Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Chartres Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Chartres

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,621 in Chartres, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,300 per month in Lyon vs $2,438 in Chartres, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in Lyon vs $3,256 in Chartres, rent included.

Lyon costs about 33% more than Chartres, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Chartres sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Chartres by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.01

$17.13 €14.61

2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 €65.0

$56.0 €47.78

36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.72

$10.88 €9.28

15.53%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.29

$3.15 €2.69

22.22%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$2.96 €2.53

-1.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.94 €1.66

-8.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.83

$6.39 €5.45

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.86

$5.80 €4.95

18.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.13 €0.96

31.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.14

$1.75 €1.49

43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$2.34 €2.00

14.53%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.54

$4.05 €3.46

2.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.90 €21.24

$22.69 €19.35

9.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 €13.71

$13.39 €11.42

20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 €21.78

$17.62 €15.03

44.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$3.77 €3.22

-24.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.24 €1.91

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.09

$2.38 €2.03

52.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 €3.34

$3.19 €2.72

22.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.39

$1.90 €1.62

47.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 €2.34

$1.18 €1.01

133.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.13 €0.96

30.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.69 €0.59

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 €11.78

$11.50 €9.81

20.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 €7.50

$7.19 €6.13

22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$2.41 €2.06

33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$4.31 €3.68

-25.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.73 €1.47

39.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 €72.3

$49.41 €42.15

71.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.86

$4.53 €3.86

25.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.83 €1.56

-0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €49.59

$32.06 €27.34

81.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.70

$2.06 €1.75

-2.91%

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

$37.3K €31.8K

$17.2K €14.6K

117.28%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$25.1K €21.4K

46.71%

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

$289 €246

$197 €168

46.59%

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

$22.27 €18.99

$21.77 €18.57

2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.85 €31.43

$29.83 €25.44

23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 €38.23

$29.10 €24.83

54.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €19.93

$18.54 €15.81

26.05%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.65

$14.26 €12.17

-4.21%

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

$731 €623

$573 €489

27.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.0K

$8,508 €7,257

38.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.1

$88.8 €75.7

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €43.78

$37.29 €31.81

37.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €105

$83.9 €71.6

46.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$98.4 €84.0

65.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €839

$781 €666

25.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €605

$493 €421

43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,677

$927 €791

112.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,038

$803 €685

51.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,903 €5,888

$4,281 €3,652

61.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,115 €3,510

$3,025 €2,580

36.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,685

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.69

1.90%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 20, 2026

Last update for Chartres: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Lyon versus $781 in Chartres. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Lyon versus $56 in Chartres. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $356 – making Chartres 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 Chartres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 33% more than Chartres, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,232 per month in Lyon and $2,431 in Chartres. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $731 per month in Lyon and $573 in Chartres. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Lyon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chartres, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Chartres it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chartres costs $1,621 versus $2,155 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 Chartres. 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.