Cost of Living Comparison Between Le Mans and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Le Mans and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,683 in Le Mans versus $2,155 in Lyon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,714 in Le Mans versus $3,306 in Lyon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,744 in Le Mans versus $4,456 in Lyon.

Living in Le Mans costs roughly 22% less than in Lyon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Le Mans 26% above, Lyon 61% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.15 €15.00

$17.24 €15.08

-0.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.9 €50.6

$75.1 €65.7

-22.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 €10.05

$12.77 €11.17

-10.02%

Cappuccino

$4.10 €3.59

$3.86 €3.38

6.22%

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

$2.24 €1.96

$2.98 €2.61

-24.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.78 €1.56

-36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 €6.96

$7.92 €6.93

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 €6.94

$7.00 €6.12

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 €0.89

$1.53 €1.34

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 €1.36

$2.55 €2.23

-39.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 €2.56

$2.56 €2.24

14.45%

Eggs

$3.30 €2.89

$4.21 €3.68

-21.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.00 €22.75

$24.28 €21.25

7.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 €12.26

$15.78 €13.81

-11.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 €17.11

$25.54 €22.35

-23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.09

$2.71 €2.37

30.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.10

$2.56 €2.24

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.42 €2.99

$3.62 €3.16

-5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.76 €3.29

$3.91 €3.42

-3.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 €2.37

$2.79 €2.44

-2.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 €2.64

$2.85 €2.49

5.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.42 €1.25

8.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.76

$0.85 €0.74

2.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.43 €12.63

$13.96 €12.22

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 €7.82

$8.12 €7.10

10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.98

$3.09 €2.70

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 €2.04

$3.24 €2.84

-28.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.37 €2.07

-25.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 €35.40

$83.3 €72.9

-51.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 €3.99

$5.62 €4.92

-18.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.89 €1.65

-10.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.3 €48.38

$58.0 €50.8

-4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.81

$2.01 €1.75

2.99%

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

$35.4K €30.9K

$37.7K €32.9K

-6.10%

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

$37.0K €32.3K

$37.9K €33.2K

-2.44%

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

$176 €154

$285 €249

-38.37%

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

$16.83 €14.73

$22.33 €19.54

-24.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 €28.18

$37.28 €32.62

-13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.57 €30.25

$44.26 €38.72

-21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.19 €15.92

$22.98 €20.10

-20.84%

Cinema Ticket

$11.39 €9.97

$13.94 €12.20

-18.29%

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

$392 €343

$739 €646

-46.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,512 €7,447

$12.1K €10.6K

-29.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €102

$110 €95.8

6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.45 €40.64

$50.9 €44.50

-8.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 €101

$120 €105

-3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €119

$164 €144

-17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 €507

$958 €838

-39.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 €420

$689 €603

-30.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,044 €913

$1,969 €1,723

-46.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$967 €846

$1,223 €1,070

-20.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,843 €2,488

$6,652 €5,820

-57.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,890 €1,654

$3,985 €3,486

-52.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,064 €2,681

$3,179 €2,781

-3.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.76

-5.59%

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

Last update for Le Mans: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Le Mans and $958 in Lyon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lyon pays 4% 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 Le Mans vs $75.0 in Lyon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $427 per month, with Le Mans 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

Le Mans vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Le Mans and Lyon differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,683 vs $2,155 including rent). Le Mans is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% 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: $579 in Le Mans versus $958 in Lyon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Le Mans runs roughly 106% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $392 in Le Mans versus $739 in Lyon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,683 in Le Mans versus $2,155 in Lyon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Le Mans but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Le Mans 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, Le Mans 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 Le Mans gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.