Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Lyon, France
Phuket, Thailand
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lyon and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lyon and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,050 per month in Lyon vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Lyon $2,050
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,182 per month in Lyon vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Lyon $3,182
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,315 per month in Lyon vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Lyon $4,315
  • Phuket $3,154

Lyon costs about 60% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lyon sits 51% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.86 €15.10
$4.47 ฿151
277.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.5 €60.5
$32.41 ฿1,093
108.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.67 €12.25
$8.81 ฿297
55.16%
Cappuccino
$4.12 €3.69
$2.83 ฿95.4
45.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 €2.47
$0.87 ฿29.41
217.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 €1.48
$0.49 ฿16.65
236.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.60 €6.80
$2.56 ฿86.3
196.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.08 €5.44
$3.68 ฿124
65.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 €1.41
$1.66 ฿55.9
-5.42%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 €1.54
$1.46 ฿49.31
17.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.45 €2.20
$1.50 ฿50.5
63.33%
Eggs
$4.74 €4.25
$2.09 ฿70.5
126.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$22.95 €20.55
$19.07 ฿643
20.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.21 €10.93
$3.30 ฿111
270.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.99 €20.59
$10.91 ฿368
110.72%
Apples (1kg)
$2.41 €2.16
$2.93 ฿98.9
-17.75%
Banana (1kg)
$2.51 €2.24
$1.69 ฿57.0
48.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.43 €3.07
$2.25 ฿75.8
52.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.19 €2.85
$2.08 ฿70.0
53.37%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 €2.24
$1.51 ฿51.0
65.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.94 €2.64
$1.38 ฿46.52
113.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 €1.27
$1.07 ฿35.96
31.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.52 ฿17.51
105.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.89 €12.44
$4.20 ฿142
230.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.77 €6.96
$18.79 ฿634
-58.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.66 €2.38
$1.82 ฿61.5
46.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 €2.91
$2.84 ฿95.8
14.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.42 €2.16
$1.45 ฿48.98
66.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$82.3 €73.7
$56.7 ฿1,912
45.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.39 €7.52
$3.02 ฿102
177.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.20 €1.97
$1.02 ฿34.33
115.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.20 €36.89
$3.69 ฿125
1016.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 €1.98
$1.47 ฿49.76
50.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K €30.8K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
28.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6K €33.6K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
40.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$268 €240
$96.4 ฿3,251
177.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.01 €12.55
$11.26 ฿380
24.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.09 €26.06
$16.85 ฿568
72.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.88 €33.03
$67.2 ฿2,268
-45.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.38 €25.41
$10.73 ฿362
164.49%
Cinema Ticket
$15.33 €13.73
$7.50 ฿253
104.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$628 €563
$476 ฿16.1K
32.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.2K €10.0K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
-0.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$108 €96.5
$62.4 ฿2,104
72.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.36 €38.84
$28.41 ฿958
52.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 €109
$94.3 ฿3,181
29.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 €114
$85.8 ฿2,895
47.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$891 €798
$716 ฿24.2K
24.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$702 €629
$491 ฿16.6K
43.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,879 €1,683
$1,927 ฿65.0K
-2.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,369 €1,226
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-4.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,425 €5,755
$4,175 ฿140.9K
53.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,317 €3,866
$3,045 ฿102.7K
41.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lyon
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,069 €2,748
$502 ฿16.9K
510.99%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lyon
$702
Phuket
$491 30.1% $211
Groceries & Markets
Lyon
$385
Phuket
$266 30.8% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lyon
$311
Phuket
$124 60% $186
Eating Out
Lyon
$293
Phuket
$122 58.5% $171
Clothing & Footwear
Lyon
$180
Phuket
$122 32.3% $58
Getting Around
Lyon
$111
Phuket
$71 36.6% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Lyon
$68
Phuket
$82 21.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $891 in Lyon versus $716 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 in Lyon are about 6.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68 in Lyon versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Lyon
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
20:24 8:24 PM
02:24 2:24 AM
6 h ahead of Lyon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
522,250
79,308
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lyon Phuket 9,650 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lyon
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Lyon or Phuket?
Lyon costs about 60% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Lyon and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,075 per month in Lyon and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Lyon or Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $891 in Lyon.
How much does it cost to live in Lyon compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,050 in Lyon and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 38% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Lyon compared to Phuket?
Public transport costs about 31% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Lyon or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Lyon at $2,050. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lyon or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,278 versus $2,050 in Lyon. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Lyon compared to Phuket?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Lyon or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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