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LifeSkills city guide

Tolosa

France

Fourth city in France and capital of Occitania, Toulouse - the "Ville Rose" of its pink bricks - is the European capital of aerospace (Airbus, ATR, CNES, Cité de l'Espace) and one of the largest university centers in the country, with around 130,000 students. Crossed by the Garonne and the Canal du Midi (UNESCO heritage), it is sunny, young and lively, with a strong culture of rugby and partying. The cost of living is among the lowest of large French cities, with affordable rent and transportation and an excellent quality of life in the South of France.

Build your plan for Tolosa Explore neighborhoods
Safety 66/100
Affordability 66/100
Student-friendly 90/100
Nightlife 78/100
Transport 76/100

Last reviewed: Jul 23, 2026. Rent, scores and commute notes are indicative and should be verified before real decisions.

Quick answer

Living in Tolosa: what to know first

The essentials before you compare the details. A figure is marked as verified only when it is linked to a source.

Verified

Student budget

750-1,150 EUR/month

single room + utilities + groceries + subscription · excluding university fees

See details
Under review

Room rent

No locally sourced rent figure is available yet See details
Verified

Getting around

Toulouse has modern public transport managed by Tisséo: two automatic metro lines (VAL), two tram lines, a dense bus network and Vélô Toulouse bike sharing. The city is growing quickly and the network is expanding, with the third metro line (line C) under construction. With a single season ticket (or ticket) you can travel on all means of transport.

See details

Neighborhoods to compare

8 neighborhoods compared

Rangueil (secteur 13) · Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5) · Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)

See details

Universities

5 universities in this guide

Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier · Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès · Université Toulouse Capitole

See details

First steps

Where to start for Tolosa

Follow this order to narrow your options without taking in everything at once.

  1. Shortlist 2–3 neighborhoods

    Compare student life, safety and the real commute to campus.
  2. Check housing and budget

    Use estimates as a guide, then verify the listing, contract and current costs.
  3. Verify your documents

    Check registration, visa or permit requirements before making payments.

Interactive map

Quartiers di Tolosa

Official administrative boundaries: Quartiers. Select an area to view the available data.

Loading geographic boundaries…

Visible Quartiers 0

Verified geographic dataset

Boundary source: Toulouse Métropole — Quartiers de démocratie locale (Licence Ouverte 2.0 (Etalab)). Base map © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Compare

Neighborhood ranking

Best neighborhoods for students

  1. Rangueil (secteur 13) 92/100
  2. Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5) 90/100
  3. Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1) 90/100
  4. Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3) 86/100

Best neighborhoods for nightlife

  1. Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1) 90/100
  2. Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6) 84/100
  3. Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3) 86/100
  4. Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5) 90/100

Best neighborhoods for quiet living

  1. Côte Pavée / Guilheméry (secteur 11) 84/100
  2. Rangueil (secteur 13) 92/100
  3. Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2) 80/100
  4. Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3) 86/100

Best neighborhoods for low rent

  1. Le Mirail / Reynerie (secteur 17) ~380 EUR
  2. Rangueil (secteur 13) ~420 EUR
  3. Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5) ~430 EUR
  4. Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2) ~440 EUR

Best neighborhoods for safety

  1. Côte Pavée / Guilheméry (secteur 11) 84/100
  2. Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2) 80/100
  3. Rangueil (secteur 13) 92/100
  4. Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3) 86/100

Neighborhood cards

Where to live in Tolosa

Rangueil (secteur 13)

Student hub

Rangueil (secteur 13): The large scientific campus to the south-east: the Université Paul Sabatier, ISAE-SUPAERO, the CHU of Rangueil and student residences. Green, young and well connected

Room
~420 EUR
Studio
~620 EUR
Apartment
~850 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 72 Student-friendly 92 Nightlife 54 Commute 86
Pros
  • student-friendly: 92/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~420 EUR.
  • Useful for Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse III).
Cons
  • Check the exact block and building before signing.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
student-friendlynear universitieslow rent

Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5)

Student hub

Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5): South of the centre, student and varied: Saint-Michel and Saint-Agne close to the faculties, elegant Le Busca, popular Empalot, the green Île du Ramier. Central and young

Room
~430 EUR
Studio
~640 EUR
Apartment
~880 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 64 Student-friendly 90 Nightlife 68 Commute 88
Pros
  • student-friendly: 90/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~430 EUR.
  • Useful for Université Toulouse Capitole (near).
Cons
  • Safety score is 64/100: inspect the exact street and building.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
student-friendlynear universitiescentral

Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)

Nightlife

Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1): The historic heart of the Ville Rose: Place du Capitole, the chic Carmes, multicultural Arnaud-Bernard. Very central, lively and full of clubs, with prices in the centre

Room
~470 EUR
Studio
~700 EUR
Apartment
~950 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 66 Student-friendly 88 Nightlife 90 Commute 94
Pros
  • transport: 94/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~470 EUR.
  • Useful for Université Toulouse Capitole (law/economics).
Cons
  • Safety score is 66/100: inspect the exact street and building.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
nightlifecentralstudent-friendly

Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3)

Balanced

Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3): Lively and trendy centre-east: bourgeois Les Chalets, bohemian Saint-Aubin with its Sunday market, near the Gare Matabiau. Young and well connected

Room
~440 EUR
Studio
~650 EUR
Apartment
~890 EUR

~ editorial estimate to verify

Safety 68 Student-friendly 86 Nightlife 74 Commute 90
Pros
  • transport: 90/100 in this guide.
  • Indicative room rent: ~440 EUR.
  • Useful for Université Toulouse Capitole (by metro).
Cons
  • Safety score is 68/100: inspect the exact street and building.
  • Busier profile: check noise and activity at different times.
  • Rent and commute are indicative and depend on the exact address.
balancedcentralstudent-friendly

Study

Major universities in Tolosa

Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès

Public (humanities and social sciences; ~30,000 students)

See on the map
LettersHuman sciencesSocial sciencesLanguagesPsychologyHistory
Nearest neighborhoods
Le Mirail / Reynerie (section 17)Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5)
Commute from top areas
  • Le Mirail / Reynerie (section 17)5-10 min (Le Mirail campus)
  • Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)10-20 min (Metro A)
  • Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5)15-25 min

Université Toulouse Capitole

Public (law, economics, management; ~20,000 students)

See on the map
RightEconomyManagementPolitical scienceApplied computer science
Nearest neighborhoods
Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (section 3)Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)
Commute from top areas
  • Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)5-10 min (center)
  • Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (section 3)5-15 min
  • Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)10-20 min

TBS Education (Toulouse Business School)

Large private business school (international, in English and French)

See on the map
ManagementMasters in ManagementMBAFinanceMarketing
Nearest neighborhoods
Compans-Caffarilli / Amidonniers (secteur 2)Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (section 3)
Commute from top areas
  • Compans-Caffarilli / Amidonniers (secteur 2)5-10 min (Compans)
  • Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)5-15 min
  • Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (section 3)10-20 min

Rent analysis

Average rent by neighborhood

Indicative monthly asking levels for rooms, studios and apartments.

rent figure with a linked source editorial estimate to verify

Indicative monthly rent by neighborhood in Tolosa
Neighborhood cardsRoomStudioApartment
Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1)~470 EUR~700 EUR~950 EUR
Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2)~440 EUR~660 EUR~900 EUR
Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3)~440 EUR~650 EUR~890 EUR
Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5)~430 EUR~640 EUR~880 EUR
Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)~440 EUR~650 EUR~900 EUR
Côte Pavée / Guilheméry (secteur 11)~460 EUR~680 EUR~950 EUR
Rangueil (secteur 13)~420 EUR~620 EUR~850 EUR
Le Mirail / Reynerie (secteur 17)~380 EUR~560 EUR~780 EUR

Cheapest: Le Mirail / Reynerie (secteur 17), Rangueil (secteur 13), Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5)

Mid-range: Saint-Michel / Saint-Agne (secteur 5), Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2), Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3)

Premium: Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1), Côte Pavée / Guilheméry (secteur 11), Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2)

Safety

Safety notes

Safer neighborhoods

Côte Pavée / Guilheméry (secteur 11), Compans-Caffarilli / Amidonniers (secteur 2), Rangueil (secteur 13)

Areas to be careful with

Reynerie and Bellefontaine (Le Mirail, secteur 17): priority neighborhoods with security problems, part of Empalot and the surroundings of some stations in the evening, pickpocketing in the center (Capitole, Esquirol) and on crowded vehicles

  • Toulouse is overall a liveable and young city: serious crime is concentrated in a few priority neighborhoods (Reynerie, Bellefontaine, part of Empalot), far from the areas where the majority of students and expats live. In the rest of the city the most common risk is petty crime (pickpocketing).
  • The difference between neighborhoods is marked: the centre, the east (Côte Pavée) and the "good" university areas (Rangueil) are quiet, other areas less so. Informing yourself well about the street, building and evening commute is important.
  • In the evening the center is lively and popular; in the more peripheral or problematic areas it is better to move along lit streets and use the metro while it is in service.

