Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nimes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Nimes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,140 per month in Lyon vs $1,855 in Nimes, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $2,803 in Nimes, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,527 per month in Lyon vs $3,752 in Nimes, rent included.

Lyon costs about 15% more than Nimes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Nimes sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Nimes by 35%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.28 €14.89

$17.30 €14.91

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.8 €61.0

$57.7 €49.73

22.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.71 €11.82

$12.75 €10.99

7.53%

Cappuccino

$4.32 €3.73

$3.39 €2.92

27.43%

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

$2.84 €2.45

$2.34 €2.02

21.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.15 €0.99

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 €6.88

$7.16 €6.17

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 €5.44

$5.96 €5.14

5.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.40 €1.20

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.53 €1.31

35.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 €2.35

$2.57 €2.21

5.84%

Eggs

$4.95 €4.27

$4.09 €3.52

21.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.30 €20.09

$13.19 €11.37

76.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.15 €12.20

$11.31 €9.75

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$28.12 €24.24

$25.65 €22.11

9.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.81 €2.42

-15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.14

$2.25 €1.94

10.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.39 €2.93

$2.80 €2.41

21.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 €2.89

$5.06 €4.36

-33.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 €2.40

$2.69 €2.32

3.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.65

$2.41 €2.07

27.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.50 €1.29

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.43 €1.23

-13.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.71 €12.68

$14.37 €12.38

2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 €7.78

$5.90 €5.08

53.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.50

$3.47 €2.99

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 €3.14

$2.97 €2.56

22.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 €2.09

$1.87 €1.61

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.5 €73.7

$42.18 €36.36

102.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 €7.41

$3.19 €2.75

169.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.46 €1.26

60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.98 €37.91

$30.81 €26.56

42.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$1.97 €1.70

18.27%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$26.5K €22.8K

37.33%

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

$36.2K €31.2K

$33.6K €29.0K

7.70%

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

$270 €233

$211 €182

28.20%

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

$15.20 €13.10

$29.53 €25.45

-48.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.31 €28.71

$35.55 €30.64

-6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.40 €38.27

$42.03 €36.23

5.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 €25.03

$11.46 €9.88

153.40%

Cinema Ticket

$14.82 €12.78

$13.98 €12.05

6.01%

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

$663 €571

$624 €538

6.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.3K

$7,632 €6,579

56.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €103

$90.8 €78.3

32.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.99 €43.10

$40.12 €34.59

24.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €108

$96.8 €83.5

29.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 €114

$152 €131

-13.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 €778

$759 €654

19.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 €604

$637 €549

9.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 €1,582

$1,513 €1,305

21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,322 €1,139

$1,153 €994

14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,584 €5,676

$3,524 €3,038

86.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,063 €3,502

$2,452 €2,114

65.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,177 €2,739

$2,389 €2,059

33.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.66

0.55%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nimes: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Lyon versus $759 in Nimes. 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 33% 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 $71.0 in Lyon versus $58.0 in Nimes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $364 – making Nimes 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 Nimes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 15% more than Nimes, 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 $3,210 per month in Lyon and $2,782 in Nimes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nimes, 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 $2,140 in Lyon and $1,855 in Nimes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 103% less in Nimes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nimes, where all-in costs run around $1,855, than in Lyon at $2,140. In Nimes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nimes costs $1,855 versus $2,140 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 Nimes. 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.