Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Valenciennes Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Valenciennes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,173 per month in Lyon vs $1,557 in Valenciennes, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,273 per month in Lyon vs $2,539 in Valenciennes, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,373 per month in Lyon vs $3,521 in Valenciennes, rent included.

Lyon costs about 40% more than Valenciennes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Valenciennes sit above the global median – Lyon by 61%, Valenciennes by 16%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.20 €14.64

$15.43 €13.13

11.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 €65.1

$62.5 €53.2

22.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 €10.97

$12.83 €10.92

0.47%

Cappuccino

$3.94 €3.35

$2.36 €2.01

66.95%

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

$2.98 €2.53

$1.69 €1.44

76.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 €1.55

$1.13 €0.96

61.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 €6.98

$4.50 €3.83

82.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 €5.96

$3.55 €3.02

97.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 €1.32

$1.32 €1.12

17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 €2.25

$1.69 €1.43

56.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.55 €2.17

$1.80 €1.53

41.67%

Eggs

$4.21 €3.58

$3.42 €2.91

23.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.06 €21.32

$14.21 €12.09

76.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 €13.43

$13.37 €11.38

18.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.24 €21.48

$23.63 €20.11

6.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.41

$2.55 €2.17

11.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.58 €2.19

$2.23 €1.90

15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 €3.08

$2.36 €2.01

53.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.32

$3.14 €2.67

24.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 €2.46

$1.99 €1.69

45.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 €2.29

$1.64 €1.39

64.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.21

$1.50 €1.28

-4.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 €0.77

$0.22 €0.19

309.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.65 €11.61

$12.79 €10.89

6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 €7.12

$4.66 €3.97

79.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 €2.59

$2.32 €1.97

31.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 €2.61

$3.06 €2.60

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 €2.13

$1.82 €1.55

37.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €71.7

$49.35 €42.00

70.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 €4.96

$2.61 €2.22

122.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 €1.55

$0.97 €0.83

87.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$56.9 €48.38

$27.34 €23.26

107.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.07 €1.76

$2.09 €1.78

-0.96%

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

$37.1K €31.6K

$38.2K €32.5K

-2.81%

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

$36.8K €31.3K

0.01%

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

$288 €245

$193 €164

49.23%

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

$22.60 €19.23

$16.85 €14.34

34.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.86 €31.37

$23.22 €19.76

58.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.66 €37.16

$28.05 €23.87

55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.69 €19.31

$18.42 €15.67

23.18%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 €11.99

$14.43 €12.28

-2.43%

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

$735 €626

$346 €294

112.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K €10.2K

$8,568 €7,291

40.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €92.9

$88.8 €75.6

22.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 €43.25

$34.08 €29.00

49.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 €104

$86.2 €73.3

42.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 €139

$106 €89.9

54.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$971 €826

$459 €390

111.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 €604

$504 €429

40.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,914 €1,629

$1,121 €954

70.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 €1,044

$1,072 €913

14.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,818 €5,802

$2,812 €2,393

142.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,120 €3,506

$2,288 €1,947

80.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,220 €2,740

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.76

3.69

1.90%

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

Last update for Lyon: April 13, 2026

Last update for Valenciennes: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $971 in Lyon versus $459 in Valenciennes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77 in Lyon versus $63 in Valenciennes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $328 – making Valenciennes 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 Valenciennes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 40% more than Valenciennes, 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 $3,260 per month in Lyon and $2,335 in Valenciennes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valenciennes, 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 $2,173 in Lyon and $1,557 in Valenciennes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Valenciennes, where all-in costs run around $1,557, than in Lyon at $2,173. In Valenciennes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Valenciennes costs $1,557 versus $2,173 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 Valenciennes. 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.