Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nantes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nantes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $1,978 in Nantes, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $3,084 in Nantes, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $4,190 in Nantes, rent included.

Lyon costs about 9% more than Nantes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Nantes sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Nantes by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.03

$17.13 €14.75

1.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$64.5 €55.5

17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.78

$11.52 €9.92

8.68%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$3.77 €3.25

6.63%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$2.44 €2.10

16.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.58

$1.41 €1.21

29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.86

$7.88 €6.78

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.12

$5.18 €4.46

37.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.18 €1.02

25.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.28

$2.15 €1.85

22.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.29

$3.07 €2.64

-13.36%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$3.40 €2.93

27.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.55

$15.31 €13.18

63.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.69

$16.59 €14.29

-4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.43

$21.03 €18.10

23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.32

$3.11 €2.68

-13.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.08 €1.79

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.91 €2.51

18.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.13 €2.69

24.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.79 €1.54

59.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.22 €1.91

26.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.64 €1.41

-12.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.60 €0.52

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.14

$12.88 €11.09

9.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.35

$7.04 €6.06

21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$3.42 €2.94

-6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.67

$3.31 €2.85

-6.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.04

$2.11 €1.82

11.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.6

$70.8 €61.0

19.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$5.66 €4.87

0.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.52 €2.17

-24.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.4

$36.66 €31.56

59.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$37.9K €32.7K

-2.02%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$36.2K €31.2K

4.31%

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

$283 €243

$186 €160

51.83%

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

$22.15 €19.07

$22.99 €19.80

-3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.17

$28.03 €24.13

33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.89

$32.29 €27.80

36.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.92

$11.39 €9.81

103.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.94

$13.90 €11.97

-0.22%

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

$730 €628

$832 €716

-12.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$9,528 €8,203

23.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.5

$108 €92.8

1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.51

$36.43 €31.36

38.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$95.9 €82.6

28.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$147 €127

14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €847

$820 €706

19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €614

$727 €626

-1.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,643

$2,024 €1,742

-5.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,069

$1,461 €1,257

-14.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,780

$5,312 €4,573

26.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,520

$3,826 €3,293

6.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,826

$2,855 €2,458

14.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.62

3.87%

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

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nantes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $820 in Nantes. 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 15% 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 $65.0 in Nantes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $368 – making Nantes 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 Nantes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 9% more than Nantes, 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 $3,244 per month in Lyon and $2,967 in Nantes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nantes, 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 $1,978 in Nantes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Nantes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nantes, where all-in costs run around $1,978, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Nantes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nantes costs $1,978 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 Nantes. 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.