Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Belfort and Lyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Belfort: $1,885 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $2,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Belfort, France
Lyon, France
Belfort
🇫🇷 France
$1,885
/mo nomad
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Belfort and in Lyon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Belfort and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,885 per month in Belfort vs $2,050 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Belfort $1,885
  • Lyon $2,050

A couple spends around $2,891 per month in Belfort vs $3,182 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Belfort $2,891
  • Lyon $3,182

A family of three spends $3,897 per month in Belfort vs $4,315 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Belfort $3,897
  • Lyon $4,315

Belfort is about 8% cheaper than Lyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Belfort and Lyon sit above the global median – Belfort by 38%, Lyon by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 €15.25
$16.86 €15.15
0.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.7 €60.8
$67.5 €60.7
0.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.63 €12.24
$13.67 €12.29
-0.29%
Cappuccino
$4.13 €3.71
$4.12 €3.70
0.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 €2.37
$2.76 €2.48
-4.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$1.65 €1.49
5.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 €6.98
$7.60 €6.83
2.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.69 €5.12
$6.08 €5.46
-6.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.78 €0.70
$1.57 €1.41
-50.32%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 €1.03
$1.72 €1.55
-33.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 €1.48
$2.45 €2.21
-33.06%
Eggs
$4.80 €4.31
$4.74 €4.26
1.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.87 €20.55
$22.95 €20.62
-0.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.54 €11.27
$12.21 €10.97
2.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.64 €21.24
$22.99 €20.65
2.83%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 €2.17
$2.41 €2.17
-
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 €2.20
$2.51 €2.25
-2.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.53 €3.17
$3.43 €3.08
2.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.15 €2.83
$3.19 €2.86
-1.25%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 €2.26
$2.50 €2.25
0.40%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 €2.06
$2.94 €2.64
-22.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.41 €1.27
-3.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.89 €0.80
$1.07 €0.96
-16.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.38 €12.02
$13.89 €12.48
-3.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.96 €7.16
$7.77 €6.98
2.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$2.66 €2.39
-50.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 €0.98
$3.25 €2.92
-66.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.95 €1.75
$2.42 €2.17
-19.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.91 €43.95
$82.3 €73.9
-40.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.96 €7.15
$8.39 €7.54
-5.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.22 €2.00
$2.20 €1.98
0.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$42.13 €37.85
$41.20 €37.01
2.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 €2.07
$2.21 €1.98
4.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K €31.6K
$34.4K €30.9K
2.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K €33.5K
$37.6K €33.8K
-0.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$264 €238
$268 €241
-1.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.10 €12.67
$14.01 €12.59
0.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.22 €26.25
$29.09 €26.14
0.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.71 €20.41
$36.88 €33.13
-38.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.38 €25.50
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.38 €13.82
$15.33 €13.78
0.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$622 €559
$628 €564
-0.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.7K €10.5K
$11.2K €10.1K
4.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €97.3
$108 €96.8
0.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.58 €39.16
$43.36 €38.96
0.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 €112
$122 €110
2.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €112
$127 €114
-2.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$765 €687
$891 €800
-14.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$617 €554
$702 €631
-12.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,433 €1,287
$1,879 €1,689
-23.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,134 €1,019
$1,369 €1,230
-17.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,137 €3,717
$6,425 €5,773
-35.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,029 €2,722
$4,317 €3,879
-29.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Belfort
Lyon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,098 €1,885
$3,069 €2,757
-31.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.68
3.68
-

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

Last update for Belfort: October 24, 2026

Last update for Lyon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Belfort
$617
Lyon
$702 13.9% $86
Groceries & Markets
Belfort
$357
Lyon
$385 7.8% $28
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Belfort
$308
Lyon
$311 1% $3.2
Eating Out
Belfort
$294
Lyon
$293 0.2% $0.7
Clothing & Footwear
Belfort
$180
Lyon
$180 0.2% $0.4
Getting Around
Belfort
$76
Lyon
$111 46.9% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Belfort
$53
Lyon
$68 26.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $765 in Belfort versus $891 in Lyon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 46% higher in Lyon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Belfort versus $68 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $385 – making Belfort the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Belfort
🇫🇷 Lyon
🕒 Local time
11:06 11:06 AM
11:06 11:06 AM
Same time as Belfort
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
45,155
522,250
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Belfort Lyon 260 km
From you
  • Belfort
  • Lyon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Belfort vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Belfort or Lyon?
Lyon costs about 9% more than Belfort, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Belfort and in Lyon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,827 per month in Belfort and $3,075 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Belfort or Lyon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Belfort, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $765 there versus $891 in Lyon.
How much does it cost to live in Belfort compared to Lyon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,885 in Belfort and $2,050 in Lyon. That’s a gap of about 9%.
How do childcare costs compare in Belfort and in Lyon?
Kindergarten costs $622 per month in Belfort and $628 in Lyon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Belfort or Lyon?
It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,885 in Belfort to $2,050 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Belfort compared to Lyon?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Belfort or to Lyon?
If budget matters most, go with Belfort. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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