Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Waterloo Cost of Living Comparison Between Lyon and Waterloo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,086 per month in Lyon vs $2,390 in Waterloo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,232 per month in Lyon vs $3,323 in Waterloo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,379 per month in Lyon vs $4,255 in Waterloo, rent included.

Lyon is about 13% cheaper than Waterloo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lyon and Waterloo sit above the global median – Lyon by 52%, Waterloo by 75%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.03 €14.84

$23.40 €20.40

-27.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 €61.2

$102 €89.0

-31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.05

$15.86 €13.82

-12.80%

Cappuccino

$4.36 €3.80

$4.64 €4.04

-6.03%

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

$2.86 €2.50

$3.63 €3.16

-21.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 €1.57

$3.21 €2.80

-43.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.32 €7.25

$5.70 €4.97

45.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 €5.59

$5.63 €4.90

14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 €1.40

$1.40 €1.22

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.81

$2.89 €2.52

-28.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 €2.36

$2.23 €1.94

21.52%

Eggs

$4.64 €4.05

$4.23 €3.69

9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.52 €20.50

$17.71 €15.44

32.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.85 €12.08

$12.95 €11.29

6.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.45 €23.92

$19.83 €17.29

38.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 €2.14

$2.91 €2.53

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 €2.10

$2.52 €2.20

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.36 €2.93

$2.90 €2.53

15.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 €2.98

$2.89 €2.51

18.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.41

$2.23 €1.94

23.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.00 €2.62

$2.05 €1.79

46.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.37 €1.19

4.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.06

$1.08 €0.95

12.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 €12.34

$13.63 €11.88

3.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 €7.86

$9.20 €8.02

-1.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.80 €2.44

$2.06 €1.80

35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.14

$2.55 €2.23

41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 €2.16

$3.48 €3.04

-28.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 €73.8

$52.0 €45.30

62.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 €7.21

$3.07 €2.67

169.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 €2.01

$2.32 €2.02

-0.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.74 €37.26

$40.90 €35.65

4.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 €1.92

$2.08 €1.81

5.77%

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

$36.0K €31.4K

$36.0K €31.3K

0.04%

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

$36.6K €31.9K

$34.4K €30.0K

6.32%

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

$277 €242

$226 €197

22.65%

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

$15.06 €13.13

$22.35 €19.48

-32.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.15 €28.02

$51.0 €44.47

-36.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.00 €38.35

$32.21 €28.08

36.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.61 €24.94

$19.14 €16.69

49.48%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 €12.90

$16.19 €14.11

-8.59%

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

$640 €558

$800 €697

-20.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K €10.2K

$27.7K €24.2K

-57.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$120 €104

$106 €92.6

12.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.79 €42.53

$48.33 €42.13

0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 €110

$111 €96.9

13.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 €114

$145 €126

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 €785

$1,074 €936

-16.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 €594

$1,051 €916

-35.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 €1,624

$1,456 €1,269

27.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 €1,112

$1,277 €1,113

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,541 €5,702

$4,148 €3,615

57.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,166 €3,631

$3,306 €2,881

26.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,170 €2,763

$2,510 €2,188

26.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.68

3.78

-2.65%

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

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Last update for Waterloo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $901 in Lyon versus $1,074 in Waterloo. 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 26% higher in Lyon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Lyon versus $102 in Waterloo. Groceries tell a different story – $419 in Lyon vs $365 in Waterloo – so Waterloo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Waterloo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo costs about 15% more than Lyon, 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 $3,129 per month in Lyon and $3,585 in Waterloo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, 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 $2,390 in Waterloo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,086, than in Waterloo at $2,390. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waterloo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,086 versus $2,390 in Waterloo. 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 Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Waterloo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.