Cost of Living Comparison Between Nice and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Nice and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,211 per month in Nice vs $2,155 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,553 per month in Nice vs $3,306 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,894 per month in Nice vs $4,456 in Lyon, rent included.

Nice costs about 3% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Nice and Lyon sit above the global median – Nice by 66%, Lyon by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 €17.79

$17.24 €15.06

18.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.5 €80.8

$75.1 €65.6

23.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.33 €10.78

$12.77 €11.15

-3.45%

Cappuccino

$3.72 €3.25

$3.86 €3.38

-3.63%

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

$3.63 €3.17

$2.98 €2.61

21.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 €2.34

$1.78 €1.56

50.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.87 €6.87

$7.92 €6.92

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.93 €6.05

$7.00 €6.11

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.33

$1.53 €1.33

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.55 €2.22

-23.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 €1.69

$2.56 €2.23

-24.22%

Eggs

$4.49 €3.92

$4.21 €3.68

6.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.74 €16.37

$24.28 €21.22

-22.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 €13.87

$15.78 €13.79

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.52 €16.18

$25.54 €22.32

-27.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.83

$2.71 €2.36

19.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 €1.75

$2.56 €2.24

-21.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$3.62 €3.16

-34.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 €4.35

$3.91 €3.42

27.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.15

$2.79 €2.44

-11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.85 €2.49

-30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 €1.27

$1.42 €1.24

2.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 €0.65

$0.85 €0.74

-12.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.41 €11.72

$13.96 €12.20

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 €7.26

$8.12 €7.09

2.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.98

$3.09 €2.70

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 €2.47

$3.24 €2.83

-12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 €1.77

$2.37 €2.07

-14.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.03 €42.84

$83.3 €72.8

-41.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 €3.02

$5.62 €4.91

-38.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 €1.84

$1.89 €1.65

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.44 €26.59

$58.0 €50.7

-47.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.84

$2.01 €1.75

4.48%

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

$37.4K €32.7K

$37.7K €32.9K

-0.56%

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

$39.5K €34.5K

$37.9K €33.1K

4.20%

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

$242 €211

$285 €249

-15.19%

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

$24.96 €21.81

$22.33 €19.51

11.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 €33.98

$37.28 €32.57

4.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.06 €28.89

$44.26 €38.67

-25.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.02 €21.86

$22.98 €20.08

8.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.38 €14.31

$13.94 €12.18

17.50%

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

$1,849 €1,615

$739 €645

150.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K €18.0K

$12.1K €10.6K

70.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €97.0

$110 €95.7

1.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 €41.78

$50.9 €44.44

-5.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 €99.2

$120 €104

-5.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 €169

$164 €144

17.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 €941

$958 €837

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 €795

$689 €602

32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 €1,901

$1,969 €1,720

10.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,825 €1,594

$1,223 €1,069

49.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,384 €6,451

$6,652 €5,812

11.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,223 €3,689

$3,985 €3,482

5.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,734 €2,389

$3,179 €2,778

-14.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.77

3.76

0.27%

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

Last update for Nice: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,077 in Nice versus $958 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 16% higher in Lyon, 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 $93.0 in Nice versus $75.0 in Lyon. Groceries tell a different story – $374 in Nice vs $427 in Lyon – so Nice wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nice vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nice costs about 3% more than Lyon, 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 $3,317 per month in Nice and $3,232 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, 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 $2,211 in Nice and $2,155 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,155, than in Nice at $2,211. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nice it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,155 versus $2,211 in Nice. 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 Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nice makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.