Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Chateauroux Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Chateauroux

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,156 in Lyon versus $1,910 in Chateauroux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,335 in Lyon versus $2,963 in Chateauroux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,513 in Lyon versus $4,016 in Chateauroux.

Living in Lyon is roughly 13% more expensive than Chateauroux, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lyon 62% above, Chateauroux 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.21 €14.82

$17.25 €14.85

-0.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.5 €64.2

$70.1 €60.4

6.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 €11.09

$11.50 €9.90

12.00%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.31

$3.79 €3.27

1.58%

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

$2.92 €2.52

$2.47 €2.12

18.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.48 €1.27

22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.16

$8.08 €6.96

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.92

$5.30 €4.56

29.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.17 €1.01

26.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.25

$4.14 €3.57

-36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.31

$3.51 €3.02

-23.65%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.56

$3.42 €2.95

21.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.78 €21.34

$22.69 €19.54

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.84 €13.64

$13.76 €11.85

15.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.02 €22.41

$21.20 €18.25

22.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.33

$3.13 €2.69

-13.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 €2.26

$2.04 €1.76

28.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.56 €3.06

$2.97 €2.55

19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.17 €2.73

23.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 €2.37

$1.75 €1.51

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$2.17 €1.86

27.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.62 €1.40

-8.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.78

$0.60 €0.52

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.75

$12.78 €11.00

6.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 €7.29

$6.81 €5.86

24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.76

$3.52 €3.03

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$3.35 €2.88

-3.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.02 €1.74

17.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.0 €73.2

$48.55 €41.81

75.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 €5.00

$5.71 €4.91

1.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.63

$2.50 €2.16

-24.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.3 €49.32

$37.53 €32.32

52.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.72

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

$37.2K €32.1K

$36.9K €31.8K

0.81%

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

$36.8K €31.7K

$38.4K €33.1K

-4.37%

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

$283 €244

$187 €161

51.27%

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

$22.61 €19.47

$23.58 €20.30

-4.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.13 €31.98

$28.02 €24.13

32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.96 €38.72

$38.27 €32.95

17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.71 €19.56

$18.06 €15.55

25.75%

Cinema Ticket

$13.85 €11.92

$15.72 €13.53

-11.90%

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

$735 €633

$770 €663

-4.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.3K

$8,579 €7,387

39.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €94.1

$125 €107

-12.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 €43.98

$36.77 €31.67

38.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$95.1 €81.9

29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €142

$188 €162

-12.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$960 €827

$761 €655

26.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$700 €603

$609 €525

14.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 €1,691

$1,405 €1,210

39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 €1,050

$1,103 €949

10.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,630 €5,709

$3,696 €3,183

79.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,008 €3,451

$3,270 €2,816

22.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,183 €2,741

$3,453 €2,974

-7.83%

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: June 16, 2026

Last update for Chateauroux: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $960 in Lyon and $761 in Chateauroux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chateauroux pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Lyon vs $70.0 in Chateauroux for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $398 per month, with Chateauroux 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 Chateauroux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon and Chateauroux differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($2,156 vs $1,910 including rent). Chateauroux is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Chateauroux earns 8% 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: $960 in Lyon versus $761 in Chateauroux. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chateauroux runs roughly 75% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $735 in Lyon versus $770 in Chateauroux. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,910 in Chateauroux versus $2,156 in Lyon, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Chateauroux but tight or insufficient in Lyon. The gap between the two cities makes Chateauroux 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 Chateauroux 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 Chateauroux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.