Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Boulogne-Billancourt Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Boulogne-Billancourt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,163 in Lyon versus $2,848 in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,334 in Lyon versus $4,173 in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Lyon versus $5,497 in Boulogne-Billancourt.

Living in Lyon costs roughly 24% less than in Boulogne-Billancourt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lyon 61% above, Boulogne-Billancourt 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.02

$17.02 €14.64

2.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$71.2 €61.2

6.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.77

$13.81 €11.88

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$4.71 €4.06

-14.65%

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

$2.84 €2.44

$4.12 €3.54

-31.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$3.26 €2.80

-43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.85

$8.24 €7.09

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.11

$5.91 €5.08

20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.39 €1.20

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.04 €1.75

29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.88 €2.47

-7.64%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$3.44 €2.96

26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.53

$21.63 €18.60

15.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.68

$12.39 €10.66

28.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.41

$23.88 €20.54

9.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$3.41 €2.94

-21.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$2.30 €1.98

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.69 €2.31

27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.63 €3.12

7.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.72 €2.34

4.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.96 €2.54

-5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.81 €1.56

-20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.66 €0.57

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.13

$13.63 €11.72

3.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.34

$9.19 €7.90

-7.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.73 €2.35

17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.66

$3.74 €3.22

-17.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.46 €2.11

-4.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.5

$49.73 €42.78

69.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$4.67 €4.02

21.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.70 €1.46

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.3

$54.5 €46.89

7.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.17 €1.87

-3.23%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$35.8K €30.8K

3.89%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$35.8K €30.8K

5.65%

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

$283 €243

$253 €217

11.85%

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

$22.15 €19.06

$23.29 €20.03

-4.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.14

$35.73 €30.73

4.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.86

$64.6 €55.6

-31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.90

$18.41 €15.83

25.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.93

$15.81 €13.60

-12.27%

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

$730 €628

$863 €743

-15.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,662 €7,451

36.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.5

$94.0 €80.9

16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.47

$48.23 €41.49

4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$98.5 €84.7

25.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$158 €136

5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €846

$1,354 €1,165

-27.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €613

$1,446 €1,244

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$2,742 €2,359

-30.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,068

$2,440 €2,099

-49.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,775

$4,109 €3,534

63.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,517

$3,193 €2,746

28.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,824

$4,411 €3,795

-25.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.62

3.87%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Boulogne-Billancourt: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $984 in Lyon and $1,354 in Boulogne-Billancourt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boulogne-Billancourt pays 34% 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: $76.0 in Lyon vs $71.0 in Boulogne-Billancourt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $387 per month, with Boulogne-Billancourt 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 Boulogne-Billancourt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Boulogne-Billancourt earns 34% less. 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: $984 in Lyon versus $1,354 in Boulogne-Billancourt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $730 in Lyon versus $863 in Boulogne-Billancourt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Boulogne-Billancourt pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $2,163 in Lyon versus $2,848 in Boulogne-Billancourt, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lyon but tight or insufficient in Boulogne-Billancourt. The gap between the two cities makes Lyon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Lyon and Boulogne-Billancourt 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 Lyon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Boulogne-Billancourt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.