Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Ajaccio Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Ajaccio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,140 per month in Lyon vs $1,967 in Ajaccio, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $3,036 in Ajaccio, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,527 per month in Lyon vs $4,106 in Ajaccio, rent included.

Lyon costs about 9% more than Ajaccio, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lyon and Ajaccio sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Ajaccio by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €14.89

$17.67 €15.23

-2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 €61.0

$73.7 €63.5

-3.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.71 €11.82

$13.15 €11.34

4.26%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.73

$3.92 €3.38

10.20%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$3.25 €2.80

-12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.91 €1.65

-3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 €6.88

$9.42 €8.12

-15.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 €5.44

$5.76 €4.97

9.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$2.05 €1.77

-24.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.03 €1.75

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 €2.35

$2.65 €2.28

2.64%

Eggs

$4.95 €4.27

$4.35 €3.75

13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.30 €20.09

$20.29 €17.49

14.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 €12.20

$13.52 €11.65

4.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.12 €24.24

$22.83 €19.68

23.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$3.29 €2.84

-27.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.93 €2.53

-15.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 €2.93

$2.98 €2.56

13.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 €2.89

$3.41 €2.94

-1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$1.99 €1.71

39.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$2.54 €2.19

20.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.52 €1.31

-4.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.75 €0.65

64.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 €12.68

$13.17 €11.35

11.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 €7.78

$8.77 €7.56

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.50

$2.86 €2.46

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 €3.14

$3.74 €3.23

-2.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.01 €1.73

20.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 €73.7

$54.6 €47.10

56.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 €7.41

$4.17 €3.60

106.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.17 €1.87

7.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.98 €37.91

$31.71 €27.34

38.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.23 €1.93

4.48%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$36.3K €31.3K

0.30%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$40.0K €34.5K

-9.58%

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

$270 €233

$219 €188

23.75%

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

$15.20 €13.10

$16.60 €14.31

-8.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.31 €28.71

$33.02 €28.46

0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.40 €38.27

$37.00 €31.89

20.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 €25.03

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 €12.78

$14.08 €12.13

5.26%

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

$663 €571

$705 €608

-5.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$10.9K €9,414

9.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €103

$147 €127

-18.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 €43.10

$44.74 €38.56

11.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €108

$150 €129

-15.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$149 €129

-11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 €778

$748 €645

20.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 €604

$638 €550

9.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 €1,582

$1,212 €1,045

51.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 €1,139

$1,148 €990

15.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,584 €5,676

$4,095 €3,530

60.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 €3,502

$3,218 €2,774

26.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,177 €2,739

$3,190 €2,750

-0.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.79

-2.90%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ajaccio: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Lyon versus $748 in Ajaccio. 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 0% higher in Ajaccio, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Lyon versus $74.0 in Ajaccio. Groceries tell a different story – $424 in Lyon vs $394 in Ajaccio – so Ajaccio wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ajaccio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 9% more than Ajaccio, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,210 per month in Lyon and $2,950 in Ajaccio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ajaccio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Ajaccio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $663 per month in Lyon and $705 in Ajaccio. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ajaccio, where all-in costs run around $1,967, than in Lyon at $2,140. In Ajaccio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ajaccio costs $1,967 versus $2,140 in Lyon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ajaccio. 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.