Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Lyon costs about 69% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lyon sits 52% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.84

$4.41 ฿147

286.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €61.2

$32.26 ฿1,077

117.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.05

$8.93 ฿298

54.87%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.80

$2.90 ฿96.6

50.34%

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

$2.86 €2.50

$0.88 ฿29.38

225.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$0.48 ฿16.06

275.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.25

$2.35 ฿78.5

254.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$3.72 ฿124

72.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.87 ฿62.3

-14.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$1.47 ฿48.94

41.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$1.55 ฿51.8

74.84%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.05

$2.10 ฿70.1

120.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.50

$19.59 ฿654

20.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €12.08

$3.42 ฿114

304.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.92

$11.38 ฿380

141.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.98 ฿99.6

-17.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$1.68 ฿56.2

43.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.21 ฿73.7

52.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$2.16 ฿72.1

58.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$1.52 ฿50.9

81.58%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$1.34 ฿44.67

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.13 ฿37.67

26.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$0.55 ฿18.24

120.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.34

$4.26 ฿142

232.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.86

$19.09 ฿637

-52.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.44

$1.78 ฿59.4

57.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.14

$2.78 ฿92.9

29.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.16

$2.23 ฿74.4

11.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.8

$22.74 ฿759

272.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$3.03 ฿101

172.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$1.02 ฿34.15

126.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.26

$3.89 ฿130

998.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.49 ฿49.77

47.65%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

35.33%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

35.28%

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

$277 €242

$102 ฿3,420

170.61%

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

$15.06 €13.13

$11.33 ฿378

32.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €28.02

$17.40 ฿581

84.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.35

$52.1 ฿1,738

-15.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.94

$11.07 ฿370

158.45%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.90

$7.69 ฿257

92.46%

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

$640 €558

$561 ฿18.7K

14.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$63.0 ฿2,104

90.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.53

$29.52 ฿986

65.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$98.0 ฿3,272

28.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$88.5 ฿2,954

48.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €785

$738 ฿24.6K

22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €594

$482 ฿16.1K

41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,624

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,112

$1,226 ฿40.9K

4.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,702

$3,617 ฿120.7K

80.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,631

$2,603 ฿86.9K

60.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,763

$494 ฿16.5K

542.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

5.57

-33.93%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $738 in Phuket. 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 542% 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 $70.0 in Lyon versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $274 – making Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 69% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,129 per month in Lyon and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, 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 $2,086 in Lyon and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 272% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,086 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 Phuket. 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.