Cost of Living Comparison Between Aix-en-Provence and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Aix-en-Provence and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,256 in Aix-en-Provence versus $2,128 in Lyon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,576 in Aix-en-Provence versus $3,264 in Lyon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,895 in Aix-en-Provence versus $4,400 in Lyon.

Living in Aix-en-Provence is roughly 6% more expensive than in Lyon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aix-en-Provence 64% above, Lyon 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.76 €17.91

$17.57 €15.16

18.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 €70.4

$70.3 €60.6

16.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 €12.10

$14.08 €12.15

-0.43%

Cappuccino

$3.76 €3.25

$4.25 €3.67

-11.53%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 €3.33

$2.98 €2.57

29.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.10

$1.84 €1.59

32.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 €7.06

$8.09 €6.98

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.88

$6.32 €5.46

7.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.18

$1.62 €1.40

-16.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.09 €1.80

8.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 €2.41

$2.78 €2.40

0.36%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.25

$4.72 €4.07

4.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.04 €19.02

$23.38 €20.18

-5.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.65 €15.23

$13.72 €11.84

28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.80 €20.53

$27.43 €23.67

-13.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 €2.22

$2.44 €2.10

5.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 €1.69

$2.40 €2.07

-18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 €2.26

$3.40 €2.94

-22.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 €3.51

$3.28 €2.83

23.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 €1.47

$2.91 €2.52

-41.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 €2.28

$3.07 €2.65

-14.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 €1.52

$1.50 €1.30

17.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 €0.74

$1.22 €1.06

-29.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.92 €11.15

$14.55 €12.56

-11.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.07 €7.83

$8.93 €7.71

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.70 €3.19

$2.92 €2.52

26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 €3.55

$3.57 €3.08

15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.50 €2.16

-38.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.94 €30.15

$87.2 €75.2

-59.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 €2.55

$8.63 €7.45

-65.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 €2.12

$2.26 €1.95

8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 €25.90

$43.74 €37.75

-31.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 €1.82

$2.31 €1.99

-8.66%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.8K €30.9K

$35.2K €30.4K

1.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.4K €31.4K

$36.3K €31.3K

0.29%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$190 €164

$275 €237

-30.95%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.12 €14.78

$15.34 €13.24

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.18 €30.36

$33.34 €28.77

5.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.28 €33.03

$43.40 €37.45

-11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.41 €18.47

$29.48 €25.43

-27.37%

Cinema Ticket

$17.08 €14.74

$15.35 €13.25

11.27%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,066 €920

$652 €563

63.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K €13.9K

$11.9K €10.2K

36.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €97.9

$121 €105

-6.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$75.2 €64.9

$48.93 €42.22

53.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 €94.1

$130 €112

-16.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 €148

$129 €112

32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 €1,120

$886 €764

46.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 €790

$703 €606

30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 €1,947

$1,841 €1,588

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 €1,582

$1,302 €1,123

40.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,841 €6,766

$6,580 €5,678

19.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,796 €4,139

$4,128 €3,562

16.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,533 €3,049

$3,196 €2,758

10.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

3.68

5.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aix-en-Provence: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,298 in Aix-en-Provence and $886 in Lyon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aix-en-Provence pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $82.0 in Aix-en-Provence vs $70.0 in Lyon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 vs $420 per month, with Lyon cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Aix-en-Provence vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 11% higher in Aix-en-Provence, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,298 in Aix-en-Provence versus $886 in Lyon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,256 per month in Aix-en-Provence versus $2,128 in Lyon – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lyon runs roughly 150% less than in Aix-en-Provence. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,128 in Lyon versus $2,256 in Aix-en-Provence, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lyon but tight or insufficient in Aix-en-Provence. The gap between the two cities makes Lyon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lyon is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Aix-en-Provence, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Aix-en-Provence and Lyon are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lyon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Aix-en-Provence. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.