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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Lyon vs $1,565 in Valence, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,306 per month in Lyon vs $2,401 in Valence, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,456 per month in Lyon vs $3,238 in Valence, rent included.

Lyon costs about 38% more than Valence, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Valence sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Valence by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.24 €15.06

$14.59 €12.74

18.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.1 €65.6

$58.6 €51.2

28.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.77 €11.15

$11.63 €10.16

9.80%

Cappuccino

$3.86 €3.38

$2.81 €2.46

37.37%

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

$2.98 €2.61

$2.67 €2.33

11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.90 €1.66

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 €6.92

$5.74 €5.02

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €6.11

$4.77 €4.17

46.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.33

$1.19 €1.04

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 €2.22

$1.13 €0.98

125.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 €2.23

$2.37 €2.07

8.02%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.68

$4.17 €3.64

0.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.28 €21.22

$18.59 €16.24

30.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.79

$15.26 €13.33

3.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.54 €22.32

$25.77 €22.52

-0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$3.11 €2.72

-12.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.56 €2.24

$2.24 €1.96

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.16

$2.57 €2.24

40.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.42

$4.05 €3.54

-3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 €2.44

$2.33 €2.04

19.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 €2.49

$2.73 €2.39

4.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.24

$1.63 €1.42

-12.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.22 €0.19

286.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.96 €12.20

$12.82 €11.20

8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 €7.09

$3.50 €3.06

132.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 €2.70

$3.05 €2.66

1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.83

$3.97 €3.47

-18.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.64 €1.43

44.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$83.3 €72.8

$49.85 €43.55

67.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.91

$5.14 €4.49

9.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 €1.65

$1.84 €1.61

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.0 €50.7

$33.14 €28.95

75.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.75

$2.00 €1.75

0.50%

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

$37.7K €32.9K

$37.5K €32.7K

0.50%

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

$37.9K €33.1K

$39.0K €34.1K

-2.82%

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

$285 €249

$146 €127

95.37%

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

$22.33 €19.51

$11.37 €9.94

96.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.28 €32.57

$28.56 €24.95

30.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.26 €38.67

$22.14 €19.35

99.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.98 €20.08

$18.24 €15.94

25.99%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 €12.18

$14.00 €12.23

-0.43%

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

$739 €645

$793 €693

-6.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K €10.6K

$8,012 €7,000

51.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$110 €95.7

$99.9 €87.2

9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 €44.44

$44.27 €38.68

14.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 €104

$105 €91.7

13.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 €144

$179 €156

-8.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 €837

$556 €486

72.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 €602

$462 €404

49.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,969 €1,720

$797 €696

147.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,069

$698 €610

75.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,652 €5,812

$3,230 €2,822

105.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,985 €3,482

$2,754 €2,406

44.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,179 €2,778

$2,645 €2,311

20.19%

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 Valence: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $958 in Lyon versus $556 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 20% 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 $59.0 in Valence. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $427 vs $370 – 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 38% more than Valence, 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 $2,347 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 $2,155 in Lyon and $1,565 in Valence. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% 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 $1,565, than in Lyon at $2,155. 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 $1,565 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 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.