Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Douai Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Douai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,667 in Douai, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,300 per month in Lyon vs $2,339 in Douai, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in Lyon vs $3,011 in Douai, rent included.

Lyon costs about 29% more than Douai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lyon and Douai sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Douai by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.01

$17.22 €14.69

2.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 €65.0

$46.03 €39.27

65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.72

$7.92 €6.76

58.71%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.29

$2.27 €1.93

69.60%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$1.69 €1.44

72.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.17 €1.00

52.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.83

$5.68 €4.84

40.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.86

$5.67 €4.83

21.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.27

$0.90 €0.77

65.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.14

$1.75 €1.50

43.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$2.47 €2.10

8.50%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.54

$3.93 €3.35

5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.90 €21.24

$22.20 €18.94

12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 €13.71

$13.09 €11.17

22.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 €21.78

$24.25 €20.68

5.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$3.73 €3.18

-24.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.23 €1.90

13.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.09

$2.39 €2.04

51.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 €3.34

$3.29 €2.81

19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.39

$1.96 €1.68

43.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 €2.34

$2.07 €1.76

32.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.60 €1.37

-8.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.68 €0.58

33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 €11.78

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 €7.50

$3.50 €2.98

151.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$2.34 €1.99

37.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$4.39 €3.74

-26.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.92 €1.64

25.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 €72.3

$48.06 €41.00

76.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.86

$8.55 €7.30

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.80 €1.54

1.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €49.59

$32.68 €27.87

77.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.70

$1.87 €1.60

6.95%

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

$37.3K €31.8K

$28.6K €24.4K

30.54%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$37.2K €31.8K

-1.04%

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

$289 €246

$199 €170

45.08%

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

$22.27 €18.99

$23.64 €20.17

-5.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.85 €31.43

$29.90 €25.50

23.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 €38.23

$36.98 €31.55

21.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €19.93

$18.23 €15.55

28.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.65

$7.96 €6.79

71.61%

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

$731 €623

$575 €490

27.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.0K

$8,487 €7,239

38.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.1

$32.59 €27.80

245.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €43.78

$34.43 €29.36

49.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €105

$35.29 €30.10

249.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$52.9 €45.09

207.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €839

$776 €662

26.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €605

$628 €536

12.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,677

$1,400 €1,194

40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,038

$738 €630

64.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,903 €5,888

$3,892 €3,320

77.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,115 €3,510

$2,796 €2,385

47.17%

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 Douai: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Lyon versus $776 in Douai. 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 $46 in Douai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $367 – making Douai 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 Douai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,155 in Lyon, $1,667 in Douai – roughly 29% apart. Lyon costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,232 per month in Lyon and $2,500 in Douai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,155 in Lyon and $1,667 in Douai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% less in Douai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Douai, where all-in costs run around $1,667, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Douai 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 $1,667 in Douai to $2,155 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 Douai. 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.