Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Bordeaux

For one person, living costs are similar in Lyon and in Bordeaux: $2,025 and $2,079 a month, rent and utilities included.

Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,025
/mo nomad
Bordeaux
🇫🇷 France
$2,079
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lyon and in Bordeaux

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lyon and in Bordeaux actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,025 per month in Lyon vs $2,079 in Bordeaux, rent included.

  • Lyon $2,025
  • Bordeaux $2,079

A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Lyon vs $3,202 in Bordeaux, rent included.

  • Lyon $3,130
  • Bordeaux $3,202

A family of three spends $4,236 per month in Lyon vs $4,324 in Bordeaux, rent included.

  • Lyon $4,236
  • Bordeaux $4,324

Lyon is about 3% cheaper than Bordeaux, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lyon and Bordeaux sit above the global median – Lyon by 50%, Bordeaux by 54%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.87 €15.00
$20.47 €18.21
-17.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.0 €59.6
$78.8 €70.1
-15.01%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.32 €11.85
$14.15 €12.59
-5.87%
Cappuccino
$4.11 €3.66
$4.02 €3.57
2.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 €2.55
$2.89 €2.57
-0.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 €1.54
$1.44 €1.28
20.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.00 €7.12
$7.75 €6.90
3.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.31 €5.61
$6.75 €6.00
-6.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 €1.34
$1.18 €1.05
27.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.53
$1.93 €1.72
-10.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 €2.21
$3.06 €2.72
-18.63%
Eggs
$4.63 €4.12
$3.48 €3.09
33.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.54 €20.05
$13.91 €12.37
62.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.38 €11.01
$16.27 €14.47
-23.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$23.55 €20.95
$20.22 €17.99
16.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.40 €2.13
$3.23 €2.87
-25.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.41 €2.14
$2.17 €1.93
11.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.54 €3.15
$3.51 €3.12
0.85%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 €2.73
$4.42 €3.93
-30.54%
Potato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.26
$2.27 €2.02
11.89%
Onion (1kg)
$3.08 €2.74
$2.90 €2.58
6.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.20
$1.32 €1.17
2.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 €0.94
$0.56 €0.50
89.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.90 €12.36
$13.10 €11.65
6.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.04 €7.15
$9.94 €8.84
-19.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.75 €2.45
$4.05 €3.60
-32.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 €2.95
$4.15 €3.69
-20.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 €2.03
$2.18 €1.94
5.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.6 €74.4
$47.01 €41.81
77.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$7.92 €7.04
$2.29 €2.04
245.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.82 €1.62
19.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.68 €37.08
$37.26 €33.14
11.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.23 €1.99
$2.11 €1.88
5.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K €31.0K
$34.7K €30.9K
0.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.9K €31.0K
$34.9K €31.0K
-0.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$270 €240
$257 €229
4.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.35 €12.76
$15.66 €13.93
-8.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.64 €25.48
$30.64 €27.26
-6.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.31 €34.96
$33.36 €29.67
17.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.36 €24.34
$28.15 €25.04
-2.81%
Cinema Ticket
$14.64 €13.02
$11.73 €10.44
24.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$619 €550
$801 €713
-22.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K €10.0K
$13.6K €12.1K
-17.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109 €96.8
$120 €106
-9.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.48 €38.67
$45.31 €40.30
-4.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 €109
$107 €95.4
14.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$144 €128
-13.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$886 €788
$913 €812
-3.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 €598
$761 €677
-11.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,804 €1,604
$1,747 €1,554
3.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,285 €1,143
$1,381 €1,228
-6.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,364 €5,661
$6,806 €6,054
-6.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,953 €3,516
$4,667 €4,151
-15.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lyon
Bordeaux
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,062 €2,723
$2,893 €2,573
5.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.68
3.92
-6.12%

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

Last update for Lyon: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bordeaux: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$672
Bordeaux
$761 13.2% $89
Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$385
Bordeaux
$379 1.5% $5.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$313
Bordeaux
$304 3% $9.3
Eating Out
Lyon
$295
Bordeaux
$324 9.7% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$180
Bordeaux
$188 4.3% $7.7
Getting Around
Lyon
$112
Bordeaux
$67 39.8% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$69
Bordeaux
$57 17.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $913 in Bordeaux. 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 6% higher in Lyon, 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 $67.0 in Lyon versus $79.0 in Bordeaux. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Lyon vs $379 in Bordeaux – so Bordeaux wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Lyon
🇫🇷 Bordeaux
🕒 Local time
07:01 7:01 AM
07:01 7:01 AM
Same time as Lyon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
522,250
261,804
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lyon Bordeaux 440 km
From you
  • Lyon
  • Bordeaux

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
Lyon vs Bordeaux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lyon or Bordeaux?
Bordeaux costs about 3% more than Lyon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lyon and in Bordeaux?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,038 per month in Lyon and $3,119 in Bordeaux. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lyon or Bordeaux?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Lyon compared to Bordeaux?
Public transport costs about 78% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Lyon and in Bordeaux?
Kindergarten costs $619 per month in Lyon and $801 in Bordeaux. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Lyon or in Bordeaux?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,025, than in Bordeaux at $2,079. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bordeaux it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lyon or Bordeaux?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,025 versus $2,079 in Bordeaux. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Lyon compared to Bordeaux?
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.
Should I move to Lyon or to Bordeaux?
If budget matters most, go with Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bordeaux makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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