Cost of Living Comparison Between Paterson, NJ and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Paterson, NJ and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,648 per month in Paterson, NJ vs $2,163 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,467 per month in Paterson, NJ vs $3,334 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,286 per month in Paterson, NJ vs $4,505 in Lyon, rent included.

Paterson, NJ costs about 22% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.13 $17.13

$17.46 €15.02

-1.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$75.9 €65.3

30.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.52 €10.77

-2.80%

Cappuccino

$5.78 $5.78

$4.02 €3.46

43.78%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$2.84 €2.44

-19.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.83 €1.57

-12.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 $6.89

$7.97 €6.85

-13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$7.11 €6.11

-2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.48 €1.27

-14.19%

White Bread (500g)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.64 €2.27

65.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.66 €2.28

117.29%

Eggs

$6.47 $6.47

$4.34 €3.73

49.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.25 $15.25

$25.03 €21.53

-39.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$15.90 €13.68

-35.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.59 $19.59

$26.06 €22.41

-24.83%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 $7.60

$2.69 €2.31

182.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.60 €2.23

-6.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.44 €2.96

29.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.90 €3.36

6.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.85 €2.46

4.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.80 €2.41

-6.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.43 €1.23

100.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.91 €0.79

172.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.52 $17.52

$14.10 €12.13

24.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$8.53 €7.34

76.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$3.20 €2.75

-43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.10 €2.66

45.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.36 €2.03

-16.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.3 €72.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$5.68 €4.89

-11.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.90 €1.63

12.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.72 $42.72

$58.5 €50.3

-26.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.10 €1.81

-56.67%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$37.2K €32.0K

-35.65%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$37.8K €32.5K

-33.19%

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

$184 $184

$283 €243

-34.89%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$22.15 €19.06

145.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$37.37 €32.14

68.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.75 $43.75

$44.01 €37.86

-0.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.14 €19.90

Cinema Ticket

$19.69 $19.69

$13.87 €11.93

41.96%

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

$1,774 $1,774

$730 €628

143.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K $15.9K

$11.8K €10.2K

34.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 $67.1

$110 €94.5

-38.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.25 $47.25

$50.5 €43.47

-6.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$123 €106

-13.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$173 $173

$168 €144

3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,793 $2,793

$984 €846

183.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 $1,349

$713 €613

89.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,612 $2,612

$1,909 €1,642

36.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 $3,101

$1,242 €1,068

149.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,518 $2,518

$6,714 €5,775

-62.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 $2,150

$4,089 €3,517

-47.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,228 $3,228

$3,282 €2,824

-1.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

3.76

71.28%

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

Last update for Paterson, NJ: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,793 in Paterson, NJ 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 2% 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 $99.0 in Paterson, NJ versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $456 vs $434 – 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

Paterson, NJ vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paterson, NJ costs about 22% more than Lyon, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,972 per month in Paterson, NJ 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 $2,648 in Paterson, NJ and $2,163 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,774 per month in Paterson, NJ and $730 in Lyon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,163, than in Paterson, NJ at $2,648. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Paterson, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,163 versus $2,648 in Paterson, NJ. 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, Paterson, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.