Cost of Living Comparison Between Caen and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Caen and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Caen versus $2,128 in Lyon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,647 in Caen versus $3,264 in Lyon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,560 in Caen versus $4,400 in Lyon.

Living in Caen costs roughly 19% less than in Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Caen 26% above, Lyon 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 €15.09

$17.57 €15.12

-0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.2 €50.1

$70.3 €60.5

-17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.89 €11.95

$14.08 €12.11

-1.35%

Cappuccino

$3.06 €2.63

$4.25 €3.66

-28.00%

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

$3.32 €2.85

$2.98 €2.56

11.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.84 €1.59

17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.91 €7.66

$8.09 €6.96

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.68 €4.89

$6.32 €5.44

-10.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.62 €1.39

-13.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.50

$2.09 €1.80

-16.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.78 €2.39

-26.26%

Eggs

$4.08 €3.51

$4.72 €4.06

-13.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 €9.01

$23.38 €20.12

-55.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.31 €9.73

$13.72 €11.80

-17.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.36 €14.08

$27.43 €23.60

-40.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.79

$2.44 €2.10

32.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$2.40 €2.06

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$3.40 €2.93

-55.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.38 €3.77

$3.28 €2.82

33.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$2.91 €2.51

-35.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 €1.72

$3.07 €2.64

-34.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.50 €1.30

8.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 €0.13

$1.22 €1.05

-87.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.56 €11.67

$14.55 €12.52

-6.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 €5.12

$8.93 €7.69

-33.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.27

$2.92 €2.51

-49.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$3.57 €3.08

-53.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.83 €1.58

$2.50 €2.15

-26.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 €44.85

$87.2 €75.0

-40.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 €2.00

$8.63 €7.43

-73.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 €1.04

$2.26 €1.95

-46.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 €29.34

$43.74 €37.64

-22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 €1.84

$2.31 €1.99

-7.36%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$35.2K €30.3K

3.29%

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

$33.3K €28.6K

$36.3K €31.2K

-8.37%

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

$140 €121

$275 €236

-48.88%

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

$15.58 €13.41

$15.34 €13.20

1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.26 €28.62

$33.34 €28.69

-0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.14 €28.51

$43.40 €37.35

-23.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.34 €20.09

$29.48 €25.36

-20.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 €8.94

$15.35 €13.21

-32.31%

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

$928 €799

$652 €561

42.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €96.3

$121 €104

-7.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 €35.25

$48.93 €42.10

-16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €88.7

$130 €112

-20.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 €131

$129 €111

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 €654

$886 €762

-14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 €542

$703 €605

-10.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,605 €1,381

$1,841 €1,584

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 €934

$1,302 €1,120

-16.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,655 €4,006

$6,580 €5,662

-29.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,652 €2,282

$4,128 €3,553

-35.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,442 €2,101

$3,196 €2,750

-23.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

3.68

2.99%

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

Last update for Caen: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Caen and $886 in Lyon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lyon pays 31% 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: $58.0 in Caen vs $70.0 in Lyon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $420 per month, with Caen 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

Caen vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caen and Lyon differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,734 vs $2,128 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Lyon. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Caen versus $886 in Lyon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Caen runs roughly 67% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $928 in Caen versus $652 in Lyon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,734 in Caen versus $2,128 in Lyon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Caen 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, Caen 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 Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.