With 6,902 enrolled students and more than 20,000 civilian and military Defence personnel, Toulon offers steady rental demand, at purchase prices about half those of Cannes or Antibes. Prices, rents, neighbourhoods, budgets and yield: what you need to know before buying in Toulon from abroad.
The public indicators that matter before buying to let in Toulon, each with its source.
Toulon has 179,116 inhabitants according to the 2023 INSEE census. 53.5% of main residences are occupied by tenants and 46.7% of households consist of one person.
The rent map of the Ministry of Housing and ANIL gives an advertised rent of about €16.6 per m² including charges for a 1- or 2-room apartment in Toulon, compared with €13.2 for 3 rooms or more.
Sales recorded in DVF show the average price per m² for apartments up 2.5% between July 2025 and June 2026 compared with the previous twelve months, with 2,554 apartments sold.
Vacancy stands at 3.6% of homes according to INSEE. This overall rate includes dilapidated older homes or homes under works: a renovated, well-located property at the right rent generally lets faster.
| Indicator | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median price per m² of apartments sold | €2,606/m² (13,351 sales) | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2021 to June 2026 |
| Average price per m² over the last 12 months | 2 911 €/m² | DVF, statistics (data.gouv.fr), July 2025 to June 2026 |
| Population | 179,116 inhabitants | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Average annual population change | +0.7% per year (2017 to 2023) | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Young people aged 18 to 24 in education | 7,122, i.e. 47.4% of 18-24 year olds | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Pupils, students and trainees among 15-64 year olds | 9,7 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Main residences occupied by tenants | 53,5 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Single-person households | 46.7% of households | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| One-room main residences | 6,6 % | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Vacant homes | 3.6% of the stock | INSEE, census, 2023 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 1 or 2 rooms | €16.6/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Advertised rent, apartment of 3 rooms or more | €13.2/m² including charges | 2025 rent map (Ministry of Housing, ANIL), 3rd quarter of 2025 |
| Change in the average price per m² of apartments sold | +2.5% (July 2025 to June 2026, compared with the previous 12 months) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr), average weighted by number of sales |
| Apartment sales over 12 months | 2,554 sales (July 2025 to June 2026) | DVF, monthly statistics (data.gouv.fr) |
| Main residences rented in the old centre (6 IRIS areas) | 82.3% (53.5% for the city) | INSEE, 2023 census, IRIS Housing database (calculated by sector) |
| One- or two-room homes in the old centre | 57.7% of main residences (26.4% for the city) | INSEE, 2023 census, IRIS Housing database (calculated by sector) |
| Students at the Université de Toulon | 10,957 in 2024-2025, including 3,815 at the Toulon site | University of Toulon, 2025 activity report |
| Defence personnel in Toulon | more than 20,000 civilian and military personnel | Ministry of the Armed Forces, 5 February 2025 |
| Passengers at Toulon station | 5,243,022 in 2024 (4,733,117 in 2023) | SNCF Gares & Connexions, station footfall |
| Median rent for the urban area, local observatory | €12.9 per m² excluding charges | Var rent observatory (ADIL 83), 2025 data |
Members supported by ImmoPourExpat, who live abroad, have already bought in Toulon: their property and their figures.
Three typical properties, at the median sale price and the town’s advertised rent: enough to place your budget before you start searching.
1 room of 27 m², the median floor area of studios sold
Market benchmark: 46.7% of households in Toulon live alone, which supports demand for small units (INSEE, 2023 census).
2 rooms of 43 m², the median size of two-room apartments sold
Market benchmark: 53.5% of main residences are rented in Toulon (INSEE, 2023 census).
4 rooms or more, 77 m², the median size sold
The advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its features, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Median DVF sale prices from January 2025 to December 2025 in Toulon. Rents estimated at the advertised rent of the 2025 rent map, including charges (€16.6 per m² for 1 or 2 rooms, €13.2 for 3 rooms or more). Notary fees estimated at 8% of the price (7 to 8% for older properties according to the Notaires de France). Gross yield compares the annual rent with the purchase price, excluding fees and charges.
