Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nice Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nice

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Lyon vs $2,356 in Nice, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,264 per month in Lyon vs $3,758 in Nice, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Lyon vs $5,161 in Nice, rent included.

Lyon is about 10% cheaper than Nice, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lyon and Nice sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Nice by 71%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.16

$20.71 €17.87

-15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.6

$91.9 €79.3

-23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.15

$13.89 €11.98

1.37%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.67

$3.80 €3.28

11.84%

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

$2.98 €2.57

$3.86 €3.33

-22.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.54 €2.20

-27.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 €6.98

$8.21 €7.09

-1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 €5.46

$8.10 €6.99

-21.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.77 €1.53

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.36 €2.04

-11.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$2.70 €2.33

2.96%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

$4.84 €4.18

-2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.38 €20.18

$21.85 €18.86

7.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.84

$17.35 €14.97

-20.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 €23.67

$24.37 €21.03

12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$4.51 €3.89

-45.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.07

$2.49 €2.15

-3.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 €2.94

$3.18 €2.75

6.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.83

$4.09 €3.53

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.52

$2.93 €2.53

-0.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$2.75 €2.37

11.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.79 €1.55

-16.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.06

$0.84 €0.73

45.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 €12.56

$13.85 €11.95

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 €7.71

$9.05 €7.81

-1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.52

$3.75 €3.24

-22.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.08

$4.14 €3.57

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.16

$2.01 €1.74

24.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 €75.2

$53.0 €45.72

64.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 €7.45

$3.40 €2.94

153.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.47 €2.13

-8.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 €37.75

$30.25 €26.10

44.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.24 €1.93

3.12%

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

$35.2K €30.4K

$36.5K €31.5K

-3.51%

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

$36.3K €31.3K

$36.5K €31.5K

-0.67%

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

$275 €237

$244 €211

12.51%

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

$15.34 €13.24

$17.20 €14.84

-10.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.34 €28.77

$34.80 €30.03

-4.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 €37.45

$33.52 €28.93

29.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 €25.43

$36.45 €31.45

-19.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.25

$16.06 €13.86

-4.42%

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

$652 €563

$1,585 €1,367

-58.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$17.7K €15.3K

-33.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €105

$116 €100

4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 €42.22

$52.3 €45.16

-6.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$111 €95.9

17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €112

$197 €170

-34.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 €764

$1,147 €990

-22.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 €606

$885 €763

-20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 €1,588

$2,083 €1,797

-11.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,123

$1,749 €1,509

-25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,580 €5,678

$7,577 €6,538

-13.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,128 €3,562

$4,280 €3,693

-3.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,196 €2,758

$2,698 €2,328

18.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.9

-5.64%

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

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nice: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $1,147 in Nice. 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 18% higher in Lyon, 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 $70.0 in Lyon versus $92.0 in Nice. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $444 – making Lyon 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 Nice: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nice costs about 11% more than Lyon, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $3,534 in Nice. 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 $2,356 in Nice. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% 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 Nice at $2,356. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nice it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,128 versus $2,356 in Nice. 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, Nice makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.