Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Seine-Saint-Denis Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Seine-Saint-Denis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,128 per month in Lyon vs $1,953 in Seine-Saint-Denis, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,264 per month in Lyon vs $2,911 in Seine-Saint-Denis, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,400 per month in Lyon vs $3,868 in Seine-Saint-Denis, rent included.

Lyon costs about 9% more than Seine-Saint-Denis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Seine-Saint-Denis sit above the global median – Lyon by 55%, Seine-Saint-Denis by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.12

$11.77 €10.13

49.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.3 €60.5

$39.87 €34.31

76.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 €12.11

$11.80 €10.15

19.32%

Cappuccino

$4.25 €3.66

$5.20 €4.47

-18.27%

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

$2.98 €2.56

$4.76 €4.10

-37.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 €1.59

$2.92 €2.51

-36.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 €6.96

$8.06 €6.93

0.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 €5.44

$7.12 €6.12

-11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 €1.39

$1.54 €1.32

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.54 €2.19

-17.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.85 €2.45

-2.46%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.06

$3.55 €3.06

32.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.38 €20.12

$24.07 €20.72

-2.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.72 €11.80

$11.77 €10.13

16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.43 €23.60

$19.87 €17.10

38.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 €2.10

$3.36 €2.89

-27.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 €2.06

$1.76 €1.52

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 €2.93

$2.97 €2.56

14.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.28 €2.82

$2.27 €1.95

44.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 €2.51

$2.03 €1.74

43.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 €2.64

$2.56 €2.21

19.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 €1.30

$1.13 €0.97

32.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 €1.05

$0.95 €0.82

28.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.55 €12.52

$15.12 €13.01

-3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.93 €7.69

$9.20 €7.92

-2.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 €2.51

$2.73 €2.35

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 €3.08

$3.91 €3.36

-8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.15

$1.99 €1.71

25.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.2 €75.0

$50.8 €43.71

71.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 €7.43

$9.52 €8.19

-9.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.47 €1.27

53.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 €37.64

$48.38 €41.63

-9.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.31 €1.99

$2.29 €1.97

0.87%

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

$35.2K €30.3K

$35.3K €30.3K

-0.21%

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

$36.3K €31.2K

$35.9K €30.9K

1.23%

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

$275 €236

$271 €233

1.32%

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

$15.34 €13.20

$17.25 €14.84

-11.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.34 €28.69

$30.50 €26.25

9.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.40 €37.35

$41.53 €35.74

4.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.48 €25.36

Cinema Ticket

$15.35 €13.21

$15.31 €13.17

0.26%

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

$652 €561

$1,885 €1,622

-65.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K €10.2K

$10.7K €9,205

10.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$121 €104

$116 €100

4.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.93 €42.10

$52.0 €44.74

-5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 €112

$125 €108

4.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €111

$163 €140

-20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 €762

$790 €680

12.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$703 €605

$637 €548

10.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 €1,584

$1,483 €1,276

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 €1,120

$1,164 €1,002

11.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,580 €5,662

$3,776 €3,250

74.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,128 €3,553

$3,196 €2,750

29.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,196 €2,750

$2,166 €1,864

47.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.27

12.54%

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

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Seine-Saint-Denis: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $886 in Lyon versus $790 in Seine-Saint-Denis. 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 48% 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 $40.00 in Seine-Saint-Denis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $375 – making Seine-Saint-Denis 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 Seine-Saint-Denis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 9% more than Seine-Saint-Denis, 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 $3,192 per month in Lyon and $2,930 in Seine-Saint-Denis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seine-Saint-Denis, 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 $2,128 in Lyon and $1,953 in Seine-Saint-Denis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Seine-Saint-Denis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Seine-Saint-Denis, where all-in costs run around $1,953, than in Lyon at $2,128. In Seine-Saint-Denis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seine-Saint-Denis costs $1,953 versus $2,128 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 Seine-Saint-Denis. 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.