Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Montpellier Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Montpellier

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $1,960 in Montpellier, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $2,922 in Montpellier, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $3,884 in Montpellier, rent included.

Lyon costs about 10% more than Montpellier, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lyon and Montpellier sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Montpellier by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.02

$17.30 €14.88

0.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$56.9 €48.92

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.77

$13.07 €11.24

-4.21%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$3.72 €3.20

8.06%

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

$2.84 €2.44

$2.72 €2.34

4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.91 €1.64

-4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.85

$5.92 €5.09

34.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.11

$4.50 €3.87

58.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.36 €1.17

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.98 €2.56

-11.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$2.62 €2.25

1.53%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$4.19 €3.60

3.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.53

$19.08 €16.41

31.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.68

$15.47 €13.31

2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.41

$26.43 €22.74

-1.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$3.17 €2.73

-15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$2.29 €1.97

13.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.48 €2.14

38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.87 €3.33

0.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$2.36 €2.03

20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.65 €2.28

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.58 €1.36

-9.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.58 €0.50

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.13

$14.04 €12.08

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.34

$8.12 €6.99

5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$3.12 €2.68

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.66

$3.80 €3.27

-18.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.81 €1.55

30.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.5

$17.41 €14.98

384.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$5.08 €4.37

11.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.59 €1.36

19.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.3

$33.35 €28.69

75.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.03 €1.74

3.45%

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$37.5K €32.2K

-0.82%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$38.0K €32.7K

-0.64%

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

$283 €243

$190 €164

48.38%

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

$22.15 €19.06

$28.11 €24.18

-21.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.14

$35.06 €30.16

6.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.86

$38.36 €33.00

14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.90

$29.35 €25.25

-21.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.93

$14.15 €12.17

-1.98%

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

$730 €628

$770 €662

-5.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,169 €7,027

44.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.5

$103 €88.4

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.47

$44.46 €38.25

13.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$108 €92.9

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$178 €153

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €846

$836 €719

17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €613

$752 €647

-5.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,363 €1,172

40.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,068

$1,115 €959

11.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,775

$5,167 €4,444

29.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,517

$4,116 €3,541

-0.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,824

$2,784 €2,394

17.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.64

3.30%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montpellier: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $836 in Montpellier. 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 18% 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 $76.0 in Lyon versus $57.0 in Montpellier. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $408 – making Montpellier 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 Montpellier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 10% more than Montpellier, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,244 per month in Lyon and $2,939 in Montpellier. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montpellier, 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 $2,163 in Lyon and $1,960 in Montpellier. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 384% less in Montpellier. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montpellier, where all-in costs run around $1,960, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Montpellier it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montpellier costs $1,960 versus $2,163 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 Montpellier. 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.