Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Dunkirk

For one person, living is cheaper in Dunkirk: $1,255 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lyon, France
Dunkirk, France
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Dunkirk
🇫🇷 France
$1,255
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lyon and in Dunkirk

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lyon and in Dunkirk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Lyon vs $1,255 in Dunkirk, rent included.

  • Lyon $2,050
  • Dunkirk $1,255

A couple spends around $3,182 per month in Lyon vs $2,033 in Dunkirk, rent included.

  • Lyon $3,182
  • Dunkirk $2,033

A family of three spends $4,315 per month in Lyon vs $2,811 in Dunkirk, rent included.

  • Lyon $4,315
  • Dunkirk $2,811

Lyon costs about 63% more than Dunkirk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Lyon sits 51% above the global median, while Dunkirk is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.15
$18.65 €16.75
-9.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.6
$77.6 €69.7
-12.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.67 €12.28
$8.95 €8.04
52.74%
Cappuccino
$4.12 €3.70
$4.49 €4.03
-8.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.48
$4.44 €3.99
-37.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.49
$2.69 €2.42
-38.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.60 €6.83
$4.51 €4.05
68.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08 €5.46
$5.71 €5.13
6.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.57 €1.41
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.55
$2.54 €2.28
-32.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 €2.20
$2.69 €2.42
-8.92%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.26
$4.29 €3.85
10.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.95 €20.62
$22.23 €19.97
3.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.21 €10.97
$13.79 €12.38
-11.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.99 €20.65
$21.63 €19.43
6.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 €2.17
$3.19 €2.86
-24.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.51 €2.25
$2.25 €2.03
11.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 €3.08
$2.89 €2.59
18.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.19 €2.86
$4.30 €3.86
-25.81%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 €2.24
$1.81 €1.63
38.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.94 €2.64
$2.45 €2.20
20.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.89 €1.70
-25.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.89 €0.80
20.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.89 €12.47
$14.44 €12.97
-3.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 €6.98
$8.69 €7.81
-10.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.39
$2.78 €2.50
-4.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.92
$3.60 €3.23
-9.72%
🚌 Getting Around
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.42 €2.17
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.3 €73.9
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.39 €7.54
$8.89 €7.98
-5.62%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.41 €1.27
56.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.20 €37.01
$46.63 €41.89
-11.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.76 €1.58
25.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.9K
$34.0K €30.5K
1.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.7K
$36.7K €33.0K
2.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$268 €241
$244 €219
9.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.01 €12.58
$15.80 €14.20
-11.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.09 €26.14
$29.92 €26.87
-2.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.88 €33.13
$28.11 €25.25
31.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.38 €25.49
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.33 €13.77
$15.63 €14.04
-1.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$628 €564
$1,792 €1,610
-64.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K €10.1K
$25.8K €23.2K
-56.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.8
$110 €99.1
-2.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.36 €38.95
$51.2 €46.02
-15.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €110
$118 €106
3.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 €114
$160 €144
-20.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$891 €800
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$702 €631
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 €1,688
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,369 €1,229
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,425 €5,772
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,317 €3,878
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lyon
Dunkirk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,069 €2,757
$3,391 €3,046
-9.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.68
3.45
6.67%

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

Last update for Lyon: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dunkirk: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$702
Dunkirk
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$385
Dunkirk
$399 3.8% $15
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$311
Dunkirk
$290 6.7% $21
Eating Out
Lyon
$293
Dunkirk
$292 0.3% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$180
Dunkirk
$198 9.8% $18
Getting Around
Lyon
$111
Dunkirk
$16 * 85.7% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$68
Dunkirk
$59 12.1% $8.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 10% higher in Dunkirk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Lyon versus $78 in Dunkirk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $399 – making Lyon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Lyon
🇫🇷 Dunkirk
🕒 Local time
18:40 6:40 PM
18:40 6:40 PM
Same time as Lyon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
522,250
86,788
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lyon Dunkirk 610 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lyon
  • Dunkirk

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dunkirk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dunkirk cheaper than Lyon?
Yes – Lyon is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,075 per month in Lyon and $1,882 in Dunkirk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Lyon and in Dunkirk?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,050 in Lyon and $1,255 in Dunkirk. That’s a gap of about 63%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $628 per month in Lyon and $1,792 in Dunkirk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lyon or in Dunkirk?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dunkirk, where all-in costs run around $1,255, than in Lyon at $2,050. In Dunkirk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Lyon or in Dunkirk?
It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,255 in Dunkirk to $2,050 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is safer, Lyon or Dunkirk?
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.

Lyon vs other spots: cost of living compared

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