Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Colmar and Lyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Colmar: $1,578 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Colmar, France
Lyon, France
Colmar
🇫🇷 France
$1,578
/mo nomad
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Colmar 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 Colmar and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,578 per month in Colmar vs $2,050 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Colmar $1,578
  • Lyon $2,050

A couple spends around $2,661 per month in Colmar vs $3,182 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Colmar $2,661
  • Lyon $3,182

A family of three spends $3,744 per month in Colmar vs $4,315 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Colmar $3,744
  • Lyon $4,315

Colmar is about 23% cheaper than Lyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Colmar and Lyon sit above the global median – Colmar by 16%, Lyon by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.46 €14.79
$16.86 €15.15
-2.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.0 €62.9
$67.5 €60.7
3.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.03 €9.91
$13.67 €12.29
-19.31%
Cappuccino
$2.66 €2.39
$4.12 €3.70
-35.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 €2.19
$2.76 €2.48
-11.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.55
$1.65 €1.49
4.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.61 €5.04
$7.60 €6.83
-26.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 €4.94
$6.08 €5.46
-9.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 €1.16
$1.57 €1.41
-17.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.71 €1.54
$1.72 €1.55
-0.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.13 €1.02
$2.45 €2.21
-53.88%
Eggs
$2.34 €2.10
$4.74 €4.26
-50.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.61 €12.23
$22.95 €20.62
-40.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.43 €6.68
$12.21 €10.97
-39.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.04 €9.92
$22.99 €20.65
-51.98%
Apples (1kg)
$1.60 €1.44
$2.41 €2.17
-33.61%
Banana (1kg)
$2.18 €1.96
$2.51 €2.25
-13.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 €1.54
$3.43 €3.08
-50.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.28 €2.05
$3.19 €2.86
-28.53%
Potato (1kg)
$1.14 €1.03
$2.50 €2.25
-54.40%
Onion (1kg)
$0.75 €0.68
$2.94 €2.64
-74.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 €0.98
$1.41 €1.27
-22.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 €0.28
$1.07 €0.96
-71.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 €12.49
$13.89 €12.48
0.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.68 €6.01
$7.77 €6.98
-14.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 €0.69
$2.66 €2.39
-71.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 €4.06
$3.25 €2.92
39.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 €1.78
$2.42 €2.17
-18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$58.8 €52.8
$82.3 €73.9
-28.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.28 €2.95
$8.39 €7.54
-60.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.03 €1.83
$2.20 €1.98
-7.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.75 €24.03
$41.20 €37.01
-35.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.88 €1.69
$2.21 €1.98
-14.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.9K
$34.4K €30.9K
-0.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K €34.0K
$37.6K €33.8K
0.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$197 €177
$268 €241
-26.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.05 €16.22
$14.01 €12.59
28.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.93 €29.58
$29.09 €26.14
13.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.02 €30.57
$36.88 €33.13
-7.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$45.24 €40.65
$28.38 €25.50
59.41%
Cinema Ticket
$14.18 €12.74
$15.33 €13.78
-7.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,092 €981
$628 €564
73.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K €14.0K
$11.2K €10.1K
39.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.1 €50.4
$108 €96.8
-47.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.33 €25.45
$43.36 €38.96
-34.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 €92.4
$122 €110
-15.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$144 €130
$127 €114
13.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 €662
$891 €800
-17.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$552 €496
$702 €631
-21.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,817 €1,633
$1,879 €1,689
-3.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 €1,263
$1,369 €1,230
2.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,096 €3,681
$6,425 €5,773
-36.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,132 €2,814
$4,317 €3,879
-27.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colmar
Lyon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,961 €1,762
$3,069 €2,757
-36.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.76
3.68
2.17%

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

Last update for Colmar: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lyon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Colmar
$552
Lyon
$702 27.1% $150
Eating Out
Colmar
$252
Lyon
$293 16.2% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colmar
$248
Lyon
$311 25.5% $63
Groceries & Markets
Colmar
$234
Lyon
$385 64.6% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Colmar
$149
Lyon
$180 20.6% $31
Getting Around
Colmar
$80
Lyon
$111 38.9% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Colmar
$62
Lyon
$68 8.3% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Colmar 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 56% higher in Lyon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Colmar versus $68 in Lyon. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Colmar vs $385 in Lyon – so Colmar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Colmar
🇫🇷 Lyon
🕒 Local time
15:01 3:01 PM
15:01 3:01 PM
Same time as Colmar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,730
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
  • Colmar Lyon 320 km
From you
  • Colmar
  • 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
Colmar vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Colmar and in Lyon compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,578 in Colmar, $2,050 in Lyon – roughly 30% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Colmar compared to Lyon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,367 per month in Colmar and $3,075 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Colmar and Lyon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Colmar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $737 there versus $891 in Lyon.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $70 in Colmar and $68 in Lyon. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Colmar or Lyon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,578 in Colmar and $2,050 in Lyon. That’s a gap of about 30%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Colmar, where all-in costs run around $1,578, than in Lyon at $2,050. In Colmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Colmar and Lyon?
It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,578 in Colmar to $2,050 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Colmar or Lyon safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Colmar and Lyon?
If budget matters most, go with Colmar. 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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