Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $2,152 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,300 per month in Lyon vs $2,927 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,445 per month in Lyon vs $3,703 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison have comparable living costs — the differences are in the details.

Both Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Rueil-Malmaison by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 €15.01

$20.06 €17.11

-12.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.2 €65.0

$48.15 €41.07

58.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.57 €10.72

$11.69 €9.97

7.53%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.29

$3.36 €2.87

14.58%

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

$2.91 €2.49

$2.72 €2.32

6.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.52

$1.80 €1.53

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.00 €6.83

$6.82 €5.82

17.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.87 €5.86

$5.92 €5.05

16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.26 €1.07

18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 €2.14

$1.79 €1.53

40.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 €2.29

$2.63 €2.25

1.90%

Eggs

$4.15 €3.54

$4.08 €3.48

1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.90 €21.24

$19.29 €16.46

29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.08 €13.71

$13.50 €11.52

19.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.53 €21.78

$20.88 €17.81

22.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.42

$3.02 €2.57

-6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 €2.15

$2.21 €1.88

14.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.09

$2.67 €2.28

35.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 €3.34

$3.62 €3.09

8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 €2.39

$2.17 €1.86

29.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 €2.34

$2.59 €2.21

6.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.25

$1.52 €1.30

-3.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.78

$0.66 €0.56

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 €11.78

$13.65 €11.64

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 €7.50

$7.62 €6.50

15.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$2.62 €2.23

22.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

$3.34 €2.85

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.41 €2.06

$1.92 €1.64

25.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.8 €72.3

$49.81 €42.49

70.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 €4.86

$4.58 €3.91

24.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$1.67 €1.42

8.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.1 €49.59

$36.33 €30.99

60.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 €1.70

$2.06 €1.76

-2.91%

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

$37.3K €31.8K

0.05%

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

$36.8K €31.4K

$37.9K €32.3K

-2.78%

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

$289 €246

$197 €168

46.61%

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

$22.27 €18.99

$23.32 €19.89

-4.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.85 €31.43

$32.59 €27.80

13.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.82 €38.23

$37.11 €31.65

20.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 €19.93

$18.26 €15.57

27.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.66 €11.65

$14.17 €12.08

-3.60%

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

$731 €623

$771 €658

-5.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.0K

$8,603 €7,339

36.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €96.1

$104 €88.7

8.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 €43.78

$39.30 €33.53

30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €105

$89.3 €76.2

38.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$140 €120

15.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 €839

$1,075 €917

-8.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €605

$898 €766

-21.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,966 €1,677

$1,377 €1,175

42.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,216 €1,038

$1,105 €942

10.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,903 €5,888

$6,917 €5,900

-0.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,115 €3,510

$3,070 €2,618

34.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,685

$3,358 €2,865

-6.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.63

3.58%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 20, 2026

Last update for Rueil-Malmaison: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $983 in Lyon versus $1,075 in Rueil-Malmaison. 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 7% higher in Rueil-Malmaison. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Lyon versus $48 in Rueil-Malmaison. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $433 vs $363 – making Rueil-Malmaison 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 Rueil-Malmaison: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,232 per month in Lyon and $3,228 in Rueil-Malmaison. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rueil-Malmaison, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Lyon, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $731 per month in Lyon and $771 in Rueil-Malmaison. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rueil-Malmaison, where all-in costs run around $2,152, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Rueil-Malmaison it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rueil-Malmaison costs $2,152 versus $2,155 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 Rueil-Malmaison. 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.