Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nanterre Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nanterre

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $1,824 in Nanterre, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $2,743 in Nanterre, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $3,663 in Nanterre, rent included.

Lyon costs about 19% more than Nanterre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lyon and Nanterre sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Nanterre by 36%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.15

$9.09 €7.88

92.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.8

$70.8 €61.4

7.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.87

$13.74 €11.92

-8.88%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.49

$2.82 €2.45

42.55%

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

$2.84 €2.47

$1.75 €1.52

62.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.59

$1.19 €1.03

53.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.91

$8.12 €7.04

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.17

$8.28 €7.18

-14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.28

$1.42 €1.23

4.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.29

$2.07 €1.80

27.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.30

$2.06 €1.78

29.13%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.76

$4.82 €4.19

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.72

$25.62 €22.23

-2.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.79

$13.71 €11.90

15.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.61

$19.59 €16.99

33.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.33

$2.86 €2.48

-5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$2.33 €2.02

11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.99

$3.44 €2.98

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.38

$3.80 €3.29

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.48

$1.93 €1.68

47.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.43

$2.34 €2.03

19.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.77 €1.53

-19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.23

$14.97 €12.99

-5.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.40

$7.89 €6.84

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.77

$1.73 €1.50

84.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.69

$1.72 €1.49

80.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.05

$2.01 €1.75

17.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €73.1

$49.18 €42.67

71.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.93

$4.54 €3.94

25.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.65

$1.55 €1.35

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.8

$28.17 €24.44

107.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.82

$2.09 €1.82

0.48%

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

$37.2K €32.2K

$22.9K €19.9K

62.27%

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

$37.8K €32.8K

$32.5K €28.2K

16.25%

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

$283 €245

$252 €219

12.15%

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

$22.15 €19.22

$13.44 €11.66

64.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.42

$25.60 €22.21

45.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €38.18

$37.60 €32.62

17.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €20.07

$18.44 €16.00

25.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €12.03

$12.49 €10.84

11.05%

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

$730 €633

$902 €783

-19.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$8,509 €7,383

38.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.3

$85.5 €74.1

28.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.85

$46.61 €40.44

8.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €107

$93.0 €80.7

32.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €146

$140 €121

19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €854

$764 €663

28.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €618

$627 €544

13.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,656

$1,374 €1,192

38.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,077

$1,075 €932

15.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,825

$7,280 €6,316

-7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,547

$5,669 €4,918

-27.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,848

$4,141 €3,592

-20.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.55

5.92%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nanterre: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $764 in Nanterre. 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 26% higher in Nanterre, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lyon versus $71.0 in Nanterre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $384 – making Nanterre 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 Nanterre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 19% more than Nanterre, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. 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 $2,736 in Nanterre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanterre, 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 $1,824 in Nanterre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Nanterre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanterre, where all-in costs run around $1,824, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Nanterre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nanterre costs $1,824 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 Nanterre. 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.