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 Lille actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $2,028 per month in Lyon vs $1,944 in Lille, rent included.
Lyon $2,028
Lille $1,944
A couple spends around $3,130 per month in Lyon vs $2,941 in Lille, rent included.
Lyon $3,130
Lille $2,941
A family of three spends $4,232 per month in Lyon vs $3,939 in Lille, rent included.
Lyon $4,232
Lille $3,939
😐
Lyon costs about 4% more than Lille, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.
📊
Both Lyon and Lille sit above the global median – Lyon by 50%, Lille by 43%.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.52€14.70
$17.98€15.99
-8.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2€60.7
$73.5€65.4
-7.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.22€11.76
$13.38€11.90
-1.20%
Cappuccino
$4.02€3.57
$3.75€3.34
7.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66€2.37
$3.15€2.80
-15.56%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73€1.54
$1.71€1.52
1.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$7.62€6.78
$8.01€7.13
-4.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.33€5.63
$5.47€4.87
15.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.56€1.39
$1.31€1.17
19.08%
White Bread(500g)
$1.72€1.53
$1.96€1.75
-12.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.48€2.20
$2.92€2.60
-15.07%
Eggs
$4.73€4.21
$4.23€3.77
11.82%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.97€20.43
$21.25€18.90
8.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.54€11.16
$12.62€11.23
-0.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.68€21.07
$23.62€21.01
0.25%
Apples(1kg)
$2.42€2.15
$3.48€3.10
-30.46%
Banana(1kg)
$2.44€2.17
$2.22€1.97
9.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.49€3.11
$2.28€2.03
53.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.17€2.82
$3.04€2.70
4.28%
Potato(1kg)
$2.51€2.23
$1.92€1.71
30.73%
Onion(1kg)
$3.09€2.75
$2.03€1.81
52.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35€1.20
$1.76€1.56
-23.30%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12€0.99
$0.67€0.60
67.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.89€12.35
$13.78€12.26
0.80%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.16€7.26
$8.66€7.70
-5.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66€2.37
$2.50€2.22
6.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27€2.91
$4.10€3.65
-20.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Lyon
Lille
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.32€2.07
$2.21€1.96
4.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$82.7€73.6
$68.3€60.7
21.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.38€7.46
$2.22€1.97
277.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.17€1.93
$2.18€1.94
-0.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.11€37.46
$24.40€21.71
72.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.32€2.06
$2.24€1.99
3.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K€31.4K
$35.1K€31.3K
0.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K€33.4K
$38.0K€33.8K
-1.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$267€238
$207€184
29.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.02€12.47
$15.45€13.74
-9.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.85€26.55
$31.40€27.93
-4.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.65€34.38
$32.68€29.07
18.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.56€24.51
$9.93€8.84
177.54%
Cinema Ticket
$15.29€13.60
$14.82€13.18
3.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$637€566
$631€561
0.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K€10.3K
$8,272€7,358
40.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$109€97.0
$87.8€78.1
24.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.77€39.83
$40.13€35.69
11.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$123€110
$102€90.9
20.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127€113
$102€90.7
24.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lyon
Lille
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$901€802
$906€806
-0.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$676€602
$711€633
-4.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,819€1,618
$1,541€1,371
18.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,274€1,133
$1,166€1,037
9.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,353€5,651
$4,490€3,994
41.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,982€3,542
$3,041€2,705
30.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lyon
Lille
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,066€2,727
$2,904€2,583
5.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.68
3.92
-6.12%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lyon: October 18, 2026
Last update for Lille: October 17, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$676 33.4%
Lille
$711 36.6% ↑ 5.2%$35
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$389 19.2%
Lille
$377 19.4% ↓ 3.2%$12
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$311 15.4%
Lille
$254 13.1% ↓ 18.5%$58
🍽Eating Out
Lyon
$288 14.2%
Lille
$300 15.4% ↑ 3.8%$11
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$182 9%
Lille
$149 7.7% ↓ 17.9%$33
🚌Getting Around
Lyon
$111 5.5%
Lille
$90 4.6% ↓ 18.9%$21
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$69 3.4%
Lille
$62 3.2% ↓ 10%$6.9
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$1.3K 30.1%
Lille
$1.2K 29.6% ↓ 8.5%$108
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$922 21.8%
Lille
$889 22.6% ↓ 3.6%$33
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$325 7.7%
Lille
$269 6.8% ↓ 17.2%$56
🍽Eating Out
Lyon
$914 21.6%
Lille
$963 24.5% ↑ 5.4%$50
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$404 9.6%
Lille
$332 8.4% ↓ 17.9%$72
🚌Getting Around
Lyon
$227 5.4%
Lille
$185 4.7% ↓ 18.6%$42
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$166 3.9%
Lille
$135 3.4% ↓ 18.9%$31
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $906 in Lille. 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 6% 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 $68.0 in Lyon versus $74.0 in Lille. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Lyon vs $377 in Lille – so Lille wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Lille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Lyon and in Lille compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,028 in Lyon, $1,944 in Lille – roughly 4% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Lyon compared to Lille?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,042 per month in Lyon and $2,915 in Lille. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Lyon and Lille?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lille, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lyon or Lille?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,028 in Lyon and $1,944 in Lille. That's a gap of about 4%.
How do commuting costs compare in Lyon and in Lille?
Public transport costs about 21% less in Lille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city is more doable on $3,000 per month?
A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lille, where all-in costs run around $1,944, than in Lyon at $2,028. In Lille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Lyon and Lille?
It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,944 in Lille to $2,028 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Lyon or Lille safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Lyon and Lille?
If budget matters most, go with Lille. 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.