Cost of Living Comparison Between Metz and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Metz and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,893 per month in Metz vs $2,086 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,875 per month in Metz vs $3,232 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,857 per month in Metz vs $4,379 in Lyon, rent included.

Metz is about 9% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Metz and Lyon sit above the global median – Metz by 38%, Lyon by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.56 €15.20

$17.03 €14.74

3.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 €58.9

$70.2 €60.8

-3.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 €9.98

$13.83 €11.97

-16.70%

Cappuccino

$3.57 €3.09

$4.36 €3.77

-18.12%

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

$4.18 €3.61

$2.86 €2.48

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 €2.22

$1.80 €1.56

42.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 €4.44

$8.32 €7.20

-38.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 €5.03

$6.42 €5.55

-9.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.60 €1.39

-28.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 €2.14

$2.08 €1.80

18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 €2.43

$2.71 €2.34

3.69%

Eggs

$4.74 €4.10

$4.64 €4.02

2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.71 €20.52

$23.52 €20.36

0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 €12.90

$13.85 €11.99

7.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.23 €19.24

$27.45 €23.76

-19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 €2.90

$2.45 €2.12

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.41 €2.09

-5.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 €2.57

$3.36 €2.91

-11.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 €3.71

$3.42 €2.96

25.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 €1.80

$2.76 €2.39

-24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 €2.23

$3.00 €2.60

-14.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 €1.67

$1.43 €1.24

34.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 €0.88

$1.21 €1.05

-15.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.21 €13.17

$14.16 €12.26

7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 €7.93

$9.02 €7.80

1.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 €2.33

$2.80 €2.42

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 €3.30

$3.60 €3.11

5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.31 €2.00

$2.48 €2.14

-6.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.0 €49.34

$84.6 €73.3

-32.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.47 €8.20

$8.27 €7.16

14.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 €1.33

$2.31 €2.00

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.80 €39.65

$42.74 €37.00

7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.84

$2.20 €1.90

-3.18%

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

$35.7K €30.9K

$36.0K €31.1K

-0.63%

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

$36.3K €31.4K

$36.6K €31.7K

-0.71%

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

$161 €140

$277 €240

-41.80%

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

$17.70 €15.32

$15.06 €13.04

17.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 €20.58

$32.15 €27.83

-26.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.89 €17.22

$44.00 €38.09

-54.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 €10.19

$28.61 €24.77

-58.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.40 €9.87

$14.80 €12.82

-22.97%

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

$1,869 €1,618

$640 €554

192.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K €23.4K

$11.8K €10.2K

129.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.3 €84.2

$120 €104

-18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.29 €20.17

$48.79 €42.24

-52.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 €83.6

$126 €109

-23.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$168 €146

$131 €114

28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 €671

$901 €780

-13.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 €632

$682 €590

7.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 €1,005

$1,862 €1,612

-37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,102 €954

$1,276 €1,104

-13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,778 €3,270

$6,541 €5,662

-42.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,043 €2,634

$4,166 €3,606

-26.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,440 €2,978

$3,170 €2,744

8.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

3.68

-11.14%

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

Last update for Metz: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $775 in Metz versus $901 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 9% higher in Metz, 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 $68.0 in Metz versus $70.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $419 – making Metz 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

Metz vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 10% more than Metz, 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 $2,839 per month in Metz and $3,129 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Metz, 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 $1,893 in Metz and $2,086 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 49% less in Metz. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Metz, where all-in costs run around $1,893, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Metz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Metz costs $1,893 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 Metz. 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.