Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Pau Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Pau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,163 per month in Lyon vs $1,609 in Pau, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Lyon vs $2,402 in Pau, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,505 per month in Lyon vs $3,194 in Pau, rent included.

Lyon costs about 34% more than Pau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Pau sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Pau by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.46 €15.02

$16.23 €13.96

7.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 €65.3

$51.6 €44.41

46.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.52 €10.77

$11.41 €9.82

9.73%

Cappuccino

$4.02 €3.46

$3.30 €2.84

21.82%

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

$2.84 €2.44

$3.41 €2.93

-16.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.89 €1.63

-3.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 €6.85

$5.89 €5.06

35.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 €6.11

$4.06 €3.49

75.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 €1.27

$1.31 €1.13

12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.27

$2.24 €1.93

17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.66 €2.28

$1.80 €1.55

47.78%

Eggs

$4.34 €3.73

$4.85 €4.17

-10.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.03 €21.53

$13.35 €11.49

87.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.90 €13.68

$12.36 €10.63

28.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.06 €22.41

$25.75 €22.15

1.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 €2.31

$3.29 €2.83

-18.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.60 €2.23

$1.66 €1.43

56.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 €2.96

$2.17 €1.87

58.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.36

$3.41 €2.93

14.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 €2.46

$1.76 €1.51

61.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 €2.41

$2.30 €1.98

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.23 €1.06

16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.92 €0.79

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 €12.13

$12.80 €11.01

10.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 €7.34

$9.05 €7.78

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 €2.75

$2.67 €2.29

19.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 €2.66

$3.41 €2.93

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.29 €1.11

82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.5

$26.15 €22.49

222.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 €4.89

$4.52 €3.89

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 €1.63

$2.45 €2.11

-22.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €50.3

$17.62 €15.16

231.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

$2.10 €1.80

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

$37.2K €32.0K

$29.8K €25.6K

24.79%

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

$37.8K €32.5K

$34.9K €30.0K

8.23%

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

$283 €243

$185 €159

52.51%

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

$22.15 €19.06

$32.03 €27.56

-30.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.37 €32.14

$39.03 €33.57

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.01 €37.86

$40.06 €34.46

9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.90

$18.44 €15.86

25.49%

Cinema Ticket

$13.87 €11.93

$11.15 €9.59

24.39%

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

$730 €628

$792 €681

-7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$4,637 €3,988

154.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €94.5

$103 €88.7

6.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 €43.47

$40.06 €34.46

26.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$85.3 €73.4

44.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €144

$82.3 €70.8

103.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$984 €846

$766 €659

28.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$713 €613

$465 €400

53.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,909 €1,642

$1,107 €952

72.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 €1,068

$734 €632

69.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,714 €5,775

$2,557 €2,200

162.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,089 €3,517

$2,097 €1,804

94.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,282 €2,824

$3,123 €2,686

5.11%

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 Pau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $984 in Lyon versus $766 in Pau. 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 5% 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 $52.0 in Pau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $434 vs $358 – making Pau 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 Pau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 34% more than Pau, 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 $2,414 in Pau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pau, 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 $1,609 in Pau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 222% less in Pau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pau, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Pau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pau costs $1,609 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 Pau. 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.