Toulon stretches between the harbour and Mont Faron: an old centre of small let homes, seafront neighbourhoods to the east and the arsenal to the west. The figures come from INSEE, IRIS area by IRIS area.
Between the port, Place de la Liberté and the Porte d’Italie, 82.3% of main residences are rented and 57.7% have only one or two rooms, according to INSEE. The Porte d’Italie campus of the University of Toulon welcomes 3,815 students (2024-2025). More than half of the homes date from before 1946: part of the centre is a priority neighbourhood, under renovation with the Metropolis and ANRU, and the walled town of the old ramparts is a remarkable heritage site. Aim for a renovated building and read the minutes of the general meetings.
North of the old centre, the station district (5.2 million passengers in 2024) is home to the Chalucet hub, opened in 2019: KEDGE, the École Camondo, the École supérieure d’art et de design and the CNAM train about 1,200 students there, according to the Metropolis. In the station IRIS area, 64.8% of main residences are rented and 40.7% have only one or two rooms, according to INSEE. A studio near the station also targets working professionals who work in Marseille, 41 minutes away by TGV.
East of the port, the Mourillon brings together beaches, Fort Saint-Louis and small buildings. In its four IRIS areas, 59.0% of main residences are rented, 41.3% have one or two rooms and 21.2% of households moved in less than two years ago, according to INSEE: tenants change often there. Second homes account for 9.2% of dwellings there, three times more than in the city as a whole. Buses 3 and 33 link it to the centre.
East of the centre, towards La Valette and La Garde, where the University’s main campus is located (5,866 students in 2024-2025), Saint-Jean-du-Var has 68.6% of main residences rented and 39.3% of homes with one or two rooms across its three IRIS areas, according to INSEE. Part of the neighbourhood became a priority neighbourhood in 2024, and the City is running a compulsory façade renovation campaign around Place Saint-Jean. Check the journey time to the campus before buying.
In the east of the city, Sainte-Musse hospital is the main site of the Toulon-La Seyne intercommunal hospital, with 784 beds and places, for 4,053 professionals across its three sites (2023). Homes there are larger: only 19.7% have one or two rooms, and 26.6% of main residences are social housing (HLM), according to INSEE. A well-maintained two- or three-room flat, near buses 1 and 9 or Sainte-Musse station, can target care staff. Part of the area is a priority neighbourhood.
Around the Sainte-Anne military teaching hospital, which had 1,430 military and civilian staff and 335 beds and places in 2023, the Sainte-Anne neighbourhood is residential: 45.8% of main residences there are rented and 22.3% have one or two rooms, according to INSEE. Buses 15 and 40 stop in front of the hospital. A two-room flat there targets health and Defence staff rather than students.
The Var’s leading industrial site according to the prefecture, the naval base employs 24,000 people every day, including about 15,000 sailors, and the Ministry of the Armed Forces counts more than 20,000 civilian and military personnel in Toulon. To the west, the Pont-du-Las borders the arsenal: in its three IRIS areas, 61.3% of main residences are rented and 42.6% have one or two rooms, according to INSEE. Part of the area is a priority neighbourhood under urban renovation (Pont du Las - Rodeilhac), and the City requires the façades of Avenue du XVe Corps to be renovated. Read the risk report for the address you are considering and visit the street before deciding.
INSEE figures (2023 census, IRIS Housing database), grouped by sector; DVF prices are only published at municipal level: €2,606 per m² median price for apartments from July 2021 to June 2026. The gap can be wide from one street to the next.
Students, Defence personnel, care staff: in Toulon, rental demand comes from the university, the naval base and the hospitals, and is concentrated in the old centre, where more than eight main residences in ten are rented.
The University of Toulon had 10,957 students enrolled in 2024-2025, including 3,815 at its Toulon site, and the Chalucet hub trains about 1,200. According to the Toulon area urban planning agency, dedicated residences house only 16.3% of the Metropolis’s 18,500 students.
