Cost of Living Comparison Between Nantes and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Nantes and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,927 per month in Nantes vs $2,086 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,924 per month in Nantes vs $3,232 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,921 per month in Nantes vs $4,379 in Lyon, rent included.

Nantes is about 8% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nantes and Lyon sit above the global median – Nantes by 41%, Lyon by 52%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €14.87

$17.03 €14.74

0.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 €50.7

$70.2 €60.8

-16.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.50 €9.95

$13.83 €11.97

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$3.85 €3.33

$4.36 €3.77

-11.70%

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

$3.15 €2.72

$2.86 €2.48

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.45

$1.80 €1.56

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 €6.94

$8.32 €7.20

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 €4.23

$6.42 €5.55

-23.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 €1.05

$1.60 €1.39

-24.38%

White Bread (500g)

$4.05 €3.51

$2.08 €1.80

94.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.24 €2.80

$2.71 €2.34

19.56%

Eggs

$3.87 €3.35

$4.64 €4.02

-16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.66 €23.08

$23.52 €20.36

13.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 €10.90

$13.85 €11.99

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.48 €14.27

$27.45 €23.76

-39.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 €2.80

$2.45 €2.12

31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.73 €2.37

$2.41 €2.09

13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 €2.60

$3.36 €2.91

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 €2.70

$3.42 €2.96

-8.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 €1.63

$2.76 €2.39

-31.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 €1.69

$3.00 €2.60

-35.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.43 €1.24

-1.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 €0.59

$1.21 €1.05

-43.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.13 €13.09

$14.16 €12.26

6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.00 €6.06

$9.02 €7.80

-22.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 €3.11

$2.80 €2.42

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 €2.51

$3.60 €3.11

-19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 €1.76

$2.48 €2.14

-17.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 €54.7

$84.6 €73.3

-25.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.08

$8.27 €7.16

-29.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 €2.53

$2.31 €2.00

26.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.33 €32.32

$42.74 €37.00

-12.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 €1.85

$2.20 €1.90

-3.18%

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

$36.3K €31.4K

$36.0K €31.1K

0.83%

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

$36.8K €31.9K

$36.6K €31.7K

0.66%

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

$170 €147

$277 €240

-38.86%

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

$14.86 €12.87

$15.06 €13.04

-1.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.53 €28.16

$32.15 €27.83

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.89 €21.55

$44.00 €38.09

-43.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.52 €3.92

$28.61 €24.77

-84.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 €12.02

$14.80 €12.82

-6.22%

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

$1,109 €960

$640 €554

73.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.6K €16.9K

$11.8K €10.2K

66.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$128 €111

$120 €104

7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.76 €30.96

$48.79 €42.24

-26.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 €82.0

$126 €109

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 €121

$131 €114

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 €731

$901 €780

-6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 €601

$682 €590

1.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 €1,459

$1,862 €1,612

-9.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,100

$1,276 €1,104

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,188 €4,491

$6,541 €5,662

-20.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,780 €3,272

$4,166 €3,606

-9.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,925 €2,532

$3,170 €2,744

-7.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

3.68

5.71%

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

Last update for Nantes: September 13, 2026

Last update for Lyon: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Nantes 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 8% higher in Lyon, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Nantes versus $70.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $419 – making Nantes 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

Nantes vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 8% more than Nantes, 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 $2,890 per month in Nantes 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 Nantes, 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 $1,927 in Nantes 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 34% less in Nantes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nantes, where all-in costs run around $1,927, than in Lyon at $2,086. In Nantes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nantes costs $1,927 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 Nantes. 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.