Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Marseille Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Marseille

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Lyon vs $2,031 in Marseille, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,264 per month in Lyon vs $3,272 in Marseille, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Lyon vs $4,513 in Marseille, rent included.

Lyon costs about 5% more than Marseille, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Marseille sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Marseille by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.11

$18.76 €16.13

-6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.4

$75.7 €65.1

-7.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.10

$13.79 €11.86

2.10%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.65

$3.67 €3.15

15.80%

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

$2.98 €2.56

$3.74 €3.22

-20.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.16 €1.86

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 €6.96

$6.78 €5.83

19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 €5.44

$7.08 €6.09

-10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.33 €1.14

21.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.95 €2.54

-29.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$3.20 €2.75

-13.13%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.06

$4.60 €3.96

2.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.38 €20.10

$25.68 €22.08

-8.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.79

$15.68 €13.48

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 €23.58

$28.24 €24.28

-2.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.84 €3.30

-36.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.62 €2.25

-8.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$4.36 €3.75

-22.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$4.25 €3.65

-22.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.99 €2.57

-2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.64

$2.57 €2.21

19.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.29

$2.16 €1.86

-30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.40 €1.21

-12.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 €12.51

$13.88 €11.94

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 €7.68

$9.23 €7.94

-3.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.51

$4.10 €3.53

-28.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.07

$4.10 €3.53

-12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.14 €1.84

16.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 €75.0

$46.28 €39.80

88.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 €7.42

$5.89 €5.07

46.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$3.50 €3.01

-35.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 €37.61

$29.35 €25.24

49.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.98

$2.24 €1.92

3.12%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$35.4K €30.4K

-0.54%

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

$36.3K €31.2K

$36.6K €31.4K

-0.73%

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

$275 €236

$183 €158

49.98%

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

$15.34 €13.19

$18.60 €15.99

-17.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.34 €28.67

$37.55 €32.28

-11.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 €37.32

$40.26 €34.62

7.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 €25.34

$24.40 €20.98

20.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.20

$14.87 €12.79

3.23%

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

$652 €561

$902 €775

-27.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$10.6K €9,136

11.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €104

$90.3 €77.6

34.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 €42.07

$47.75 €41.05

2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$112 €96.0

16.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$131 €112

-0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 €762

$940 €808

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 €604

$679 €584

3.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 €1,583

$1,614 €1,388

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,119

$1,395 €1,200

-6.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,580 €5,657

$5,350 €4,600

23.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,128 €3,550

$3,643 €3,132

13.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,196 €2,748

$2,571 €2,210

24.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.89

-5.40%

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

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Marseille: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $940 in Marseille. 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 24% 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 $76.0 in Marseille. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $475 – making Lyon 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 Marseille: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 5% more than Marseille, 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 $3,046 in Marseille. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Marseille, 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 $2,128 in Lyon and $2,031 in Marseille. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 88% less in Marseille. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Marseille, where all-in costs run around $2,031, than in Lyon at $2,128. In Marseille it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Marseille costs $2,031 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 Marseille. 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.