Cost of Living Comparison Between Chateauroux and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Chateauroux and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,909 in Chateauroux versus $2,146 in Lyon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,907 in Chateauroux versus $3,284 in Lyon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,904 in Chateauroux versus $4,422 in Lyon.

Living in Chateauroux costs roughly 11% less than in Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chateauroux 43% above, Lyon 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 €15.21

$17.49 €15.14

0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.6 €60.2

$75.9 €65.7

-8.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 €10.20

$12.75 €11.04

-7.61%

Cappuccino

$3.83 €3.32

$3.93 €3.40

-2.54%

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

$2.51 €2.18

$2.85 €2.47

-11.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.83 €1.58

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 €7.19

$8.28 €7.17

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.26 €4.55

$6.73 €5.83

-21.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.06

$1.49 €1.29

-18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.17 €3.61

$2.55 €2.21

63.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 €3.11

$2.62 €2.27

37.40%

Eggs

$3.53 €3.05

$4.30 €3.73

-17.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.64 €19.61

$24.51 €21.22

-7.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.68 €11.85

$16.19 €14.02

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.60 €18.70

$25.97 €22.49

-16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 €2.71

$2.69 €2.33

16.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.79

$2.51 €2.17

-17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 €2.53

$3.50 €3.03

-16.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.16 €2.73

$4.02 €3.49

-21.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.49

$2.87 €2.48

-40.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.76 €2.39

-19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 €1.35

$1.49 €1.29

4.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 €0.49

$0.84 €0.72

-32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.71 €11.01

$14.15 €12.25

-10.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 €5.76

$8.25 €7.15

-19.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.05

$3.21 €2.78

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 €2.90

$3.09 €2.67

8.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 €1.72

$2.37 €2.05

-16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.41 €42.79

$83.3 €72.1

-40.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 €4.93

$5.67 €4.91

0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 €2.22

$1.90 €1.64

34.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.97 €32.02

$57.7 €49.92

-35.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.73

$1.99 €1.72

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

$38.0K €32.9K

$38.1K €33.0K

-0.43%

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

$39.7K €34.4K

$36.5K €31.6K

8.78%

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

$187 €162

$279 €241

-32.86%

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

$23.75 €20.57

$22.04 €19.09

7.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.88 €24.15

$36.96 €32.01

-24.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.62 €32.58

$44.38 €38.43

-15.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 €16.07

$23.27 €20.15

-20.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.29

$14.04 €12.16

9.33%

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

$770 €666

$737 €639

4.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,637 €7,479

$12.1K €10.5K

-28.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 €108

$111 €96.3

12.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.11 €31.27

$50.5 €43.76

-28.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 €83.0

$121 €105

-20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$185 €160

$167 €145

10.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 €659

$983 €851

-22.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 €524

$694 €601

-12.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,392 €1,206

$1,916 €1,660

-27.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 €924

$1,240 €1,074

-13.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,469 €3,004

$6,540 €5,664

-46.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,934 €2,541

$4,008 €3,471

-26.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 €2,991

$3,226 €2,794

7.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.76

-3.72%

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

Last update for Chateauroux: July 25, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $761 in Chateauroux and $983 in Lyon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chateauroux pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Chateauroux vs $76.0 in Lyon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $432 per month, with Chateauroux 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

Chateauroux vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chateauroux and Lyon differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,909 vs $2,146 including rent). Chateauroux is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Chateauroux, 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: $761 in Chateauroux versus $983 in Lyon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chateauroux runs roughly 68% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $770 in Chateauroux versus $737 in Lyon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,909 in Chateauroux versus $2,146 in Lyon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Chateauroux but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Chateauroux 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, Chateauroux 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 Chateauroux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.