Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Colmar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Colmar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,140 per month in Lyon vs $1,621 in Colmar, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $2,750 in Colmar, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,527 per month in Lyon vs $3,880 in Colmar, rent included.

Lyon costs about 32% more than Colmar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Colmar sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Colmar by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €14.89

$17.21 €14.83

0.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 €61.0

$75.4 €65.0

-6.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.71 €11.82

$11.46 €9.88

19.63%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.73

$2.78 €2.40

55.40%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$2.54 €2.19

11.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.85 €1.60

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 €6.88

$5.64 €4.87

41.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 €5.44

$5.93 €5.11

6.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.31 €1.13

17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.71 €1.47

21.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 €2.35

$1.17 €1.01

132.48%

Eggs

$4.95 €4.27

$2.52 €2.18

96.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.30 €20.09

$13.66 €11.78

70.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 €12.20

$7.57 €6.53

86.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.12 €24.24

$11.45 €9.87

145.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.69 €1.46

40.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.29 €1.97

8.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 €2.93

$1.77 €1.53

91.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 €2.89

$2.33 €2.01

44.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$1.19 €1.03

133.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$0.84 €0.73

265.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.14 €0.98

27.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$0.32 €0.28

284.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 €12.68

$14.34 €12.36

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 €7.78

$7.12 €6.14

26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.50

$0.85 €0.73

241.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 €3.14

$4.80 €4.14

-24.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 €2.09

$1.99 €1.72

21.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 €73.7

$59.5 €51.3

43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 €7.41

$3.45 €2.97

148.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.12 €1.82

10.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.98 €37.91

$27.99 €24.13

57.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.06 €1.78

13.11%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$35.5K €30.6K

2.62%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$35.8K €30.8K

1.15%

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

$270 €233

$206 €177

31.43%

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

$15.20 €13.10

$16.96 €14.62

-10.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.31 €28.71

$34.23 €29.50

-2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.40 €38.27

$35.38 €30.49

25.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 €25.03

$45.71 €39.40

-36.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 €12.78

$14.09 €12.15

5.18%

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

$663 €571

$1,130 €974

-41.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$16.4K €14.1K

-27.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €103

$58.8 €50.7

104.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 €43.10

$28.95 €24.95

72.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €108

$118 €102

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$150 €130

-12.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 €778

$754 €650

19.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 €604

$574 €495

22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 €1,582

$1,922 €1,657

-4.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 €1,139

$1,477 €1,274

-10.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,584 €5,676

$4,138 €3,567

59.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 €3,502

$3,160 €2,724

28.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,177 €2,739

$2,022 €1,743

57.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.76

-2.13%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Colmar: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Lyon versus $754 in Colmar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 57% higher in Lyon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Lyon versus $75.0 in Colmar. Groceries tell a different story – $424 in Lyon vs $241 in Colmar – so Colmar wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Colmar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,140 in Lyon, $1,621 in Colmar – roughly 32% apart. Lyon costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,210 per month in Lyon and $2,432 in Colmar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Lyon and $75.0 in Colmar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,140 in Lyon and $1,621 in Colmar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Colmar, where all-in costs run around $1,621, than in Lyon at $2,140. In Colmar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,621 in Colmar to $2,140 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Colmar. 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.