According to the Ministry of the Armed Forces, more than 20,000 civilian and military personnel work for the Defence in Toulon, and the Toulon-La Seyne hospital employs 4,053 professionals (2023): working people looking for a home near the arsenal, the hospital or the station.
Paris is 3 h 50 and Marseille 41 minutes away by direct TGV: interns, work-study students and employees on assignment look for a furnished flat or a mobility lease there, near the station or the centre.
According to INSEE, 12.7% of households in Toulon moved in less than two years ago: plan for regular re-letting and a property that is easy to re-let.
Sources: Ministry of Higher Education, 2025-2026 enrolment atlas; University of Toulon (2025); Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis; Ministry of the Armed Forces (2025); INSEE, 2023 census; SNCF Gares & Connexions (2024). Unemployment stands at 7.1% in the Toulon employment area in the second quarter of 2026, against 8.3% in France (INSEE).
In Toulon, rent levels are not capped and tourist letting requires only a simple declaration: choose the formula according to the neighbourhood and the tenant you are targeting.
Investing in a house share from abroad →| Option | In Toulon | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Unfurnished rental | The first rent is free, then the tight-zone rule applies when re-letting. It suits three-room homes in the residential neighbourhoods, let to families on three-year leases. | For a large home |
| Furnished | 46.7% of Toulon households live alone and 82.3% of homes in the old centre are rented: furnished studios and two-room flats meet the demand of students, work-study students and working professionals, with one month’s notice. | To prioritise |
| House share | Large older apartments in the centre and the Mourillon, near the Porte d’Italie campus and Chalucet, lend themselves to it: check the co-ownership rules and the condition of the building. | Near the campuses |
| Mobility lease | From 1 to 10 months, furnished, for a tenant in higher education, on an internship, in an apprenticeship, in vocational training, in civic service, on a job transfer or on a temporary assignment. | For a few months |
| Short-term rental | Outside your main residence, prior declaration at the town hall, online on DéclaLoc, and co-ownership rules to check. | Possible, with declaration |
In Toulon, rents are not capped, but the city is in a tight housing zone and its old centre, protected and under renovation, calls for precise checks. Check the rules below before costing your project.
Toulon is in a tight housing zone and appears in the decree of 25 August 2026 on the vacancy tax. Rent levels are not capped, but for a new lease signed between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, the rent may not exceed that of the previous tenant, except for an authorised annual review, and no increase is allowed for a home rated F or G. A home that has been empty for at least a year is taxed at 17% of its rental value in the first year, 34% thereafter.
Letting a home that is not your main residence as furnished tourist accommodation requires a prior declaration at the town hall, online on DéclaLoc; failing to make one exposes you to a civil fine of up to €5,000, according to service-public.gouv.fr. Your main residence can be let for 120 days a year at most. A national online registration service is announced for the end of 2026, and the co-ownership rules must state whether furnished tourist accommodation is allowed.
In the old centre, the Metropolis has launched a new programmed operation to improve housing for urban renewal (OPAH-RU) for 2025-2030, and an urban renovation project with ANRU, signed on 12 May 2022. Before buying, check whether the building is affected by mandatory or subsidised works, and read the minutes of the general meetings.
The City requires façade renovation in campaigns, building by building, by injunction order: Les Halles district (2019-2026), Place Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean-du-Var (2020-2026), Avenue du XVe Corps in Pont-du-Las (2022-2026). The buildings concerned can receive a grant of 32% of the works cost excluding tax. Ask the managing agent whether the building is targeted.
The old centre, inside the former ramparts, is a remarkable heritage site: the architecture and heritage enhancement area created in 2014, which succeeded a protection zone from 1997, subjects all exterior works to authorisation and to the opinion of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France. Factor these requirements into the co-ownership budget.
Toulon is covered by a multi-risk natural risk prevention plan (1989, amended in 2013) and by two technological risk prevention plans, around the military pyrotechnics site and the Arènes hydrocarbon depot. Read the risk report for each property before making an offer.
