Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Perpignan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Perpignan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,173 per month in Lyon vs $1,698 in Perpignan, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,273 per month in Lyon vs $2,579 in Perpignan, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,373 per month in Lyon vs $3,459 in Perpignan, rent included.

Lyon costs about 28% more than Perpignan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Perpignan sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Perpignan by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.64

$17.18 €14.62

0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 €65.1

$73.0 €62.1

4.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €10.97

$11.70 €9.96

10.17%

Cappuccino

$3.94 €3.35

$3.06 €2.60

28.76%

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

$2.98 €2.53

$3.19 €2.72

-6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.55

$1.97 €1.68

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 €6.98

$6.77 €5.76

21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €5.96

$4.68 €3.98

49.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.26 €1.07

23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 €2.25

$2.12 €1.80

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$3.28 €2.80

-22.26%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.58

$4.11 €3.50

2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 €21.32

$12.29 €10.46

103.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.43

$11.49 €9.78

37.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.24 €21.48

$18.21 €15.50

38.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.41

$2.85 €2.42

-0.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.19

$1.59 €1.35

62.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.08

$2.86 €2.43

26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.32

$1.53 €1.30

154.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 €2.46

$2.02 €1.72

43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 €2.29

$2.58 €2.20

4.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.21

$1.72 €1.46

-16.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.62 €0.53

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.61

$13.67 €11.63

-0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 €7.12

$5.98 €5.09

39.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.59

$1.43 €1.22

113.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.61

$1.43 €1.22

114.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.13

$1.54 €1.31

62.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €71.7

$37.85 €32.21

122.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 €4.96

$2.62 €2.23

122.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.59 €1.35

14.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 €48.38

$22.95 €19.53

147.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.76

$2.02 €1.72

2.48%

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

$37.1K €31.6K

$29.8K €25.4K

24.53%

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

$36.8K €31.3K

$31.9K €27.2K

15.28%

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

$288 €245

$196 €167

46.57%

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

$22.60 €19.23

$28.44 €24.21

-20.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.86 €31.37

$25.60 €21.79

43.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.66 €37.16

$27.23 €23.17

60.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.69 €19.31

$13.41 €11.41

69.20%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 €11.99

$12.98 €11.05

8.47%

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

$735 €626

$359 €306

104.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.2K

$6,847 €5,827

75.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €92.9

$129 €109

-15.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €43.25

$41.08 €34.96

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €104

$121 €103

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$139 €118

17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 €826

$581 €495

66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €604

$547 €466

29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,914 €1,629

$921 €784

107.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,044

$845 €719

45.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,818 €5,802

$4,326 €3,681

57.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,120 €3,506

$2,508 €2,134

64.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,220 €2,740

$2,189 €1,863

47.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.85

-2.34%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Perpignan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Lyon versus $581 in Perpignan. 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 47% 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 $77 in Lyon versus $73 in Perpignan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $303 – making Perpignan 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 Perpignan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 28% more than Perpignan, 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 $3,260 per month in Lyon and $2,548 in Perpignan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perpignan, 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 $2,173 in Lyon and $1,698 in Perpignan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% less in Perpignan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Perpignan, where all-in costs run around $1,698, than in Lyon at $2,173. In Perpignan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Perpignan costs $1,698 versus $2,173 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 Perpignan. 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.