Cost of Living Comparison Between Besancon and Lohja Cost of Living Comparison Between Besancon and Lohja

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,801 in Besancon versus $1,010 in Lohja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,647 in Besancon versus $2,183 in Lohja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,494 in Besancon versus $3,355 in Lohja.

Living in Besancon is roughly 78% more expensive than in Lohja, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Besancon is 31% above, Lohja is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 €14.92

$13.75 €11.83

26.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.8 €50.6

$62.7 €53.9

-6.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 €10.15

$12.04 €10.36

-1.99%

Cappuccino

$3.18 €2.74

$4.89 €4.21

-34.97%

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

$2.46 €2.12

$3.16 €2.72

-22.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.10 €1.80

-20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.90 €5.94

$8.27 €7.11

-16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.86

$6.84 €5.89

-17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.31 €1.13

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$2.30 €1.98

-23.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 €1.92

$2.58 €2.22

-13.57%

Eggs

$4.69 €4.04

$2.82 €2.43

66.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.90 €17.98

$9.06 €7.80

130.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 €9.70

$13.70 €11.79

-17.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.00 €16.35

$17.77 €15.29

6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$2.27 €1.95

21.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 €1.96

$2.17 €1.87

5.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 €2.51

$1.15 €0.99

153.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.19

$3.98 €3.42

-36.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$1.36 €1.17

96.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 €2.17

$1.94 €1.67

29.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.30

$3.03 €2.61

-50.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$2.13 €1.83

-42.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.67 €12.62

$13.08 €11.26

12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 €8.71

$16.64 €14.32

-39.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.89 €4.21

$3.18 €2.73

53.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.38 €2.91

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.12 €38.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 €2.87

$4.58 €3.94

-27.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.20 €1.90

$1.40 €1.20

57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.53 €27.13

$68.8 €59.2

-54.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.06 €1.77

5.34%

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

$36.5K €31.4K

$37.8K €32.5K

-3.47%

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

$36.6K €31.5K

$38.0K €32.7K

-3.78%

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

$172 €148

$82.9 €71.3

107.89%

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

$15.35 €13.21

$25.39 €21.85

-39.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.23 €30.32

$23.32 €20.06

51.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.27 €32.93

$35.30 €30.37

8.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.23 €17.41

$16.96 €14.60

19.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 €9.99

$16.10 €13.86

-27.89%

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

$352 €303

$349 €300

1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,422 €6,387

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 €87.1

$99.2 €85.4

1.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.97 €35.26

$35.00 €30.12

17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 €81.1

$82.0 €70.6

14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$157 €135

-18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 €522

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 €536

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 €875

$1,151 €990

-11.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 €732

$985 €848

-13.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,899 €2,494

$1,403 €1,207

106.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,346 €2,019

$1,176 €1,012

99.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,248 €1,934

$3,473 €2,989

-35.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.51

3.13%

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

Last update for Besancon: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lohja: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Lohja pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Besancon vs $63.0 in Lohja. Groceries flip the comparison at $372 vs $357, with Lohja cheaper for home cooking.

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

Besancon vs Lohja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lohja wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Besancon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lohja the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Lohja. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Besancon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,801 per month in Besancon versus $1,010 in Lohja – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,010 in Lohja versus $1,801 in Besancon, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lohja but tight or insufficient in Besancon. The gap between the two cities makes Lohja the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Besancon and Lohja 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 Lohja gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Besancon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.