The cost of living in Lyon and Toulouse is mainly a question of rent, and rent in both cities is roughly half of what you pay in Paris. According to France’s official network of rent observatories, the average private rent was €13.2 per m² a month in Lyon and Villeurbanne on 1 January 2024 and €12.5 per m² in the city of Toulouse on 1 January 2025, excluding charges. Paris was at €26.3 per m². Lyon caps rents for new leases; Toulouse doesn’t. Most other costs, such as groceries, phone plans and health insurance, vary much less between French cities.
This guide puts the official rent figures side by side, explains the rules that affect what you pay when you move in, and shows how the two cities compare with Paris. Like our Paris cost of living guide, it uses official data only and doesn’t invent “average monthly budgets”.
The short answer
- Rent: a newly rented one-bedroom flat (2 rooms) averaged about €676 a month in greater Lyon and €570 in greater Toulouse, excluding charges, for tenants who had moved in during the previous year.
- Lyon vs Toulouse: Toulouse is slightly cheaper per m² across the metro area, and flats there are a little smaller on average.
- Rent cap: in Lyon and Villeurbanne, rents on new leases are capped by official reference rents. Toulouse has no such cap.
- Transport: your employer pays at least half of your public transport pass in both cities.
- No housing tax on your main home: the taxe d’habitation on main residences was abolished in 2023.
- Jobs: on France Dev Jobs on 16 October 2026 there were 74 jobs in Toulouse and 15 in Lyon, against 969 in Paris.
Rent in Lyon
The figures below come from the local rent observatory for the Lyon area, published as open data on data.gouv.fr by the Observatoires Locaux des Loyers network. They describe private rentals on 1 January 2024 (the latest Lyon release), rents excluding charges, based on 30,143 observations.
| Area (1 January 2024) | Average rent per m² | Average monthly rent | Average size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Lyon (whole observatory area) | €12.3 | €762 | 62 m² |
| Lyon and Villeurbanne (central zone) | €13.2 | €773 | 59 m² |
| Suburbs and outer towns | €11.2 | €745 | 67 m² |
Rent in Lyon for new tenants
Rents for people who moved in during the previous year are a better guide if you are arriving now. For greater Lyon:
| Flat size (tenants in place less than 1 year) | Average rent per m² | Average monthly rent | Average size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 room (studio) | €18.0 | €540 | 30 m² |
| 2 rooms (one bedroom) | €14.6 | €676 | 46 m² |
| 3 rooms | €12.5 | €839 | 67 m² |
| 4 rooms or more | €11.8 | €1,175 | 99 m² |
| All sizes | €13.3 | €793 | 59 m² |
In France, a “2-room” flat (T2 or F2) has a living room and one bedroom; kitchens and bathrooms aren’t counted.
Within the central zone, the observatory’s five sub-areas ranged from €12.1 to €13.7 per m² on average, so the gap between neighbourhoods is fairly small.
Rent control in Lyon and Villeurbanne
Since 1 November 2021, the rent of a lease signed or renewed in Lyon or Villeurbanne can’t be higher than the official reference rent for that type of flat plus 20%, excluding charges (Métropole de Lyon, Service-Public). The cap covers furnished and unfurnished flats, flat shares and bail mobilité leases, with different reference rents for furnished and unfurnished homes.
- Check a rent before you sign with the Métropole’s online simulator, linked from its rent control page. You enter the address, rooms, size, building age and whether the flat is furnished.
- A rent supplement (complément de loyer) is only allowed for exceptional features, must be justified in the lease, and is banned for leases signed since 18 August 2022 if the flat has an energy rating of F or G or certain defects.
- End date: the Métropole says the scheme runs until 25 November 2026 under the 2022 “3DS” law. Check its page for any extension if you sign after that date.
Rent in Toulouse
The Toulouse rent observatory’s latest release describes private rentals on 1 January 2025, rents excluding charges, based on 39,064 observations (data.gouv.fr).
| Area (1 January 2025) | Average rent per m² | Average monthly rent | Average size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Toulouse (whole observatory area) | €11.7 | €684 | 59 m² |
| City of Toulouse | €12.5 | €658 | 53 m² |
| Suburbs and outer towns (incl. Blagnac, Colomiers, Labège) | €10.6 | €731 | 69 m² |
Rent in Toulouse for new tenants
| Flat size (tenants in place less than 1 year) | Average rent per m² | Average monthly rent | Average size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 room (studio) | €18.2 | €470 | 26 m² |
| 2 rooms (one bedroom) | €13.3 | €570 | 43 m² |
| 3 rooms | €11.6 | €731 | 63 m² |
| 4 rooms or more | €11.0 | €1,097 | 99 m² |
| All sizes | €12.4 | €695 | 56 m² |
Within the city, the observatory’s five sub-areas ranged from €10.6 to €14.3 per m² on average, so the neighbourhood makes more difference here than in Lyon.
No rent cap in Toulouse
Toulouse isn’t on the list of cities that apply reference-rent caps; in the regions, Service-Public lists Bordeaux, Grenoble-Alpes Métropole, Lille, Lyon and Villeurbanne, Montpellier and the Pays Basque (Service-Public). The general rules on deposits and agency fees below still apply.
