Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Le Havre Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Le Havre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,498 in Le Havre, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,306 per month in Lyon vs $2,323 in Le Havre, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Lyon vs $3,148 in Le Havre, rent included.

Lyon costs about 44% more than Le Havre, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Le Havre sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Le Havre by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.10

$15.95 €13.97

8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €65.7

$56.7 €49.69

32.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 €11.18

$11.65 €10.21

9.61%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.38

$2.78 €2.43

38.85%

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

$2.98 €2.61

$2.82 €2.47

5.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.56

$2.17 €1.90

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €6.94

$6.85 €6.00

15.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.13

$5.71 €5.00

22.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.13 €0.99

35.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.69 €1.48

50.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$1.77 €1.55

44.63%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.69

$3.69 €3.23

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.28 €21.27

$17.48 €15.31

38.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.82

$12.59 €11.03

25.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.54 €22.37

$23.73 €20.78

7.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.37

$2.43 €2.13

11.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.03 €1.78

26.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.17

$2.45 €2.15

47.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.43

$3.30 €2.89

18.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.44

$0.74 €0.64

277.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$2.01 €1.76

41.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.25

$1.18 €1.03

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.18 €0.16

372.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.23

$11.86 €10.39

17.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.11

$6.70 €5.86

21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.70

$2.33 €2.04

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$4.30 €3.77

-24.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.08

$2.03 €1.78

16.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €73.0

$43.81 €38.37

90.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.92

$6.81 €5.96

-17.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.84 €1.61

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 €50.8

$46.51 €40.73

24.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.09 €1.83

-3.83%

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

$37.7K €33.0K

$25.5K €22.3K

47.84%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$36.9K €32.3K

2.73%

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

$285 €249

$200 €175

42.41%

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

$22.33 €19.56

$23.29 €20.39

-4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.28 €32.65

$29.83 €26.12

24.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.26 €38.76

$27.37 €23.97

61.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.98 €20.13

$18.21 €15.95

26.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €12.21

$14.42 €12.63

-3.33%

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

$739 €647

$517 €453

42.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.6K

$8,504 €7,448

42.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.9

$91.1 €79.8

20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 €44.54

$29.44 €25.78

72.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €105

$82.0 €71.8

45.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €144

$51.3 €44.91

220.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 €839

$527 €461

81.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 €603

$438 €384

57.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,725

$975 €854

102.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,071

$687 €602

78.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,652 €5,826

$2,804 €2,456

137.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,985 €3,490

$1,719 €1,506

131.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,784

$2,411 €2,112

31.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.62

3.87%

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

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Le Havre: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $958 in Lyon versus $527 in Le Havre. 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 32% 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 $75.0 in Lyon versus $57.0 in Le Havre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $334 – making Le Havre 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 Le Havre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 44% more than Le Havre, 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 $3,232 per month in Lyon and $2,247 in Le Havre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Le Havre, 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 $1,498 in Le Havre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 90% less in Le Havre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Le Havre, where all-in costs run around $1,498, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Le Havre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Le Havre costs $1,498 versus $2,155 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 Le Havre. 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.