Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Valence Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Valence

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $1,543 in Valence, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $2,316 in Valence, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $3,089 in Valence, rent included.

Lyon costs about 35% more than Valence, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Lyon and Valence sit above the global median – Lyon by 52%, Valence by 13%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.74

$13.87 €12.01

22.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €60.8

$39.62 €34.30

77.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €11.97

$10.08 €8.73

37.20%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.77

$3.79 €3.28

15.04%

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

$2.86 €2.48

$3.04 €2.63

-5.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.56

$2.00 €1.73

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.20

$5.73 €4.96

45.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.55

$4.52 €3.91

42.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.39

$1.19 €1.03

34.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.80

$1.17 €1.02

77.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$2.36 €2.04

14.83%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.02

$4.10 €3.55

13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.36

$19.23 €16.64

22.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €11.99

$14.48 €12.54

-4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.76

$25.88 €22.41

6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.12

$3.10 €2.68

-20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.09

$2.54 €2.20

-5.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.91

$2.54 €2.20

32.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.96

$4.19 €3.63

-18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.39

$2.57 €2.22

7.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.60

$3.09 €2.68

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.24

$1.77 €1.53

-19.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.05

$0.22 €0.19

450.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.26

$14.47 €12.52

-2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.80

$3.37 €2.91

167.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.42

$3.83 €3.31

-26.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.11

$2.88 €2.49

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.14

$1.66 €1.44

49.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.3

$22.87 €19.79

270.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.16

$5.35 €4.63

54.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.00

$1.74 €1.51

32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.00

$34.45 €29.83

24.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.90

$2.15 €1.86

2.33%

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

$36.0K €31.1K

$35.1K €30.4K

2.50%

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

$36.6K €31.7K

$36.0K €31.2K

1.52%

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

$277 €240

$144 €125

92.62%

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

$15.06 €13.04

$11.40 €9.87

32.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €27.83

$28.49 €24.66

12.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.09

$27.97 €24.21

57.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.77

$17.58 €15.22

62.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.82

$14.70 €12.72

0.68%

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

$640 €554

$772 €668

-17.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$13.6K €11.7K

-13.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$80.4 €69.6

49.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.24

$50.4 €43.65

-3.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €109

$109 €94.0

16.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$183 €159

-28.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €780

$546 €473

65.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €590

$454 €393

49.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,612

$819 €709

127.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,104

$704 €609

81.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,662

$3,222 €2,789

103.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,606

$2,803 €2,426

48.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,744

$2,684 €2,324

18.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.81

-3.41%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Valence: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $546 in Valence. 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 18% 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 Valence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $374 – making Valence 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 Valence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 35% more than Valence, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,129 per month in Lyon and $2,314 in Valence. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valence, 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 $2,086 in Lyon and $1,543 in Valence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 270% less in Valence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Valence, where all-in costs run around $1,543, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Valence it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Valence costs $1,543 versus $2,086 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 Valence. 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.