Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Caen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Caen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,163 in Lyon versus $1,610 in Caen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,334 in Lyon versus $2,575 in Caen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,505 in Lyon versus $3,539 in Caen.

Living in Lyon is roughly 34% more expensive than Caen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lyon 61% above, Caen 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.02

$15.07 €12.96

15.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$57.8 €49.75

31.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.77

$11.37 €9.78

10.11%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$2.68 €2.30

50.00%

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

$2.84 €2.44

$3.65 €3.14

-22.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.43 €1.23

27.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.85

$8.15 €7.01

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.11

$6.55 €5.63

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.23 €1.06

20.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.35 €1.16

95.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.28 €1.96

16.67%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$3.40 €2.92

27.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.53

$10.43 €8.97

139.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.68

$11.33 €9.75

40.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.41

$20.01 €17.21

30.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$2.28 €1.96

17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$2.06 €1.77

26.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.34 €2.02

47.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$2.42 €2.08

61.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.86 €1.60

53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.26 €1.94

23.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.35 €1.16

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.55 €0.48

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.13

$12.75 €10.96

10.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.34

$6.58 €5.66

29.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.40 €2.07

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.66

$1.56 €1.34

98.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.83 €1.57

28.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.5

$50.1 €43.10

68.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$2.96 €2.54

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.81 €1.55

4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.3

$36.44 €31.34

60.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.07 €1.78

1.45%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$26.4K €22.7K

40.76%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$34.6K €29.8K

9.21%

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

$283 €243

$172 €148

64.12%

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

$22.15 €19.06

$23.41 €20.14

-5.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.14

$27.48 €23.63

35.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.86

$31.20 €26.84

41.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.90

$20.43 €17.58

13.26%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.93

$15.57 €13.39

-10.92%

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

$730 €628

$171 €147

327.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,661 €7,450

36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.5

$111 €95.3

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.47

$36.42 €31.33

38.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$90.1 €77.5

37.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$145 €125

15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €846

$651 €560

51.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €613

$556 €478

28.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,375 €1,183

38.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,068

$1,056 €908

17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,775

$4,640 €3,991

44.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,517

$2,601 €2,237

57.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,824

$2,582 €2,221

27.15%

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 Caen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $984 in Lyon and $651 in Caen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lyon pays 27% 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 $58.0 in Caen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 vs $292 per month, with Caen 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 Caen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon and Caen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($2,163 vs $1,610 including rent). Caen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lyon pays 27% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $984 in Lyon versus $651 in Caen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Caen runs roughly 68% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $730 in Lyon versus $171 in Caen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,610 in Caen versus $2,163 in Lyon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Caen but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Caen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lyon and Caen 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 Caen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.