Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Pau and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,609 per month in Pau vs $2,163 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Pau vs $3,334 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,194 per month in Pau vs $4,505 in Lyon, rent included.

Pau is about 26% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Pau and Lyon sit above the global median – Pau by 20%, Lyon by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 €13.96

$17.46 €15.02

-7.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 €44.41

$75.9 €65.3

-31.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 €9.82

$12.52 €10.77

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$3.30 €2.84

$4.02 €3.46

-17.91%

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

$3.41 €2.93

$2.84 €2.44

20.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 €1.63

$1.83 €1.57

3.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 €5.06

$7.97 €6.85

-26.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 €3.49

$7.11 €6.11

-42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.48 €1.27

-11.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.64 €2.27

-15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$2.66 €2.28

-32.33%

Eggs

$4.85 €4.17

$4.34 €3.73

11.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 €11.49

$25.03 €21.53

-46.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.36 €10.63

$15.90 €13.68

-22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.75 €22.15

$26.06 €22.41

-1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 €2.83

$2.69 €2.31

22.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$2.60 €2.23

-36.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$3.44 €2.96

-36.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.90 €3.36

-12.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.85 €2.46

-38.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.80 €2.41

-17.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.43 €1.23

-13.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$0.91 €0.79

1.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 €11.01

$14.10 €12.13

-9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.05 €7.78

$8.53 €7.34

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 €2.29

$3.20 €2.75

-16.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 €2.93

$3.10 €2.66

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 €1.11

$2.36 €2.03

-45.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.15 €22.49

$84.3 €72.5

-68.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 €3.89

$5.68 €4.89

-20.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 €2.11

$1.90 €1.63

28.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.62 €15.16

$58.5 €50.3

-69.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 €1.80

$2.10 €1.81

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

$29.8K €25.6K

$37.2K €32.0K

-19.86%

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

$34.9K €30.0K

$37.8K €32.5K

-7.61%

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

$185 €159

$283 €243

-34.43%

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

$32.03 €27.56

$22.15 €19.06

44.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.03 €33.57

$37.37 €32.14

4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 €34.46

$44.01 €37.86

-8.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 €15.86

$23.14 €19.90

-20.31%

Cinema Ticket

$11.15 €9.59

$13.87 €11.93

-19.61%

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

$792 €681

$730 €628

8.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,637 €3,988

$11.8K €10.2K

-60.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €88.7

$110 €94.5

-6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 €34.46

$50.5 €43.47

-20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.4

$123 €106

-30.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 €70.8

$168 €144

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 €659

$984 €846

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 €400

$713 €613

-34.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 €952

$1,909 €1,642

-42.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$734 €632

$1,242 €1,068

-40.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,557 €2,200

$6,714 €5,775

-61.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,097 €1,804

$4,089 €3,517

-48.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,123 €2,686

$3,282 €2,824

-4.86%

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 Pau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $766 in Pau 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 5% 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 $52.0 in Pau versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $434 – making Pau 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

Pau vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 34% more than Pau, 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 $2,414 per month in Pau 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 Pau, 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 $1,609 in Pau 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 222% less in Pau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pau, where all-in costs run around $1,609, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Pau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pau costs $1,609 versus $2,163 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 Pau. 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.