Since 1 January 2025, a home rated G can no longer be let under a new lease, F-rated homes will follow in 2028 and E-rated homes in 2034, according to service-public.gouv.fr. In an older building in the centre, ask for the energy performance certificate before making an offer and cost the works.
Your rents are taxed in France, whatever your country of residence. What changes is how they are treated at home and the rate of social contributions.
BelgiumFor a property held directly and let unfurnished, Belgium exempts these rents but uses them to set your tax rate. Social contributions: 7.5% if you are affiliated to Belgian social security and not dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Belgium →
United KingdomThe United Kingdom also taxes your rents, with a credit for French income tax. The British tax authority (HMRC) includes in this credit the 7.5% solidarity levy, which is due if you are affiliated in the United Kingdom. Only the CSG and CRDS are excluded from it by the tax treaty.
Investing from the United Kingdom →
SwitzerlandSwitzerland exempts your French rents, but takes them into account for your tax rate. The 7.5% rate requires you to be covered by Swiss compulsory health insurance (LAMal) and not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme.
Investing from Switzerland →The reduced rate depends on your affiliation, not your country: without affiliation in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, or if you are dependent on a compulsory French scheme, you pay the full rate.
Tax treaties by country →Rules taken from our country pages and our tax page, for 2025 income. Your exact situation depends on your affiliation and on your country’s tax treaty.
Your rents and your capital gain are taxed in France, even if you live abroad.
On resale, the tax on the capital gain is withheld by the notary, with allowances for length of ownership from the 6th year: exemption from tax after 22 years, and from social contributions after 30 years.
Depending on your situation, our strategies and the way your purchase is structured can reduce, or even neutralise, the tax: we look at them with you from the very first call.
Taxation for the expat investor →Property tax and household waste tax apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest notice to know the amount. Toulon applies a 20% surcharge on the residence tax for second homes (2025). Sources: collectivites-locales.gouv.fr, impots.gouv.fr, notaires.fr.
Here is a simple example, for illustration purposes: a 40 m² two-room flat, at the median sale price and the average advertised rent.
| Furnished letting, micro-BIC regime | Affiliated in the EU, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom | Other cases (full rate) |
|---|---|---|
| Rents over one year | 7 968 € | 7 968 € |
| Taxable income after the 50% allowance | 3 984 € | 3 984 € |
| Income tax at the 20% minimum rate | − 797 € | − 797 € |
| Social contributions | − 299 € (7,5 %) | − 741 € (18,6 %) |
| Left after tax | 6 872 € | 6 430 € |
| Yield after tax | ≈ 6,6 % | ≈ 6,2 % |
Assumptions: furnished letting under the micro-BIC regime, 50% allowance, 20% minimum rate for non-residents (2025 income), rents received counted in full. The 7.5% rate also requires you not to be dependent on any compulsory French scheme: a retired person who receives only a French pension pays the full rate. Charges, property tax, notary fees and loan interest are not deducted: under the actual regime (régime réel), the tax can be significantly lower.
An advertised rentThe rent from the map is an advertised rent including charges, so it is higher than the rent excluding charges that you will receive.
The rent at your addressThe advertised rent is an average for the town: depending on the neighbourhood, the condition of the property and its size, the rent you obtain may be higher or lower.
Costs and chargesNotary fees, renovation works, property tax, insurance and management then reduce the net yield.
This calculation helps compare cities or properties; it does not guarantee any result.
Do you live abroad and are you looking at Toulon? In 45 minutes, we tell you what is feasible with your budget, your down payment and your country of residence.
Book a call →Toulon is 3 h 50 from Paris by direct TGV and 41 minutes from Marseille, according to the SNCF timetable. Toulon-Hyères airport serves Paris-Orly all year round; for international flights, Marseille Provence airport lists 95 destinations with direct flights.
7 direct TGVs on Tuesday 17 November 2026, including 2 OUIGO, from Toulon to Paris Gare de Lyon.
41 direct trains on Tuesday 17 November 2026, including 34 TER and 7 TGV, to Marseille Saint-Charles.