Student perspective: Students: Rangueil (secteur 13) is the science/medicine campus and SUPAERO, Le Mirail (secteur 17) that of Jean Jaurès (human sciences), the center (secteur 1) and Saint-Michel (secteur 5) are close to the Capitole and the faculties. With around 130,000 students, university life is huge; the reduced shipping and the Visale guarantee help a lot.

Nightlife

Where to go out

Place Saint-Pierre (secteur 1)

student bars, nightlife on the Garonne

The busiest bar square in Toulouse, on the Garonne: the evening meeting place par excellence for students.

Carmes / Saint-Georges (secteur 1)

chic bar, cocktails, aperitifs

The elegant streets of the center with the most refined bars and cocktail bars, for aperitifs and evenings in the heart of the Ville Rose.

Saint-Aubin (secteur 3)

bistros, bohemian clubs, market

Bohemian and trendy neighborhood, with bistros and popular clubs and the famous Sunday market around the church.

Saint-Cyprien (secteur 6)

neighborhood bar, alternative scene

On the left bank, bars and clubs with an authentic and alternative spirit, the city's rising scene.

Port de la Daurade / Garonna

aperitifs on the river, summer

The banks of the Garonne, where at sunset students and young people meet for an aperitif overlooking the Pont Neuf.

Transport

Getting around Tolosa

Toulouse has modern public transport managed by Tisséo: two automatic metro lines (VAL), two tram lines, a dense bus network and Vélô Toulouse bike sharing. The city is growing quickly and the network is expanding, with the third metro line (line C) under construction. With a single season ticket (or ticket) you can travel on all means of transport.

Metro Automatic metro (VAL): 2 lines (A and B) covering the center and major hubs (Capitole, Jean Jaurès, Rangueil and Mirail campuses)Third line (line C) under construction, which will connect Blagnac airport, the aeronautical area and new neighborhoods, opening in the next few yearsTram: two lines (T1 and T2) that connect the center to the west, to the Blagnac area and to the airport
Tram / busThe Tisséo bus network is widespread and integrates metro and tram, with high service level lines (Linéo) and some night lines on weekends; the tram serves the west and the airport. Everything is covered by the Tisséo subscription.
TrainToulouse-Matabiau station is the railway hub of Occitania: TGV/Intercités to Paris (improving with the future LGV), Bordeaux in ~2h, Montpellier and the regional connections there; Toulouse-Blagnac airport is nearby, connected by the T2 tram.
Pass info Single ticket ~1.90 EURdaily and carnet availableTisséo monthly pass ~59 EUR (adults, from 1 July 2026)reduced fares for under 26s/students with the Pastel cardPastel+ (Tisséo + liO trains) ~75 EUR/month
WalkabilityExcellent in the center: the hypercenter around the Capitole, the Carmes and the Garonne is compact and largely pedestrian, pleasant to walk around; the city is flat, which helps.
Bike-friendlinessVery good: Toulouse is flat, has Vélô Toulouse bike sharing and a rapidly growing cycle network, with beautiful routes along the Canal du Midi and the Garonne; cycling is often the quickest way to get around the centre.

Transport sources Tisséo — Rete e tariffe del trasporto pubblico di TolosaSNCF — Treni, TGV e collegamenti (Parigi, Bordeaux, Montpellier)Ville de Toulouse — Vélô Toulouse e mobilità ciclabile

Cost of living

Monthly budget estimate

Reference monthly budget 750-1,150 EUR/month

single room + utilities + groceries + subscription · excluding university fees

Spending items

Food around 250-380 EUR/month (personal spending) cheap meal ~15 EUR
Transport Tisséo monthly subscription: approximately EUR 59 (adults from 1 July 2026). Reduced rates for under 26s and students with Pastel cards. Single ticket ~1.90 EUR
Utilities approximately EUR 190 for 85 m² sharing 55-90 EUR per person
Coffee / bars cappuccino approximately EUR 3.80 cheap meal around 15 EUR

Budget sources Numbeo — Costo della vita a TolosaTisséo — Abbonamenti e tariffe del trasporto pubblico di Tolosa 2026

Transparency

Tolosa data sources and updates

Check where the data comes from, which fields each source covers and when it was reviewed. One source does not automatically validate other figures.

