toulouse, France? Visa process: Moderate (about 10 weeks). Rent runs from $850/mo, roughly $1,660/mo all-in for one person — safety 80/100, internet 84/100 on Jonzy.
Best for: Aerospace & engineering, Expat families, Wine & gastronomy lovers, Mediterranean lifestyle on a budget.
- Rent from $850/mo, about $1,660/mo all-in for one person.
- Safety 80/100 · Internet 84/100 · a mild, fairly pleasant climate.
- Visa: Moderate process, about 10 weeks (retirement option: France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)).
- Local salaries average around $2,700/mo, with a solid, growing expat community.
Cost of living in Toulouse
| Rent (1-bed, typical) | $850/mo |
|---|---|
| Food & groceries | $380/mo |
| Transport | $60/mo |
| Healthcare | $90/mo |
| Utilities | $110/mo |
| Other essentials | $170/mo |
| Total (all-in) | $1,660/mo |
How Toulouse stacks up
- Rent eats about 51% of a one-person monthly budget in Toulouse — a rent-heavy split, so location choice moves your total the most.
- At ~$1,660/mo all-in, Toulouse runs about 19% pricier than the median Jonzy city ($1,400/mo).
- A local salary (~$2,700/mo) covers roughly 163% of one person's costs — comfortable on local pay.
- Its strongest catalog score is healthcare (86/100); the weakest is climate (78/100).
Is Toulouse right for you?
Highlights
- Fast, reliable internet (84/100).
- Very safe by catalog scores (80/100).
- Large expat community — quick to plug into.
- Dedicated retirement route (France Long-Stay Visitor Visa (VLS-TS Visiteur)).
- Clean air (AQI ~28).
Quality of life in Toulouse
- Safety: 80/100
- Internet speed: 84/100
- Climate: 78/100
- Healthcare: 86/100
- Expat community: 78/100
Taxes in Toulouse
0–45% progressive plus 17.2% social contributions
Living in France
France is one of Europe's largest economies and a founding EU member with one of the strongest social safety nets in the world. Income tax is progressive at 0–45%, plus a 17.2% social-contribution charge on most earnings. The Profession Libérale visa allows freelancers and consultants to settle in France; the Talent Passport offers fast-track residency for skilled workers, scientists, and entrepreneurs. The micro-entreprise (auto-entrepreneur) regime simplifies tax for small freelancers with revenue below €77,700/year for services. France has tax treaties with over 120 countries.
Toulouse relocation FAQ
How much does it cost to live in Toulouse?
A single person typically spends about $1,660/month in Toulouse, including rent (from $850/mo), food, transport, healthcare, utilities, and misc. Costs vary by neighbourhood and lifestyle.
What is the monthly cost breakdown in Toulouse?
Typical monthly costs for one person in Toulouse: rent from $850, food $380, transport $60, healthcare $90, utilities $110, and other essentials $170 — about $1,660/mo all-in. Sign in to Jonzy for community-validated figures and a budget tuned to your lifestyle.
Is Toulouse a good place to relocate?
On this page, Toulouse scores 84/100 for internet, 80/100 for safety, and 78/100 for climate — catalog averages, not personalised to you. In Jonzy, you can rank it against 355 other cities for your income, passport, and lifestyle priorities.
What visa do I need to live in Toulouse?
Long-stay relocation routes for Toulouse depend on your passport. For example, a US passport holder may see "Talent Passport / Profession Libérale" (is catalogued in our catalog). Tourist entry is separate, confirm border rules on official sources before travel. Jonzy matches France against 525+ visa programs in-app. Informational only, not legal advice.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Toulouse?
Core costs for one person run about $1,660/mo, so a comfortable budget with room for savings, travel, and irregular expenses is roughly $2,300/mo take-home. Local salaries average around $2,700/mo. Jonzy calculates your exact surplus after tax for your income and passport.
Who is Toulouse best for?
Toulouse tends to suit aerospace & engineering, expat families, wine & gastronomy lovers and mediterranean lifestyle on a budget — based on its cost profile (about $1,660/mo all-in), 84/100 internet, 80/100 safety, and a solid, growing expat community. Jonzy scores it against your own income, passport, and lifestyle priorities so you can see whether it fits you specifically, not just the average relocator.
Is Toulouse expensive to live in?
At about $1,660/mo all-in for one person, Toulouse is a little pricier than average — roughly 19% above the median of the 356 Jonzy cities ($1,400/mo). Your own number depends on neighbourhood, lifestyle, and whether you rent short- or long-term.
Is Toulouse safe to live in?
Toulouse scores 80/100 on Jonzy's safety index, among the safer cities in the catalog. Safety varies sharply by neighbourhood and time of day everywhere — treat the score as a city-level average, and use community threads for street-level reality.
Is Toulouse good for remote work?
Connectivity scores 84/100 — fast and dependable enough for video-heavy remote work. The expat and nomad scene rates 78/100, and work-life balance 82/100. Combined with ~$1,660/mo all-in costs, that is the core remote-work math for Toulouse; Jonzy re-ranks it against your own income and timezone needs.
What is the weather like in Toulouse?
Toulouse scores 78/100 for climate — a comfortable climate for most of the year. It logs roughly 215 sunny days a year in the catalog. The city guide's seasonal data shows how the year actually feels; the climate planner tool maps it against your heat and daylight preferences.
What are taxes like in Toulouse?
Typical tax snapshot for Toulouse, France: 0–45% progressive plus 17.2% social contributions. Your actual liability depends on residency status, income source, and any tax treaty — Jonzy estimates take-home pay for your specific situation, and this is not tax advice.