Located in southwestern France, in the Occitanie region, Toulouse is known as "la Ville Rose" (the Pink City). It's also close to the west coast of France and just a couple hours' drive from the Atlantic coast. Toulouse is also a city of gastronomy and sport. Rugby is king here, and the locals are proud of their rugby heritage. It's also a diverse city, home to the aerospace industry, a vibrant cultural scene, and lots of university students.
The rental market in Toulouse
Rental demand in Toulouse remains strong. In 2023, the vast majority of the city's housing will be apartments (83%), mostly T1s and T1s (41%). T3s are a little rarer (27%). The city has a higher proportion of renters: 64%. This figure, stable for over 5 years, reflects the attractiveness of the city's rents, especially compared to other major French cities.
The cost of living in Toulouse is much lower than in Paris, the most expensive city in France in 2024. Toulouse falls somewhere in the middle — not super expensive, but not the cheapest either. The average price per square meter in Paris is a whopping €46.30, while in Toulouse, it's only €20.90. It's no wonder that people with good jobs in the Toulouse area can keep their living expenses under control.
Here are a few examples of average monthly rents in the Ville Rose:
- 14m² bedroom: between 350 and 500 euros;
- 23m² studio: between 510 and 650 euros;
- 27 m² one-bedroom apartment: between 430 and 600 euros;
- 53 m² 2-bedroom apartment: between 700 and 950 euros;
- Large apartment (over 100m²): between 1,400 and over 2,000 euros.
If you want to live outside the city center, a rented house will cost around 1,200 to 1,300 euros per month, while a villa will cost around 1,500 to over 1,700 per month.
If you work at one of the big industrial sites in the city, your best bet is to find a place to live outside Toulouse itself. Keep in mind that driving around the city and suburbs is pretty easy, so living in Toulouse gives you a nice mix of urban and rural.
Toulouse neighborhoods
Toulouse covers an area of 118.3 km², with a population of 504,078 [latest census published by the Institut National de la Statistique et Étude Économique (INSEE) on December 28, 2023].
Toulouse is divided into six main zones:
- Toulouse Centre;
- Rive Gauche;
- Toulouse Ouest;
- Toulouse Nord;
- Toulouse Est;
- Toulouse Sud-Est.
Toulouse center
Le Capitole is the city's historic center, located around the Place du Capitole. This area hosts big events like soccer games and cultural festivals, and rents are pretty high.
For a quieter and cheaper vibe, check out the Amidonniers and Compans-Caffarelli neighborhoods. They're mostly residential but have tons of great restaurants.
If you can, steer clear of the Compans-Caffarelli area – it's mostly just office buildings and hotels.
Young professionals love the Chalets and Saint-Étienne areas for their lively vibe and tons of great restaurants, bars, and shops.
Left bank
The Croix de Pierre and Route d'Espagne areas are great for young professionals who want to find places with reasonable rent.
The Saint-Cyprien neighborhood has been built up lately, and it's a bit nicer now. Saint-Cyprien Square is a great spot, with lots of cozy bars and restaurants to check out. Some other parts of the Left Bank, especially places like Fontaine Lestang, Bagatelle, and Bordelongue, have been hit hard by high unemployment.
The area is planning several social housing projects, with rental prices relatively low compared to other neighborhoods.
Toulouse Nord
Toulouse Nord is great for aerospace workers and people who travel in and out of the city a lot.
Sept Deniers connects right to the Rocade highway and is near the Toulouse Blagnac airport, the Capitole, the freeway, and the aerospace center.
Ginestous is a residential neighborhood close to Sept Deniers that has one of the biggest traveler communities in France.
Looking for accommodation in Toulouse
Like most French cities, a good way to start looking for a place to live in Toulouse is online. This lets you narrow down what you're looking for. Check out real estate websites, specialized housing sites, and local online newspapers. If you need specific advice, you can also reach out to some real estate agencies. They can be super helpful if you're new to the city or if you're trying to find a place before moving to Toulouse.
