Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and La Rochelle Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and La Rochelle

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Lyon vs $1,830 in La Rochelle, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,264 per month in Lyon vs $2,809 in La Rochelle, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Lyon vs $3,789 in La Rochelle, rent included.

Lyon costs about 16% more than La Rochelle, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and La Rochelle sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, La Rochelle by 33%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.12

$21.43 €18.44

-18.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.5

$70.9 €61.0

-0.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.11

$11.10 €9.55

26.85%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$3.88 €3.34

9.54%

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

$2.98 €2.56

$2.92 €2.51

2.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.39 €1.20

32.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 €6.96

$7.67 €6.60

5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 €5.44

$4.84 €4.16

30.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.49 €1.28

8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.90 €1.63

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.11 €1.81

31.75%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.06

$3.99 €3.43

18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.38 €20.12

$11.05 €9.51

111.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.80

$11.24 €9.67

22.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 €23.60

$17.86 €15.37

53.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.18 €2.74

-23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.91 €1.64

25.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$2.93 €2.52

16.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$3.42 €2.94

-4.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$1.93 €1.66

50.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.64

$2.03 €1.75

51.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.75 €1.51

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.39 €0.33

212.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 €12.52

$14.00 €12.04

3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 €7.69

$9.19 €7.91

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.47 €2.12

18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.08

$2.48 €2.13

43.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.71 €1.47

46.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 €75.0

$40.56 €34.90

114.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 €7.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 €37.64

$35.13 €30.23

24.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.20 €1.89

5.00%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$37.5K €32.3K

-6.11%

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

$36.3K €31.2K

$32.8K €28.2K

10.72%

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

$275 €236

$139 €119

97.97%

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

$15.34 €13.20

$15.50 €13.34

-1.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.34 €28.69

$35.14 €30.24

-5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 €37.35

$36.68 €31.56

18.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 €25.36

$23.18 €19.95

27.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.21

$9.44 €8.12

62.61%

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

$652 €561

$712 €612

-8.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$11.3K €9,749

4.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €104

$80.7 €69.5

50.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 €42.10

$28.86 €24.84

69.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$115 €99.1

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$155 €133

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 €762

$1,173 €1,009

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 €605

$722 €621

-2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 €1,584

$1,494 €1,286

23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,120

$1,165 €1,003

11.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,580 €5,662

$7,695 €6,621

-14.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,128 €3,553

$4,587 €3,947

-10.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,196 €2,750

$2,844 €2,448

12.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.79

-2.90%

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

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Last update for La Rochelle: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $1,173 in La Rochelle. 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 12% 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 $70.0 in Lyon versus $71.0 in La Rochelle. Groceries tell a different story – $420 in Lyon vs $314 in La Rochelle – so La Rochelle 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 La Rochelle: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 16% more than La Rochelle, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,192 per month in Lyon and $2,745 in La Rochelle. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $652 per month in Lyon and $712 in La Rochelle. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in La Rochelle, where all-in costs run around $1,830, than in Lyon at $2,128. In La Rochelle it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. La Rochelle costs $1,830 versus $2,128 in Lyon. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 La Rochelle. 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.