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 $2,194 per month in Lyon vs $2,120 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,343 per month in Lyon vs $2,925 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,493 per month in Lyon vs $3,729 in Rueil-Malmaison, rent included.

Lyon costs about 3% more than Rueil-Malmaison, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Rueil-Malmaison sit above the global median – Lyon by 64%, Rueil-Malmaison by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.10 €14.98

$19.57 €17.14

-12.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 €66.4

$46.97 €41.15

61.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 €11.37

$11.60 €10.16

11.81%

Cappuccino

$3.83 €3.36

$3.46 €3.03

10.69%

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

$2.82 €2.47

$2.78 €2.44

1.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 €1.62

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 €7.31

$6.80 €5.96

22.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 €5.97

$5.93 €5.19

14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 €1.31

$1.25 €1.10

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 €2.30

$1.80 €1.58

45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.64 €2.32

$2.56 €2.24

3.13%

Eggs

$4.19 €3.67

$4.06 €3.56

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.35 €21.34

$19.02 €16.66

28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.77 €13.82

$13.74 €12.04

14.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.22 €22.09

$20.71 €18.15

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 €2.41

$3.13 €2.74

-12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.17

$2.19 €1.92

13.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 €3.16

$2.68 €2.35

34.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 €3.49

$3.66 €3.21

8.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 €2.53

$2.17 €1.90

33.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 €2.39

$2.58 €2.26

5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 €1.29

$1.55 €1.36

-5.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.81

$0.68 €0.59

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.13 €12.38

$13.64 €11.95

3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 €7.19

$7.06 €6.19

16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 €2.78

$2.72 €2.38

16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 €2.82

$3.48 €3.05

-7.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 €2.15

$1.94 €1.70

26.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.1 €73.7

$49.25 €43.15

70.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 €5.03

$4.67 €4.09

22.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 €1.62

$1.69 €1.48

9.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.5 €51.2

$36.65 €32.11

59.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.84

$2.09 €1.83

0.48%

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

$38.2K €33.5K

$37.0K €32.4K

3.31%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$36.9K €32.3K

2.73%

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

$284 €248

$192 €168

47.43%

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

$22.13 €19.39

$22.92 €20.08

-3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.77 €32.21

$32.19 €28.20

14.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.62 €38.21

$37.47 €32.83

16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.02 €20.16

$17.97 €15.74

28.10%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 €12.31

$13.70 €12.00

2.55%

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

$742 €650

$766 €671

-3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.5K

$8,659 €7,587

38.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €96.5

$103 €90.6

6.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 €44.44

$38.87 €34.05

30.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 €106

$90.2 €79.1

34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 €141

$138 €121

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$962 €843

$1,062 €931

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 €606

$914 €801

-24.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,895 €1,660

$1,411 €1,236

34.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 €1,082

$1,098 €962

12.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,596 €5,779

$6,665 €5,840

-1.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,036 €3,536

$3,097 €2,713

30.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,156 €2,765

$3,190 €2,794

-1.07%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Rueil-Malmaison: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $962 in Lyon versus $1,062 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 1% higher in Rueil-Malmaison, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Lyon versus $47.00 in Rueil-Malmaison. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 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

Lyon costs about 3% more than Rueil-Malmaison, 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 $3,291 per month in Lyon and $3,181 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,194 in Lyon and $2,120 in Rueil-Malmaison. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Rueil-Malmaison. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rueil-Malmaison, where all-in costs run around $2,120, than in Lyon at $2,194. 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 $2,120 versus $2,194 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.