The pink city runs on aerospace: if you work in the sector this is Europe's centre of gravity. Sunny, southern and studenty, with Spain and the Pyrenees close.
What it costs to live in Toulouse
A one-bed runs around EUR 600 a month, roughly 40% below the national baseline for France, which is a large part of why people look here instead of the capital. Across the 60 EU cities we profile, that lands Toulouse in the middle of the range.
Against a typical net salary in France of about EUR 2,200, rent takes roughly 27% of take-home pay, which leaves more room than most of Western Europe.
What the economy runs on
Airbus and aerospace, space industry.
Toulouse rewards anyone bringing income from elsewhere: the cost base is low, though the country is less geared toward freelance and remote status than the EU's easiest options.
How far English gets you
Expect to need French for daily errands in Toulouse, and for every piece of official paperwork. English alone will feel limiting outside international workplaces.
Toulouse rates 52/100 for English, broadly in line with France as a whole at 50/100. There is a fuller breakdown on the English in France page.
What day-to-day life leans on
Healthcare is a genuine draw, with France at 86/100, and a capital or major city is normally where the best-equipped hospitals sit.
Safety scores lower than the EU norm here, at 72/100 for France, which in practice tends to mean petty crime and neighbourhood variation rather than anything dramatic.
Worth weighing
Career options concentrate heavily around aerospace.
Toulouse is the cheapest of the cities we cover in France. For comparison: Paris (about EUR 1,000 a month) and Lyon (about EUR 650 a month).
City picked, country still open? See the full France overview including cost of living, safety, healthcare and the path to residence, or compare France with other EU countries.