Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mulhouse Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Mulhouse

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,134 per month in Lyon vs $1,713 in Mulhouse, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,259 per month in Lyon vs $2,769 in Mulhouse, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,384 per month in Lyon vs $3,824 in Mulhouse, rent included.

Lyon costs about 25% more than Mulhouse, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Lyon and Mulhouse sit above the global median – Lyon by 59%, Mulhouse by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 €15.03

$17.51 €14.99

0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 €63.7

$73.2 €62.7

1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 €10.92

$11.54 €9.87

10.57%

Cappuccino

$3.89 €3.33

$3.17 €2.71

22.71%

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

$2.84 €2.43

$2.66 €2.28

6.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.54

$1.93 €1.65

-6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.11 €6.94

$4.59 €3.93

76.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.09 €6.07

$4.13 €3.53

71.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.31 €1.12

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.24

$1.66 €1.42

57.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.18

$2.88 €2.46

-11.46%

Eggs

$4.14 €3.54

$4.50 €3.85

-8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 €21.36

$23.51 €20.12

6.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.19 €13.86

$15.66 €13.40

3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.43 €21.77

$24.31 €20.81

4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 €2.41

$3.83 €3.28

-26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.13

$2.56 €2.19

-2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 €3.03

$3.42 €2.93

3.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.35

$3.74 €3.20

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 €2.48

$2.41 €2.06

20.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 €2.31

$2.15 €1.84

25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.22

$1.19 €1.02

20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.84 €0.72

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 €11.79

$12.71 €10.88

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.51 €7.28

$8.13 €6.96

4.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.64

$1.97 €1.69

56.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.75

$3.37 €2.89

-4.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.44 €2.09

$2.28 €1.95

7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.7 €72.5

$51.4 €43.96

64.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.89 €5.04

$3.56 €3.05

65.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$1.03 €0.88

84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €49.74

$29.01 €24.83

100.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.00 €1.71

0.50%

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

$37.4K €32.0K

$36.9K €31.6K

1.34%

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

$36.8K €31.5K

$39.4K €33.7K

-6.59%

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

$286 €245

$186 €159

53.71%

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

$22.54 €19.30

$23.35 €19.99

-3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.86 €32.40

$27.29 €23.36

38.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.73 €38.29

$41.22 €35.28

8.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.78 €19.50

$45.49 €38.94

-49.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.83 €11.84

$12.56 €10.76

10.11%

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

$737 €631

$709 €607

3.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.1K

$8,768 €7,505

34.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.7

$74.0 €63.4

52.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €43.89

$39.84 €34.10

28.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$76.4 €65.4

61.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 €142

$124 €106

34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 €847

$622 €532

59.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 €601

$505 €433

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,920 €1,643

$1,225 €1,049

56.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 €1,081

$1,096 €938

15.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,821 €5,839

$2,555 €2,187

166.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,231 €3,622

$1,952 €1,671

116.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,245 €2,778

$2,221 €1,901

46.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.46

8.67%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mulhouse: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $990 in Lyon versus $622 in Mulhouse. 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 46% 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 $74.0 in Lyon versus $73.0 in Mulhouse. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $407 – making Mulhouse 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 Mulhouse: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 25% more than Mulhouse, 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 $3,202 per month in Lyon and $2,569 in Mulhouse. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mulhouse, 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 $2,134 in Lyon and $1,713 in Mulhouse. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Mulhouse. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mulhouse, where all-in costs run around $1,713, than in Lyon at $2,134. In Mulhouse it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mulhouse costs $1,713 versus $2,134 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 Mulhouse. 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.