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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,952 per month in Nantes vs $2,194 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,054 per month in Nantes vs $3,343 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,155 per month in Nantes vs $4,493 in Lyon, rent included.

Nantes is about 11% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nantes and Lyon sit above the global median – Nantes by 46%, Lyon by 64%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.08 €14.98

$17.10 €14.99

-0.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 €55.9

$75.7 €66.4

-15.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.36 €9.96

$12.97 €11.38

-12.41%

Cappuccino

$3.63 €3.18

$3.83 €3.36

-5.22%

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

$2.50 €2.19

$2.82 €2.47

-11.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.85 €1.62

-22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 €7.23

$8.34 €7.31

-1.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 €4.50

$6.81 €5.97

-24.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.50 €1.31

-17.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 €1.85

$2.62 €2.30

-19.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 €2.75

$2.64 €2.32

18.94%

Eggs

$3.42 €3.00

$4.19 €3.68

-18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 €13.56

$24.35 €21.35

-36.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.88 €14.80

$15.77 €13.83

7.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.24 €18.62

$25.22 €22.11

-15.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 €2.78

$2.75 €2.41

15.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.80

$2.48 €2.17

-16.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 €2.56

$3.61 €3.16

-19.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.02 €2.65

$3.98 €3.49

-24.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 €1.51

$2.89 €2.53

-40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 €1.93

$2.72 €2.39

-19.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 €1.41

$1.47 €1.29

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.52

$0.92 €0.81

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.90 €11.31

$14.13 €12.39

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 €6.16

$8.20 €7.19

-14.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.51 €3.08

$3.17 €2.78

10.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.89

$3.22 €2.83

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 €1.77

$2.46 €2.15

-17.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.5 €61.8

$84.1 €73.7

-16.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 €5.07

$5.74 €5.04

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 €2.30

$1.85 €1.62

41.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$37.11 €32.54

$58.5 €51.3

-36.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.75

$2.10 €1.84

-5.24%

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

$37.9K €33.3K

$38.2K €33.5K

-0.73%

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

$36.1K €31.7K

$37.9K €33.2K

-4.71%

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

$186 €163

$284 €249

-34.40%

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

$23.60 €20.69

$22.13 €19.40

6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.40 €24.02

$36.77 €32.24

-25.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.86 €27.94

$43.62 €38.25

-26.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.47 €10.06

$23.02 €20.18

-50.17%

Cinema Ticket

$13.73 €12.04

$14.05 €12.32

-2.28%

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

$838 €735

$742 €650

12.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,358 €8,205

$12.0K €10.5K

-21.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$109 €96.0

$110 €96.6

-0.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.09 €31.64

$50.7 €44.48

-28.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 €85.1

$121 €107

-20.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 €125

$161 €141

-11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 €706

$962 €843

-16.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 €646

$692 €607

6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 €1,787

$1,895 €1,661

7.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 €1,284

$1,235 €1,083

18.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,167 €4,531

$6,596 €5,783

-21.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,624 €3,178

$4,036 €3,539

-10.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,877 €2,523

$3,156 €2,767

-8.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.62

3.76

-3.72%

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

Last update for Nantes: July 21, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $806 in Nantes 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 10% 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 $64.0 in Nantes versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $429 – 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 12% 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 $2,928 per month in Nantes 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 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 $1,952 in Nantes 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 19% 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 $1,952, than in Lyon at $2,194. 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 $1,952 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 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.