Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Aix-en-Provence Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Aix-en-Provence

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,155 in Lyon versus $2,068 in Aix-en-Provence.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,306 in Lyon versus $3,196 in Aix-en-Provence.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,456 in Lyon versus $4,325 in Aix-en-Provence.

Living in Lyon is roughly 4% more expensive than in Aix-en-Provence, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lyon 61% above, Aix-en-Provence 55% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.08

$17.42 €15.24

-1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €65.7

$58.8 €51.5

27.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 €11.17

$12.92 €11.30

-1.16%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.38

$3.47 €3.03

11.24%

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

$2.98 €2.61

$2.63 €2.30

13.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.72 €1.50

3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €6.93

$6.79 €5.94

16.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.12

$6.82 €5.96

2.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.31 €1.15

16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.62 €1.41

57.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.44 €2.14

4.92%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.68

$4.42 €3.86

-4.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.28 €21.25

$19.95 €17.45

21.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.81

$11.87 €10.39

32.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.54 €22.35

$17.41 €15.23

46.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.37

$2.16 €1.89

25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.11 €1.84

21.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.16

$2.68 €2.34

35.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.42

$2.47 €2.16

58.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.44

$1.70 €1.49

64.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$2.27 €1.99

25.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.25

$1.48 €1.29

-4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.76 €0.67

11.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.22

$12.61 €11.04

10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.10

$8.46 €7.40

-4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.70

$3.58 €3.13

-13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$2.74 €2.40

18.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.52 €1.33

55.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €72.9

$34.80 €30.45

139.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.92

$2.95 €2.58

90.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.74 €1.52

8.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 €50.8

$33.99 €29.74

70.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.75

$1.98 €1.74

1.52%

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

$37.7K €32.9K

$32.5K €28.5K

15.77%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$39.3K €34.4K

-3.66%

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

$285 €249

$213 €187

33.57%

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

$22.33 €19.54

$26.95 €23.58

-17.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.28 €32.62

$37.56 €32.86

-0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.26 €38.72

$40.87 €35.76

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.98 €20.10

$17.58 €15.38

30.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €12.20

$15.49 €13.55

-10.01%

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

$739 €646

$1,092 €955

-32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.6K

$13.6K €11.9K

-10.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.8

$133 €117

-17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 €44.50

$63.4 €55.5

-19.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €105

$103 €89.9

16.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €144

$140 €122

17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 €838

$1,135 €993

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 €603

$862 €754

-20.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,723

$2,085 €1,824

-5.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,070

$1,657 €1,450

-26.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,652 €5,820

$7,637 €6,681

-12.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,985 €3,486

$4,798 €4,198

-16.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,781

$3,544 €3,100

-10.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.5

7.43%

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

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aix-en-Provence: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $958 in Lyon and $1,135 in Aix-en-Provence. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aix-en-Provence pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Lyon vs $59.0 in Aix-en-Provence for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $340 per month, with Aix-en-Provence 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

Lyon vs Aix-en-Provence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aix-en-Provence is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Aix-en-Provence. 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: $958 in Lyon versus $1,135 in Aix-en-Provence. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,155 per month in Lyon versus $2,068 in Aix-en-Provence – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Aix-en-Provence runs roughly 139% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,068 in Aix-en-Provence versus $2,155 in Lyon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Aix-en-Provence but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Aix-en-Provence the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Aix-en-Provence is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lyon, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lyon and Aix-en-Provence 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 Aix-en-Provence gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.