Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanterre and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanterre and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,806 per month in Nanterre vs $2,194 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,796 per month in Nanterre vs $3,343 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,787 per month in Nanterre vs $4,493 in Lyon, rent included.

Nanterre is about 18% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nanterre and Lyon sit above the global median – Nanterre by 35%, Lyon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.13 €8.00

$17.10 €14.98

-46.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 €62.2

$75.7 €66.4

-6.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 €11.95

$12.97 €11.37

5.17%

Cappuccino

$2.93 €2.57

$3.83 €3.36

-23.50%

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

$1.75 €1.53

$2.82 €2.47

-37.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.04

$1.85 €1.62

-35.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 €7.17

$8.34 €7.31

-1.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 €7.00

$6.81 €5.97

17.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 €1.19

$1.50 €1.31

-9.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 €1.78

$2.62 €2.30

-22.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 €1.85

$2.64 €2.32

-20.08%

Eggs

$4.94 €4.33

$4.19 €3.67

17.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.09 €22.86

$24.35 €21.34

7.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.67 €11.98

$15.77 €13.82

-13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 €17.33

$25.22 €22.09

-21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 €2.52

$2.75 €2.41

4.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 €2.00

$2.48 €2.17

-8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.55 €3.11

$3.61 €3.16

-1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 €3.43

$3.98 €3.49

-1.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.72

$2.89 €2.53

-32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 €2.08

$2.72 €2.39

-12.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.56

$1.47 €1.29

21.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.75

$0.92 €0.81

-7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.31 €13.41

$14.13 €12.38

8.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.68 €5.85

$8.20 €7.19

-18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.50

$3.17 €2.78

-45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 €1.49

$3.22 €2.82

-47.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 €1.69

$2.46 €2.15

-21.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.99 €42.92

$84.1 €73.7

-41.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.68 €4.10

$5.74 €5.03

-18.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 €1.38

$1.85 €1.62

-14.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.80 €24.36

$58.5 €51.2

-52.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.91

$2.10 €1.84

4.29%

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

$22.7K €19.9K

$38.2K €33.5K

-40.60%

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

$32.9K €28.8K

$37.9K €33.2K

-13.27%

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

$247 €217

$284 €248

-12.84%

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

$13.13 €11.51

$22.13 €19.39

-40.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.67 €22.49

$36.77 €32.21

-30.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 €32.87

$43.62 €38.21

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 €16.08

$23.02 €20.16

-20.29%

Cinema Ticket

$12.80 €11.21

$14.05 €12.31

-8.90%

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

$888 €778

$742 €650

19.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,718 €7,638

$12.0K €10.5K

-27.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 €75.6

$110 €96.5

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 €42.09

$50.7 €44.44

-5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €80.8

$121 €106

-24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 €120

$161 €141

-15.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 €669

$962 €843

-20.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 €531

$692 €606

-12.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 €1,198

$1,895 €1,660

-27.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,097 €961

$1,235 €1,082

-11.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,535 €6,601

$6,596 €5,779

14.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,069 €5,317

$4,036 €3,536

50.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,070 €3,565

$3,156 €2,765

28.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

3.76

-5.59%

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

Last update for Nanterre: July 19, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Nanterre versus $962 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 29% higher in Nanterre, 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 $71.0 in Nanterre versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $429 – making Nanterre 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

Nanterre vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 22% more than Nanterre, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,708 per month in Nanterre and $3,291 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanterre, 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 $1,806 in Nanterre and $2,194 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Nanterre. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanterre, where all-in costs run around $1,806, than in Lyon at $2,194. In Nanterre it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nanterre costs $1,806 versus $2,194 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 Nanterre. 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.