Going through a real estate agent gives you the benefit of having a pro help guide your search and suggest homes that fit what you're looking for, whether that's a certain price range, size, neighborhood, or property type. The more details you give them about what you want, the better they'll be able to find houses and apartments that match your criteria.
A growing number of agencies are now offering virtual visits through video conferences. This is an advantage if you don't have the opportunity to come to Toulouse before you move in. Here are just a few of the real estate agencies in Toulouse:
Good to know:
You'll need to pay the real estate agent a fee once you sign the contract.
If you don't want to go through an estate agent, there are many other ways to find accommodation in Toulouse. You can turn to classified ad sites (Le Bon Coin, Paru Vendu, etc.) and specialized housing sites (Se Loger, À vendre à Louer, etc.). Traditional real estate agencies also publish their ads on these sites.
Finding student accommodation in Toulouse
The 2023–2024 edition of the ranking of the best student cities puts Toulouse in fourth place behind Rennes, Strasbourg, and Montpellier. The ranking by L'Étudiant, a top student media outlet, considers the city's appeal, job market, quality of life, and student experience. Toulouse scored well across the board. A separate study by real estate firm Nexity even named Toulouse the #1 student city for 2023.
Like many French cities, Toulouse has a major shortage of student accommodation. The organization that runs student residences, the Centre régional des œuvres universitaires et scolaires (CROUS) Toulouse-Occitanie, says it has rejected a 75% target for 2023. The situation is so bad that universities are telling international students to apply for housing ASAP through the Mon logement CROUS website. International students can get grants through programs like CROUS, Erasmus, and Erasmus Mundus to help pay for a room in student housing, just like local students can.
Finding private housing like shared flats, rooms, studios, or apartments is just as hard. With so many people wanting to live in Toulouse, the rental market is tight.
If you can't, or don't want to, live in a cité U (student residence), it's possible to find an apartment or studio in the city, even close to your university. Check out ImmoJeunes, Le Bon Coin, Studapart, Fac Habitat, Location Étudiant or Loc Services.
Another alternative is to share a flat, which is an economical and friendly solution. You'll find offers on La Carte des Colocs, ImmoJeunes, Whoomies, and Appartager.
In Toulouse, a typical studio apartment for students, about 150 square feet, usually runs between 350 to 500 euros, while a room in a student dorm averages around 310 euros.
Short-stay accommodation in Toulouse
Planning a short stay in Toulouse? The city hosts visitors year-round from across the globe. For places to stay, you've got plenty of options – from budget hotels to luxury resorts, vacation rentals, B&Bs, villas, youth hostels, and more. The Toulouse Tourist Office has a wide selection of accommodations. You can also find short-term rentals online through sites like Gîtes de France, Booking.com, and Airbnb.
Be careful with AirBnb: like Nice and other French cities, Toulouse is tightening the screws. As of November 1, 2023, hosts will only be allowed to list two properties on Airbnb. If they want to add a third, they'll need to also rent out a similar place long-term to make up for the housing shortage. It's called the compensation rule.
Buying a home in Toulouse
So, you've decided to move to France and settle down in Toulouse. Have you thought about buying a property there? As a foreigner, you might be wondering if you're even allowed to buy property in France. Well, no worries – the answer is yes, you can! There are just a few conditions you need to meet.
If you're a citizen of the EU or EEA, it's easy to buy a house or apartment, whether or not you're a resident.
If you live in France, you'll be treated just like a French citizen, but if you don't, you'll have to get a long-stay visa and a French resident card. A special team at the bank will handle your application. Either way, if any of your documents, like your birth certificate or family record book, aren't in French, remember to get them translated before giving them to the bank.
In Toulouse, apartments currently cost around 3,449 euros per square meter on average, ranging from 2,165 to 4,554 euros. Houses go for about 4,283 euros per square meter, with prices falling between 2,683 and 5,678 euros based on early 2024 data. The exact price tag depends on things like the location, size, age, and features of the property.
Due to the city's international nature and the many jobs associated with the aerospace industry, Toulouse boasts a wide range of English-speaking agencies. These will help you find the ideal accommodation to suit your needs, desires, and budget.
Useful links:
Yellow Pages – Real estate agencies in Toulouse
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