3 direct TGVs a day to Lyon Part-Dieu, from where 10 direct TER trains a day reach Geneva in 2 h 02.
Paris-Orly all year round with Transavia, Brest from April; London City, Luxembourg, Rotterdam, Lille and Nantes in season, according to the airport. Line 102 of the Réseau Mistral from the station.
41 minutes by train to Marseille Saint-Charles, then 30 to 50 minutes by shuttle bus A1: London, Brussels, Luxembourg, Zurich, Montreal, Casablanca…
To La Seyne, Les Sablettes and Saint-Mandrier: the leading water bus network in France, with nearly 3 million journeys a year, according to the Metropolis.
Timetables checked on 11 November 2026 in the official SNCF timetable (Tuesday 17 November 2026, a weekday without engineering works) and on the airport websites; they vary from day to day. Geneva has no direct train from Toulon.
No, Toulon does not apply rent-level capping, which covers nine territories including Lille and Bordeaux according to Service Public. The city is, however, in a tight housing zone: for a lease signed between 1 August 2026 and 31 July 2027, the rent of a home that is re-let may not exceed that of the previous tenant, except for an authorised annual review, and no increase is allowed for a home rated F or G.
Yes, under conditions. If the home is not your main residence, declare it at the town hall before the first letting, online on DéclaLoc: failing to declare exposes you to a civil fine of up to €5,000, according to Service Public. Collect and pay over the tourist tax to the Metropolis, or let the platform do so, and check that the co-ownership rules allow furnished tourist accommodation. A national online registration service is announced for the end of 2026.
Students are spread across three hubs: the Porte d’Italie campus of the University of Toulon, east of the old centre (3,815 students in 2024-2025), the Chalucet hub near the station (about 1,200 students) and the La Garde campus (5,866 students), in the neighbouring municipality. The old centre and the station district, rich in small homes, are closest to the first two; for La Garde, check the bus journey time.
Yes. Toulon appears in the annex to the decree of 25 August 2026, which sets the municipalities where the tax on vacant homes applies from 2027. A home that has been empty for at least a year on 1 January is taxed at 17% of its cadastral rental value in the first year, then at 34%, according to Service Public. A home occupied for more than 90 consecutive days is not affected: management that re-lets quickly also protects your tax position.
Entrust the property to a property management agency based in the city. It selects the tenant, collects the rent, follows minor works and alerts you to co-ownership general meetings. For the purchase, a notarial power of attorney saves you from travelling. Plan a cash reserve for works on the common parts, which are frequent in the old buildings of the centre.
Yes. The old centre, inside the former ramparts, is covered by an architecture and heritage enhancement area created in 2014, which became a remarkable heritage site. All exterior works there require authorisation and the opinion of the Architecte des Bâtiments de France.
Only if the building is within a City campaign perimeter and has received an injunction order: Les Halles district, Place Saint-Jean and Avenue du XVe Corps for the campaigns running until 2026. These buildings can receive a grant of 32% of the works cost excluding tax.
According to sales recorded in DVF from January 2025 to December 2025, a studio sold for a median price of €85,000, a two-room apartment for a median price of €123,925 and a large home for a median price of €195,000. Allow about 8% notary fees on top for older properties, and a works budget if the energy rating is poor.
In 2026, the municipal property tax rate is 39.39%, plus 5.00% for the intermunicipality. These rates apply to half the cadastral rental value of the home: ask the seller for their latest property tax notice to know the amount.
For a 40 m² furnished two-room apartment bought for €104,240 and let for €664 a month, about 6.6% of the price remains after tax if you are covered by a scheme in the European Union, the EEA, Switzerland or the United Kingdom without depending on a mandatory French scheme, and 6.2% otherwise, under the micro-BIC regime and at the minimum rate of 20%. Charges, property tax and purchase costs are not deducted.
The capital gain is taxed in France at 19%, plus social contributions, and the notary withholds this tax at the time of sale, with an exemption from tax after 22 years and from social contributions after 30 years of ownership.
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