Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Saint-Etienne Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Saint-Etienne

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,539 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,306 per month in Lyon vs $2,280 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Lyon vs $3,022 in Saint-Etienne, rent included.

Lyon costs about 40% more than Saint-Etienne, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Saint-Etienne sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Saint-Etienne by 15%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.10

$16.66 €14.59

3.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €65.7

$46.79 €40.98

60.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 €11.18

$13.22 €11.58

-3.40%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.38

$2.08 €1.83

85.58%

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

$2.98 €2.61

$2.68 €2.35

11.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.13 €0.99

57.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €6.94

$4.07 €3.57

94.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.13

$4.67 €4.09

49.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.34

$1.23 €1.08

24.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.23

$1.18 €1.04

116.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.70 €2.37

-5.19%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.69

$3.55 €3.11

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.28 €21.27

$18.41 €16.12

31.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.82

$15.25 €13.36

3.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.54 €22.37

$20.56 €18.01

24.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.37

$3.23 €2.83

-16.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.18 €1.91

17.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.17

$2.60 €2.28

39.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.43

$3.38 €2.96

15.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.44

$2.32 €2.03

20.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$2.70 €2.37

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.25

$1.62 €1.42

-12.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.36 €0.32

136.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.23

$12.97 €11.36

7.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.11

$7.98 €6.99

1.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.70

$3.12 €2.73

-0.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.84

$3.84 €3.36

-15.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.08

$1.63 €1.43

45.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €73.0

$47.62 €41.70

74.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.92

$5.34 €4.67

5.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.76 €1.55

7.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 €50.8

$33.74 €29.55

72.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.76

$2.11 €1.85

-4.74%

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

$37.7K €33.0K

$37.3K €32.7K

0.97%

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

$37.9K €33.2K

$37.7K €33.0K

0.48%

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

$285 €249

$123 €107

132.24%

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

$22.33 €19.56

$27.99 €24.51

-20.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.28 €32.65

$33.21 €29.09

12.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.26 €38.76

$31.28 €27.40

41.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.98 €20.13

$7.10 €6.22

223.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €12.21

$10.45 €9.15

33.40%

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

$739 €647

$788 €690

-6.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.6K

$8,225 €7,203

47.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.9

$79.5 €69.6

37.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 €44.54

$45.14 €39.53

12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €105

$86.7 €75.9

37.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €144

$115 €101

42.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 €839

$576 €504

66.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 €603

$452 €396

52.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,725

$907 €794

117.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,071

$704 €616

73.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,652 €5,826

$1,754 €1,537

279.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,985 €3,490

$1,676 €1,467

137.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,784

$2,281 €1,998

39.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.64

3.30%

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

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Last update for Saint-Etienne: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $958 in Lyon versus $576 in Saint-Etienne. 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 39% 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 $75.0 in Lyon versus $47.00 in Saint-Etienne. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $361 – making Saint-Etienne 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 Saint-Etienne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 40% more than Saint-Etienne, 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 $3,232 per month in Lyon and $2,308 in Saint-Etienne. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Etienne, 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 $2,155 in Lyon and $1,539 in Saint-Etienne. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Saint-Etienne. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Etienne, where all-in costs run around $1,539, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Saint-Etienne it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saint-Etienne costs $1,539 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 Saint-Etienne. 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.