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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Lyon vs $2,474 in Nanterre, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,264 per month in Lyon vs $3,562 in Nanterre, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Lyon vs $4,650 in Nanterre, rent included.

Lyon is about 14% cheaper than Nanterre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Lyon and Nanterre sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Nanterre by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.13

$14.85 €12.79

18.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.5

$71.1 €61.2

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.12

$13.51 €11.63

4.22%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$4.34 €3.73

-2.07%

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

$2.98 €2.56

$1.97 €1.70

51.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.14 €0.98

61.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 €6.97

$6.82 €5.87

18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 €5.44

$7.09 €6.11

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.55 €1.34

4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$1.85 €1.59

50.27%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.06

$4.64 €3.99

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.38 €20.13

$23.41 €20.15

-0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.81

$14.72 €12.67

-6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 €23.61

$21.27 €18.31

28.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.21 €2.76

-23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$2.28 €1.96

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.09 €2.66

10.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$3.66 €3.15

-10.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$1.99 €1.72

46.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.64

$2.34 €2.01

31.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.92 €1.65

-21.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.00 €0.86

22.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 €12.52

$15.08 €12.98

-3.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 €7.69

$7.03 €6.05

27.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.52

$2.25 €1.94

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.08

$2.18 €1.88

63.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.15

$2.83 €2.43

-11.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 €75.0

$106 €91.1

-17.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 €7.43

$5.08 €4.38

69.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.53 €1.32

47.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 €37.66

$27.37 €23.56

59.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.12 €1.82

8.96%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$25.1K €21.6K

40.13%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$32.5K €28.0K

11.71%

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

$275 €236

$254 €218

8.29%

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

$15.34 €13.21

$17.79 €15.31

-13.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.34 €28.70

$30.56 €26.31

9.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 €37.36

$49.19 €42.34

-11.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 €25.37

$26.01 €22.39

13.34%

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.22

$11.50 €9.90

33.48%

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

$652 €561

$945 €814

-31.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$4,393 €3,782

170.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €104

$88.2 €75.9

37.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 €42.12

$51.5 €44.34

-5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$92.8 €79.9

40.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$141 €121

-8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 €763

$1,341 €1,154

-33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 €605

$1,211 €1,042

-41.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 €1,584

$1,938 €1,668

-5.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,121

$1,702 €1,465

-23.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,580 €5,664

$7,731 €6,655

-14.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,128 €3,554

$6,260 €5,388

-34.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,196 €2,751

$4,099 €3,528

-22.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.27

12.54%

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

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nanterre: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $1,341 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 28% higher in Nanterre, 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 $71.0 in Nanterre. Groceries tell a different story – $420 in Lyon vs $390 in Nanterre – so Nanterre wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nanterre costs about 16% more than Lyon, 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 $3,192 per month in Lyon and $3,711 in Nanterre. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, 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 $2,128 in Lyon and $2,474 in Nanterre. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,128, than in Nanterre at $2,474. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nanterre it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,128 versus $2,474 in Nanterre. 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 Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nanterre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.