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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $1,999 in Ajaccio, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $3,048 in Ajaccio, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $4,097 in Ajaccio, rent included.

Lyon costs about 8% more than Ajaccio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lyon and Ajaccio sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Ajaccio by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.04

$29.29 €25.22

-40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$73.4 €63.2

3.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.78

$14.40 €12.40

-13.06%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$3.23 €2.78

24.46%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$4.12 €3.55

-31.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.77 €1.52

3.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.86

$7.61 €6.55

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.92 €5.09

20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$2.07 €1.78

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.28

$1.74 €1.50

51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$2.57 €2.21

3.50%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$4.00 €3.45

8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.55

$19.14 €16.49

30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.69

$13.75 €11.84

15.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.44

$21.15 €18.21

23.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$3.04 €2.61

-11.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.93 €2.53

-11.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.93 €2.52

17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.69 €3.17

5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.14 €1.85

33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.47 €2.13

13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.52 €1.31

-5.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.70 €0.61

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.14

$10.62 €9.15

32.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.35

$8.57 €7.38

-0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.71 €2.34

18.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.67

$3.36 €2.90

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$1.99 €1.71

18.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.6

$48.14 €41.45

75.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$4.60 €3.96

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.80 €1.55

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.4

$35.36 €30.44

65.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.24 €1.93

-6.25%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$37.1K €31.9K

0.30%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$37.1K €31.9K

1.97%

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

$283 €243

$216 €186

30.96%

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

$22.15 €19.08

$23.06 €19.86

-3.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.18

$32.63 €28.10

14.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.90

$34.52 €29.73

27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.92

$18.62 €16.03

24.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.94

$9.01 €7.76

53.94%

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

$730 €628

$768 €661

-4.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,621 €7,423

37.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.6

$105 €90.2

4.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.52

$38.80 €33.41

30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$91.3 €78.6

35.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$142 €122

18.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €847

$762 €657

29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €614

$658 €567

8.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,644

$1,224 €1,054

55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,069

$1,071 €922

15.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,781

$4,217 €3,631

59.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,521

$3,148 €2,711

29.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,827

$3,201 €2,757

2.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.63

3.58%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ajaccio: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $762 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 3% higher in Lyon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lyon versus $73.0 in Ajaccio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $380 – making Ajaccio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 8% more than Ajaccio, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,244 per month in Lyon and $2,998 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 75% less in Ajaccio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $730 per month in Lyon and $768 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 $1,999, than in Lyon at $2,163. 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 $1,999 versus $2,163 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.