Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nancy Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nancy

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $1,747 in Nancy, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $2,798 in Nancy, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $3,850 in Nancy, rent included.

Lyon costs about 19% more than Nancy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Nancy sit above the global median – Lyon by 52%, Nancy by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.84

$16.40 €14.30

3.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €61.2

$69.1 €60.2

1.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.05

$13.95 €12.16

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.80

$4.38 €3.82

-0.46%

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

$2.86 €2.50

$3.25 €2.83

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$2.10 €1.83

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.25

$8.33 €7.26

-0.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$5.73 €4.99

12.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.11 €0.96

44.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.36 €1.19

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$1.86 €1.62

45.70%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.05

$3.55 €3.10

30.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.50

$15.25 €13.29

54.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €12.08

$17.27 €15.05

-19.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.92

$23.77 €20.72

15.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.67 €2.33

-8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.61 €2.27

-7.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.29 €2.00

46.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$3.69 €3.22

-7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.37 €1.20

101.46%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$2.38 €2.07

26.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.38 €1.20

3.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$0.75 €0.65

61.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.34

$13.98 €12.19

1.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.86

$8.70 €7.58

3.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.44

$2.18 €1.90

28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.14

$4.67 €4.07

-22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.16

$1.77 €1.54

40.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.8

$53.8 €46.89

57.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$3.50 €3.05

136.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.10 €1.83

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.26

$28.20 €24.59

51.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.10 €1.83

4.76%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

-0.20%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$35.0K €30.5K

4.40%

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

$277 €242

$279 €243

-0.66%

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

$15.06 €13.13

$13.56 €11.82

11.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €28.02

$29.17 €25.42

10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.35

$28.60 €24.93

53.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.94

$18.50 €16.12

54.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.90

$13.72 €11.96

7.87%

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

$640 €558

$572 €498

11.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$16.1K €14.0K

-26.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$95.7 €83.4

25.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.53

$41.86 €36.49

16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$106 €92.2

19.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$147 €128

-10.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €785

$703 €613

28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €594

$479 €417

42.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,624

$1,284 €1,119

45.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,112

$981 €856

29.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,702

$2,642 €2,303

147.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,631

$2,344 €2,043

77.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,763

$2,346 €2,045

35.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.76

-2.13%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Nancy: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $703 in Nancy. 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 35% 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 $69.0 in Nancy. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $367 – making Nancy 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 Nancy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 19% more than Nancy, 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 $3,129 per month in Lyon and $2,621 in Nancy. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nancy, 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 $2,086 in Lyon and $1,747 in Nancy. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Nancy. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nancy, where all-in costs run around $1,747, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Nancy it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nancy costs $1,747 versus $2,086 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 Nancy. 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.