Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marseille and Lyon

For one person, living costs are similar in Marseille and in Lyon: $2,045 and $2,022 a month, rent and utilities included.

98

Cost of Living Index in Marseille
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Marseille Living Index
97

Cost of Living Index in Lyon
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Lyon Living Index

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Marseille

🇫🇷 France

$2,045

/mo nomad

Lyon

🇫🇷 France

$2,022

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Marseille and in Lyon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Marseille and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,045 per month in Marseille vs $2,022 in Lyon, rent included.

Marseille $2,045
Lyon $2,022

A couple spends around $3,211 per month in Marseille vs $3,156 in Lyon, rent included.

Marseille $3,211
Lyon $3,156

A family of three spends $4,377 per month in Marseille vs $4,290 in Lyon, rent included.

Marseille $4,377
Lyon $4,290

Marseille and Lyon have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Marseille and Lyon sit above the global median – Marseille by 51%, Lyon by 50%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.01 €15.11

$17.07 €15.17

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 €64.8

$68.0 €60.4

7.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.56 €12.05

$13.52 €12.01

0.30%

Cappuccino

$3.49 €3.10

$4.00 €3.55

-12.75%

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

$3.14 €2.79

$2.74 €2.43

14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 €1.73

$1.73 €1.54

12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.88 €6.11

$7.76 €6.89

-11.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.57 €5.83

$6.18 €5.49

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 €1.13

$1.51 €1.34

-15.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 €2.21

$1.71 €1.52

45.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 €2.72

$2.60 €2.31

17.69%

Eggs

$4.84 €4.30

$4.60 €4.09

5.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.99 €23.97

$22.55 €20.03

19.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.46 €12.85

$12.44 €11.05

16.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.82 €23.82

$23.01 €20.44

16.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 €3.35

$2.40 €2.13

57.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.46 €2.19

$2.49 €2.21

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 €4.10

$3.52 €3.13

31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 €3.49

$3.03 €2.70

29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 €2.73

$2.46 €2.19

24.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 €2.14

$2.95 €2.62

-18.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 €1.73

$1.30 €1.15

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 €1.21

$1.12 €1.00

22.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 €12.35

$13.81 €12.27

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 €8.12

$7.84 €6.97

16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.85

$2.73 €2.42

17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 €3.94

$3.34 €2.97

32.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 €1.83

$2.30 €2.04

-10.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.50 €40.42

$81.7 €72.6

-44.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 €2.35

$3.37 €2.99

-21.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 €1.13

$2.26 €2.00

-43.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.57 €35.15

$46.12 €40.97

-14.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 €2.04

$2.28 €2.02

0.88%

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

$34.3K €30.5K

$34.9K €31.0K

-1.56%

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

$38.9K €34.5K

$37.5K €33.3K

3.59%

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

$189 €168

$263 €234

-27.97%

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

$17.74 €15.76

$14.04 €12.47

26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.34 €32.28

$29.06 €25.81

25.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.07 €31.16

$37.96 €33.72

-7.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.55 €25.36

$28.03 €24.90

1.86%

Cinema Ticket

$14.60 €12.97

$14.92 €13.25

-2.14%

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

$862 €766

$629 €559

36.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K €10.1K

$12.3K €10.9K

-7.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.8 €81.5

$108 €96.2

-15.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €47.24

$43.76 €38.87

21.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 €105

$121 €107

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 €135

$128 €114

19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$852 €756

$922 €819

-7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$745 €662

$684 €608

8.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 €1,516

$1,910 €1,697

-10.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,408 €1,251

$1,358 €1,206

3.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,121 €4,549

$6,450 €5,729

-20.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,430 €3,047

$4,230 €3,757

-18.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,637 €2,342

$3,268 €2,903

-19.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.91

3.68

6.25%

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

Last update for Marseille: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lyon: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Marseille

$745 36.4%

Lyon

$684 33.8% 8.2% $61

Groceries & Markets

Marseille

$456 22.3%

Lyon

$384 19% 15.8% $72

Eating Out

Marseille

$287 14%

Lyon

$294 14.6% 2.7% $7.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Marseille

$244 11.9%

Lyon

$306 15.1% 25.7% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Marseille

$187 9.1%

Lyon

$180 8.9% 3.5% $6.5

Sport & Entertainment

Marseille

$64 3.1%

Lyon

$68 3.4% 5.5% $3.5

Getting Around

Marseille

$63 3.1%

Lyon

$106 5.2% 68.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $852 in Marseille versus $922 in Lyon. 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 24% higher in Lyon. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $73 in Marseille versus $68 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $456 vs $384 – making Lyon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇫🇷 Marseille

🇫🇷 Lyon

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

Same time as Marseille

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

873,076

522,250

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.13 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Marseille Lyon 280 km

From you

Marseille
Lyon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Marseille vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,067 per month in Marseille and $3,033 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $852 in Marseille and $922 in Lyon. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Marseille, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $862 per month in Marseille and $629 in Lyon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,045 in Marseille and $2,022 in Lyon. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,022 versus $2,045 in Marseille. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.