Living near Blagnac and Colomiers
On France Dev Jobs, some Toulouse-area jobs are listed in Blagnac and Colomiers, west of the city near the airport. The observatory puts those towns in its suburban zones, where rent per m² is lower but flats are bigger, so monthly rents end up similar to the city. If you will work there, compare the commute from the city centre with living closer to the site. Our guide to aerospace and embedded jobs in Toulouse and Sophia Antipolis shows who is hiring, and you can browse jobs in Toulouse.
Lyon vs Toulouse vs Paris
| City (central area) | Average rent per m² | Year of data |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | €26.3 | 1 January 2025 |
| Lyon and Villeurbanne | €13.2 | 1 January 2024 |
| Toulouse | €12.5 | 1 January 2025 |
Paris figures come from the Paris rent observatory (OLAP) report (OLAP 2025). Lyon’s latest data is a year older than the other two, so the real gap between Lyon and Toulouse today may be a little different. On these figures, the same 50 m² flat costs around €660 in Lyon, €625 in Toulouse and €1,315 in Paris, before charges.
The trade-off is jobs. On France Dev Jobs, Paris had 969 of the 1,739 live English-speaking tech jobs in our October 2026 report, Toulouse 74 and Lyon 15. The same report found a median advertised salary of €75,000 in Paris (150 ads) and €74,667 in Lyon (only 5 ads, so treat it with care). Remote jobs widen the choice: 581 jobs (33%) on the board were fully remote. See remote jobs.
Moving-in costs
These national rules apply in both cities:
- Deposit (dépôt de garantie): at most 1 month’s rent excluding charges for an unfurnished flat, 2 months for a furnished one (Service-Public).
- Agency fees: if you rent through an agency, your share of the viewing, file and lease fees is capped at half the total and at €12.10 per m² in “very tight” housing zones, €10.09 in “tight” zones and €8.07 elsewhere, plus up to €3.03 per m² for the move-in inspection (Service-Public). Service-Public has a simulator to check which zone your town is in.
- First month’s rent, usually paid in advance.
So for a €700 unfurnished flat of 45 m² through an agency in a “tight” zone, expect up to about €700 deposit, €700 rent and €590 in fees (45 × €10.09 + 45 × €3.03) before you move in.
Other monthly costs
Transport
Lyon (TCL) and Toulouse (Tisséo) both have metro, tram and bus networks with monthly and annual passes. Fares change regularly, so check the current price on each operator’s site. Whatever the price, your employer must pay at least 50% of a public transport subscription for your commute, refunded through your payslip; single tickets aren’t covered (Service-Public).
Housing tax
The taxe d’habitation on main residences has been abolished since 1 January 2023 (Service-Public). You don’t pay it on the flat you live in.
Health insurance
Your employer must offer a company mutuelle (top-up health insurance) and pay at least half of it. The cost doesn’t depend on the city. Our relocation checklist explains how to register with the health system.
Utilities and charges
Rents above exclude charges (charges locatives), such as building maintenance and sometimes heating or water. Ask what the monthly charges cover before you sign, and whether heating is individual or shared. Electricity, internet and phone contracts are sold nationally, so their prices don’t depend much on the city.
Living in Lyon or Toulouse as an expat
- English at work: both cities have international employers, but the number of English-speaking jobs is much smaller than in Paris. Our guide to tech jobs in France without French explains how to read language requirements.
- French in daily life: outside work, you will need some French for admin and renting sooner than in Paris.
- Take-home pay: income tax and social contributions are national, so the same gross salary gives the same net pay in both cities. Use our salary after tax calculator, and see our software engineer salaries guide for typical ranges outside Paris.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Lyon per month?
Rent is the main cost. New tenants in greater Lyon paid on average €676 a month for a one-bedroom (2-room) flat and €839 for a 3-room flat, excluding charges, at 1 January 2024. Other costs, such as food, phone and insurance, are close to the national level.
How much is rent in Lyon?
The average private rent in Lyon and Villeurbanne was €13.2 per m² a month on 1 January 2024, and €12.3 per m² across greater Lyon. Studios rented by new tenants averaged €18.0 per m². Rents on new leases in Lyon and Villeurbanne are capped by official reference rents.
Is Toulouse cheaper than Lyon?
Slightly, on the official figures. Greater Toulouse averaged €11.7 per m² (1 January 2025) against €12.3 for greater Lyon (1 January 2024). A one-bedroom flat for a new tenant averaged €570 a month in Toulouse and €676 in Lyon.
Is the cost of living in Toulouse lower than in Paris?
Yes, mainly because of rent. The average rent in the city of Toulouse was €12.5 per m², less than half of the €26.3 per m² in Paris. Transport passes, health insurance and national prices differ much less.
Is rent capped in Toulouse?
No. Reference-rent caps apply in Lyon and Villeurbanne, but Toulouse isn’t on the list. National rules on deposits and agency fees still apply.
Where do the rent figures come from?
From the Observatoires Locaux des Loyers, the official network of local rent observatories, whose results by city are published as open data on data.gouv.fr. They cover private rentals and exclude charges.
This guide is general information. Rents, fares and rules change; check the official pages linked above before you sign a lease.