Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Paris and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,655 per month in Paris vs $2,163 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,105 per month in Paris vs $3,334 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,556 per month in Paris vs $4,505 in Lyon, rent included.

Paris costs about 23% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paris and Lyon sit above the global median – Paris by 98%, Lyon by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.57 €15.13

$17.46 €15.04

0.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 €63.4

$75.9 €65.3

-3.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.15

$12.52 €10.78

12.70%

Cappuccino

$4.77 €4.11

$4.02 €3.46

18.66%

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

$4.14 €3.57

$2.84 €2.45

45.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$1.83 €1.58

85.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.93 €6.83

$7.97 €6.86

-0.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 €6.82

$7.11 €6.12

11.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.48 €1.27

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 €1.79

$2.64 €2.28

-21.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.66 €2.29

7.89%

Eggs

$4.99 €4.29

$4.34 €3.73

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.89 €22.29

$25.03 €21.55

3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.86 €11.93

$15.90 €13.69

-12.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 €17.14

$26.06 €22.44

-23.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 €3.03

$2.69 €2.32

30.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.60 €2.24

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$3.44 €2.96

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 €3.23

$3.90 €3.36

-3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.85 €2.46

-8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 €2.59

$2.80 €2.41

7.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.43 €1.23

31.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$0.91 €0.79

-4.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.18 €13.07

$14.10 €12.14

7.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.51 €8.19

$8.53 €7.35

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.32

$3.20 €2.75

-15.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.58

$3.10 €2.67

34.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 €2.47

$2.36 €2.04

21.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 €88.8

$84.3 €72.6

22.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.14 €7.87

$5.68 €4.89

60.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.90 €1.63

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.5 €47.75

$58.5 €50.4

-5.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.81

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

$36.1K €31.0K

$37.2K €32.0K

-2.99%

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

$37.1K €32.0K

$37.8K €32.5K

-1.74%

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

$246 €212

$283 €243

-12.90%

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

$16.88 €14.53

$22.15 €19.08

-23.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 €30.49

$37.37 €32.18

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 €34.07

$44.01 €37.90

-10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 €16.20

$23.14 €19.92

-18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.92 €13.71

$13.87 €11.94

14.78%

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

$889 €765

$730 €628

21.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K €13.2K

$11.8K €10.2K

29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €99.8

$110 €94.6

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.12 €41.43

$50.5 €43.52

-4.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 €135

$168 €144

-6.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,396

$984 €847

64.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 €1,042

$713 €614

69.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,622 €3,119

$1,909 €1,644

89.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,292 €1,973

$1,242 €1,069

84.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$15.0K €12.9K

$6,714 €5,781

123.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,718

$4,089 €3,521

147.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 €3,251

$3,282 €2,827

15.03%

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 Paris: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Paris versus $984 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 15% higher in Paris, 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 $74.0 in Paris versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $434 – making Paris 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

Paris vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paris costs about 23% more than Lyon, 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 $3,982 per month in Paris and $3,244 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 $2,655 in Paris and $2,163 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% 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 $2,163, than in Paris at $2,655. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paris it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,163 versus $2,655 in Paris. 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, Paris makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.