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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,705 per month in Paris vs $2,128 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,140 per month in Paris vs $3,264 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,575 per month in Paris vs $4,400 in Lyon, rent included.

Paris costs about 27% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paris and Lyon sit above the global median – Paris by 97%, Lyon by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.53 €15.99

$17.57 €15.16

5.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.8 €70.6

$70.3 €60.6

16.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.96 €12.05

$14.08 €12.15

-0.85%

Cappuccino

$4.98 €4.30

$4.25 €3.67

17.18%

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

$4.73 €4.08

$2.98 €2.57

58.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.57

$1.84 €1.59

61.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.34 €7.20

$8.09 €6.98

3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €6.00

$6.32 €5.46

10.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 €1.33

$1.62 €1.40

-4.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 €2.16

$2.09 €1.80

19.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 €2.44

$2.78 €2.40

1.44%

Eggs

$4.72 €4.07

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.28 €20.09

$23.38 €20.18

-0.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.93 €12.88

$13.72 €11.84

8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.94 €19.79

$27.43 €23.67

-16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 €3.04

$2.44 €2.10

44.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.40 €2.07

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 €2.60

$3.40 €2.94

-11.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.28 €3.70

$3.28 €2.83

30.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 €1.74

$2.91 €2.52

-30.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 €2.22

$3.07 €2.65

-15.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 €1.74

$1.50 €1.30

34.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 €0.87

$1.22 €1.06

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.94 €12.89

$14.55 €12.56

2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.48 €8.18

$8.93 €7.71

6.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 €2.44

$2.92 €2.52

-3.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 €3.23

$3.57 €3.08

4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 €2.57

$2.50 €2.16

19.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 €90.7

$87.2 €75.2

20.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 €8.06

$8.63 €7.45

8.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 €1.31

$2.26 €1.95

-32.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$47.24 €40.76

$43.74 €37.75

8.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 €2.01

$2.31 €1.99

0.87%

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

$36.0K €31.1K

$35.2K €30.4K

2.43%

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

$36.4K €31.4K

$36.3K €31.3K

0.37%

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

$273 €236

$275 €237

-0.60%

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

$17.34 €14.96

$15.34 €13.24

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.52 €26.33

$33.34 €28.77

-8.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.60 €36.76

$43.40 €37.45

-1.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.23 €17.46

$29.48 €25.43

-31.38%

Cinema Ticket

$15.38 €13.27

$15.35 €13.25

0.20%

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

$1,893 €1,633

$652 €563

190.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K €22.8K

$11.9K €10.2K

122.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$114 €98.8

$121 €105

-5.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.92

$48.93 €42.22

8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 €106

$130 €112

-5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 €142

$129 €112

27.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 €1,389

$886 €764

81.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 €1,067

$703 €606

75.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,557 €3,070

$1,841 €1,588

93.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 €1,957

$1,302 €1,123

74.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.8K €12.7K

$6,580 €5,678

124.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K €8,708

$4,128 €3,562

144.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 €3,116

$3,196 €2,758

12.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.27

3.68

-11.14%

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

Last update for Paris: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lyon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Paris versus $886 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 13% 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 $82.0 in Paris versus $70.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $420 – making Lyon 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 27% 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 $4,058 per month in Paris and $3,192 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 $2,705 in Paris and $2,128 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% 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 $2,128, than in Paris at $2,705. 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 $2,128 versus $2,705 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.