Cost of Living Comparison Between Bordeaux and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bordeaux and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,151 per month in Bordeaux vs $2,128 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,322 per month in Bordeaux vs $3,264 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,492 per month in Bordeaux vs $4,400 in Lyon, rent included.

Bordeaux costs about 1% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bordeaux and Lyon sit above the global median – Bordeaux by 57%, Lyon by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.04 €18.16

$17.57 €15.16

19.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.7 €70.5

$70.3 €60.6

16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.43 €12.45

$14.08 €12.15

2.49%

Cappuccino

$4.07 €3.51

$4.25 €3.67

-4.24%

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

$3.09 €2.67

$2.98 €2.57

3.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.84 €1.59

-19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 €7.00

$8.09 €6.98

0.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 €5.92

$6.32 €5.46

8.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.10

$1.62 €1.40

-21.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.09 €1.80

-3.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 €2.63

$2.78 €2.40

9.71%

Eggs

$3.83 €3.30

$4.72 €4.07

-18.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.44 €12.46

$23.38 €20.18

-38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.46 €14.20

$13.72 €11.84

19.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.41 €19.33

$27.43 €23.67

-18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 €3.05

$2.44 €2.10

45.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.40 €2.07

-0.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 €3.24

$3.40 €2.94

10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 €3.87

$3.28 €2.83

36.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.02

$2.91 €2.52

-19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.59

$3.07 €2.65

-2.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.50 €1.30

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 €0.45

$1.22 €1.06

-57.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.46 €11.61

$14.55 €12.56

-7.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 €8.94

$8.93 €7.71

16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.27 €3.69

$2.92 €2.52

46.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 €3.80

$3.57 €3.08

23.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 €1.89

$2.50 €2.16

-12.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 €43.64

$87.2 €75.2

-41.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.95

$8.63 €7.45

-73.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 €1.70

$2.26 €1.95

-12.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.98 €33.63

$43.74 €37.75

-10.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.31 €1.99

-9.52%

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

$35.9K €31.0K

$35.2K €30.4K

2.03%

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

$35.3K €30.4K

$36.3K €31.3K

-2.84%

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

$273 €236

$275 €237

-0.60%

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

$15.85 €13.68

$15.34 €13.24

3.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.61 €28.14

$33.34 €28.77

-2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.70 €29.94

$43.40 €37.45

-20.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 €25.43

$29.48 €25.43

-0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 €10.66

$15.35 €13.25

-19.54%

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

$829 €715

$652 €563

27.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K €11.8K

$11.9K €10.2K

15.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €105

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.14 €40.67

$48.93 €42.22

-3.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €95.2

$130 €112

-15.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 €126

$129 €112

12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 €781

$886 €764

2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 €682

$703 €606

12.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 €1,555

$1,841 €1,588

-2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,443 €1,245

$1,302 €1,123

10.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,249 €6,255

$6,580 €5,678

10.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,790 €4,134

$4,128 €3,562

16.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,014 €2,601

$3,196 €2,758

-5.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.92

3.68

6.52%

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

Last update for Bordeaux: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $906 in Bordeaux versus $886 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 6% higher in Lyon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Bordeaux versus $70.0 in Lyon. Groceries tell a different story – $398 in Bordeaux vs $420 in Lyon – so Bordeaux wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bordeaux vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bordeaux costs about 1% more than Lyon, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,227 per month in Bordeaux and $3,192 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $829 per month in Bordeaux and $652 in Lyon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,128, than in Bordeaux at $2,151. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bordeaux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,128 versus $2,151 in Bordeaux. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bordeaux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.