Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Ferney-Voltaire Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Ferney-Voltaire

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $2,139 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $3,565 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $4,992 in Ferney-Voltaire, rent included.

Lyon costs about 1% more than Ferney-Voltaire, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Ferney-Voltaire sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Ferney-Voltaire by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.15

$23.26 €20.18

-24.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.8

$69.7 €60.5

8.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.87

$11.72 €10.17

6.83%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.49

$3.83 €3.32

4.96%

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

$2.84 €2.47

$2.92 €2.53

-2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.59

$2.35 €2.04

-22.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.91

$8.07 €7.00

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.17

$6.74 €5.85

5.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.29 €1.12

14.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.29

$1.73 €1.50

52.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.30

$2.67 €2.32

-0.37%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.76

$4.12 €3.58

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.72

$18.67 €16.20

34.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.79

$12.86 €11.15

23.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.61

$21.18 €18.38

23.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.33

$2.87 €2.49

-6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$2.19 €1.90

18.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.99

$2.77 €2.40

24.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.38

$3.69 €3.20

5.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.48

$2.07 €1.79

37.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.43

$2.48 €2.15

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.54 €1.33

-7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.70 €0.61

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.23

$13.89 €12.05

1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.40

$6.37 €5.53

33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.77

$1.84 €1.59

73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.69

$3.38 €2.93

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$3.46 €3.00

-31.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €73.1

$49.67 €43.10

69.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.93

$4.56 €3.96

24.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.88 €1.63

1.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.8

$35.71 €30.98

63.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.08 €1.80

0.96%

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

$37.2K €32.2K

$37.6K €32.6K

-1.21%

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

$37.8K €32.8K

$37.5K €32.5K

0.81%

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

$283 €245

$195 €169

44.88%

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

$22.15 €19.22

$22.91 €19.88

-3.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.42

$61.0 €52.9

-38.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €38.18

$38.23 €33.17

15.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €20.07

$18.12 €15.72

27.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €12.03

$13.86 €12.03

0.07%

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

$730 €633

$783 €680

-6.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,730 €7,574

35.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.3

$57.5 €49.86

91.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.85

$38.90 €33.75

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$91.3 €79.2

35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €146

$141 €122

19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €854

$787 €683

25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €618

$899 €780

-20.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,656

$2,478 €2,150

-22.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,077

$2,295 €1,991

-45.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,825

$4,067 €3,529

65.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,547

$3,198 €2,775

27.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,848

$4,045 €3,509

-18.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.5

7.43%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ferney-Voltaire: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $787 in Ferney-Voltaire. 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 23% higher in Ferney-Voltaire, 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 $76.0 in Lyon versus $70.0 in Ferney-Voltaire. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $353 – making Ferney-Voltaire 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 Ferney-Voltaire: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lyon is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,244 per month in Lyon and $3,208 in Ferney-Voltaire. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $730 per month in Lyon and $783 in Ferney-Voltaire. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Lyon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ferney-Voltaire, where all-in costs run around $2,139, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Ferney-Voltaire it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ferney-Voltaire – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ferney-Voltaire. 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.