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: $2,146 in Lyon versus $1,909 in Chateauroux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,284 in Lyon versus $2,907 in Chateauroux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,422 in Lyon versus $3,904 in Chateauroux.

Living in Lyon is roughly 12% more expensive than in Chateauroux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lyon 61% above, Chateauroux 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.49 €15.14

$17.56 €15.21

-0.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.7

$69.6 €60.2

9.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.75 €11.04

$11.78 €10.20

8.23%

Cappuccino

$3.93 €3.40

$3.83 €3.32

2.61%

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

$2.85 €2.47

$2.51 €2.18

13.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.48 €1.28

23.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.28 €7.17

$8.31 €7.19

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 €5.83

$5.26 €4.55

27.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.22 €1.06

22.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.21

$4.17 €3.61

-38.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 €2.27

$3.60 €3.11

-27.22%

Eggs

$4.30 €3.73

$3.53 €3.05

21.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.51 €21.22

$22.64 €19.61

8.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 €14.02

$13.68 €11.85

18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.97 €22.49

$21.60 €18.70

20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.33

$3.13 €2.71

-14.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$2.06 €1.79

21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.03

$2.92 €2.53

19.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 €3.49

$3.16 €2.73

27.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 €2.48

$1.72 €1.49

66.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 €2.39

$2.22 €1.92

24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.29

$1.56 €1.35

-4.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.57 €0.49

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.15 €12.25

$12.71 €11.01

11.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 €7.15

$6.65 €5.76

24.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.78

$3.52 €3.05

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.67

$3.35 €2.90

-7.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.05

$1.99 €1.72

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €72.1

$49.41 €42.79

68.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 €4.91

$5.69 €4.93

-0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.56 €2.22

-25.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$57.7 €49.92

$36.97 €32.02

55.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.72

$1.99 €1.73

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

$38.1K €33.0K

$38.0K €32.9K

0.43%

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

$36.5K €31.6K

$39.7K €34.4K

-8.07%

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

$279 €241

$187 €162

48.94%

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

$22.04 €19.09

$23.75 €20.57

-7.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 €32.01

$27.88 €24.15

32.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 €38.43

$37.62 €32.58

17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.27 €20.15

$18.56 €16.07

25.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 €12.16

$15.35 €13.29

-8.53%

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

$737 €639

$770 €666

-4.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.5K

$8,637 €7,479

40.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €96.3

$125 €108

-10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.76

$36.11 €31.27

39.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €105

$95.8 €83.0

26.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$167 €145

$185 €160

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €851

$761 €659

29.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 €601

$605 €524

14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,916 €1,660

$1,392 €1,206

37.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 €1,074

$1,067 €924

16.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,540 €5,664

$3,469 €3,004

88.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,008 €3,471

$2,934 €2,541

36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,226 €2,794

$3,454 €2,991

-6.61%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Chateauroux: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $983 in Lyon and $761 in Chateauroux. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chateauroux pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $76.0 in Lyon vs $70.0 in Chateauroux for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $399 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 12% in total monthly costs ($2,146 vs $1,909 including rent). Chateauroux is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% lower in Chateauroux. 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: $983 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 68% less than in Lyon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $737 in Lyon versus $770 in Chateauroux. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,909 in Chateauroux versus $2,146 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 12% less than in Lyon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.