Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Melun Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Melun

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,764 in Melun, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,300 per month in Lyon vs $2,642 in Melun, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in Lyon vs $3,519 in Melun, rent included.

Lyon costs about 22% more than Melun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lyon and Melun sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Melun by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.01

$13.21 €11.27

33.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 €65.0

$55.4 €47.21

37.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.72

$13.73 €11.71

-8.45%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.29

$3.15 €2.68

22.22%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$1.78 €1.51

63.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$2.10 €1.79

-15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.83

$7.56 €6.45

5.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.86

$5.84 €4.98

17.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.52 €1.30

-1.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.14

$1.74 €1.48

44.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$3.01 €2.57

-10.96%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.54

$3.96 €3.38

4.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.90 €21.24

$22.15 €18.89

12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 €13.71

$13.00 €11.09

23.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 €21.78

$24.18 €20.63

5.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$3.71 €3.17

-23.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.18 €1.86

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.09

$2.40 €2.05

50.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 €3.34

$3.28 €2.80

19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.39

$1.91 €1.63

47.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 €2.34

$2.11 €1.80

30.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.59 €1.36

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.68 €0.58

33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 €11.78

$13.46 €11.48

2.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 €7.50

$9.02 €7.70

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$2.35 €2.01

36.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$4.48 €3.82

-28.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 €2.06

$2.32 €1.98

3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 €72.3

$49.15 €41.92

72.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.86

$4.70 €4.01

21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.90 €1.62

-4.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €49.59

$31.85 €27.17

82.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.70

$2.09 €1.78

-4.31%

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

$37.3K €31.8K

$36.9K €31.5K

1.03%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$38.0K €32.4K

-3.06%

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

$289 €246

$198 €168

46.25%

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

$22.27 €18.99

$23.33 €19.90

-4.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.85 €31.43

$28.39 €24.21

29.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 €38.23

$36.63 €31.24

22.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €19.93

$18.45 €15.74

26.67%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.65

$10.57 €9.02

29.23%

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

$731 €623

$571 €487

27.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.0K

$8,459 €7,216

38.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.1

$90.9 €77.6

23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €43.78

$36.15 €30.84

41.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €105

$86.7 €74.0

42.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$104 €88.9

56.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €839

$771 €658

27.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €605

$597 €509

18.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,677

$1,229 €1,049

59.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,038

$910 €776

33.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,903 €5,888

$4,209 €3,590

64.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,115 €3,510

$3,022 €2,578

36.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,685

$2,555 €2,179

23.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.69

1.90%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 20, 2026

Last update for Melun: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Lyon versus $771 in Melun. 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 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 $76 in Lyon versus $55 in Melun. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $385 – making Melun 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 Melun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 22% more than Melun, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $2,646 in Melun. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Melun, 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 $1,764 in Melun. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Melun. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Melun, where all-in costs run around $1,764, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Melun it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Melun costs $1,764 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 Melun. 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.