Page reviewed

Next review by:

6 registered references

6/6 with a check date

Policy: review within 12 months. Status and date apply to the individual reference, not the whole city.

Budget and cost of living 2
Transport 3
Local rent 0

No specific source is registered yet: related figures remain indicative or under review.

Map and boundaries 1

Decision guide

Pros and cons of living in Tolosa

5 strengths

  1. Toulouse has modern public transport managed by Tisséo: two automatic metro lines (VAL), two tram lines, a dense bus network and Vélô Toulouse bike sharing. The city is growing quickly and the network is expanding, with the third metro line (line C) under construction. With a single season ticket (or ticket) you can travel on all means of transport.
  2. Université Toulouse III – Paul Sabatier, Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès, Université Toulouse Capitole: poli di studio rilevanti per la città.
  3. Students: Rangueil (secteur 13) is the science/medicine campus and SUPAERO, Le Mirail (secteur 17) that of Jean Jaurès (human sciences), the center (secteur 1) and Saint-Michel (secteur 5) are close to the Capitole and the faculties. With around 130,000 students, university life is huge; the reduced shipping and the Visale guarantee help a lot.
  4. Toulouse is among the cheapest large French cities: a room often costs EUR 380-470 and a studio flat in the center remains under EUR 800. The most accessible areas (17e/Mirail, Rangueil, Empalot) remain below average.
  5. Capitole / Carmes (secteur 1), Compans-Caffarelli / Amidonniers (secteur 2), Les Chalets / Saint-Aubin (secteur 3) sono tra le zone analizzate nella guida.

5 drawbacks

  1. Toulouse is overall a liveable and young city: serious crime is concentrated in a few priority neighborhoods (Reynerie, Bellefontaine, part of Empalot), far from the areas where the majority of students and expats live. In the rest of the city the most common risk is petty crime (pickpocketing).
  2. Transport is cheap, especially for young people: under 26s and students have reduced fares with the Pastel card on the metro, trams and Tisséo buses.
  3. Prices among the highest in the city
  4. Rent, scores and commute notes are indicative and should be verified before real decisions.

FAQ

Questions about moving to Tolosa

Is Toulouse a good city for students?

Yes, a lot: with around 130,000 students it is one of the largest university centers in France (Paul Sabatier, Jean Jaurès, Toulouse Capitole, SUPAERO, INSA, ENAC). The cost of living is among the lowest in large French cities, the climate is mild and student life intense. Transport for under 26s is cheap. It is one of the favorite destinations for students in France.

Is Toulouse a good city for workers?

Yes, especially in aerospace and high technology: it is the European capital of aeronautics and space (Airbus, ATR, Thales Alenia Space, CNES) with a huge engineering and tech industry, as well as healthcare and services. The city is growing rapidly and is among the most dynamic skilled labor markets in France, with a low cost of living.

Which neighborhoods are worth looking at?

For students: Rangueil (section 13, Paul Sabatier/SUPAERO), Le Mirail (section 17, Jean Jaurès, but evaluate the area), the center (section 1) and Saint-Michel (section 5). For those who work in the tertiary sector: Compans (secteur 2) and the centre. For families and quiet: the Côte Pavée (section 11).

Which neighborhoods are cheapest?

Sector 17 (Le Mirail) has the lowest rents, but requires attention (Reynerie/Bellefontaine are difficult neighborhoods). Rangueil, Empalot and several university areas offer affordable prices with greater liveability. In general, Toulouse remains much cheaper than Paris and Lyon.

Is public transport convenient?

Yes and improving: two automatic metro lines (VAL), two trams, buses and Vélô Toulouse bike sharing, with the third metro line (C) under construction towards the airport and the aeronautical area. The city is flat and great for cycling. Transportation is cheap, especially for students.

How much budget is needed?

For a student approximately EUR 750-1,150 per month including room, utilities, expenses and subscription; university fees (low in the public sector) are extra. Those who work most often fall between 1,400 and 2,100 EUR, depending on the area and type of accommodation.

Why do they call it “Ville Rose”?

For the color of its buildings: the historic center is built in pink terracotta bricks, which take on warm, golden tones at sunset. It is one of the most distinctive and beloved features of Toulouse, together with the Canal du Midi, the Garonne and the sunny atmosphere of the south of France.