Cost of Living Comparison Between Roskilde and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Roskilde and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,527 per month in Roskilde vs $2,155 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,894 per month in Roskilde vs $3,306 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,262 per month in Roskilde vs $4,456 in Lyon, rent included.

Roskilde costs about 17% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Roskilde and Lyon sit above the global median – Roskilde by 89%, Lyon by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.81 DKK 123
$17.24 €15.06
9.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119 DKK 775
$75.1 €65.6
57.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.75 DKK 89.9
$12.77 €11.15
7.67%
Cappuccino
$6.89 DKK 45.05
$3.86 €3.38
78.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.55 DKK 29.72
$2.98 €2.61
52.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 DKK 20.28
$1.78 €1.56
74.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.49 DKK 62.0
$7.92 €6.92
19.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.65 DKK 49.97
$7.00 €6.11
9.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.00 DKK 13.10
$1.53 €1.33
30.72%
White Bread (500g)
$3.15 DKK 20.58
$2.55 €2.22
23.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.43 DKK 15.86
$2.56 €2.23
-5.08%
Eggs
$5.01 DKK 32.72
$4.21 €3.68
19.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.71 DKK 89.6
$24.28 €21.22
-43.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 DKK 69.1
$15.78 €13.79
-32.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.94 DKK 104
$25.54 €22.32
-37.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.65 DKK 17.34
$2.71 €2.36
-2.21%
Banana (1kg)
$2.91 DKK 19.01
$2.56 €2.24
13.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.08 DKK 13.57
$3.62 €3.16
-42.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.09 DKK 26.73
$3.91 €3.42
4.60%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 DKK 11.90
$2.79 €2.44
-34.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 DKK 9.72
$2.85 €2.49
-47.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 DKK 10.23
$1.42 €1.24
10.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 DKK 5.29
$0.85 €0.74
-4.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.02 DKK 58.9
$13.96 €12.20
-35.39%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.45 DKK 48.66
$8.12 €7.09
-8.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 DKK 12.54
$3.09 €2.70
-37.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 DKK 13.37
$3.24 €2.83
-36.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.70 DKK 24.20
$2.37 €2.07
56.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$78.5 DKK 513
$83.3 €72.8
-5.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.05 DKK 39.52
$5.62 €4.91
7.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.41 DKK 9.19
$1.89 €1.65
-25.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$61.3 DKK 401
$58.0 €50.7
5.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.11 DKK 13.82
$2.01 €1.75
4.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$48.1K DKK 314.5K
$37.7K €32.9K
27.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$48.1K DKK 314.3K
$37.9K €33.1K
26.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 DKK 1,345
$285 €249
-27.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.19 DKK 132
$22.33 €19.51
-9.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.22 DKK 263
$37.28 €32.57
7.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.9 DKK 358
$44.26 €38.67
23.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$30.37 DKK 198
$22.98 €20.08
32.16%
Cinema Ticket
$17.20 DKK 112
$13.94 €12.18
23.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$381 DKK 2,492
$739 €645
-48.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,941 DKK 38.8K
$12.1K €10.6K
-50.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101 DKK 661
$110 €95.7
-7.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.05 DKK 229
$50.9 €44.44
-31.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 DKK 783
$120 €104
0.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$196 DKK 1,279
$164 €144
19.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,346 DKK 8,796
$958 €837
40.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,144 DKK 7,475
$689 €602
66.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,632 DKK 17.2K
$1,969 €1,720
33.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,120 DKK 13.8K
$1,223 €1,069
73.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,783 DKK 44.3K
$6,652 €5,812
1.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,120 DKK 40.0K
$3,985 €3,482
53.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Roskilde
Lyon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,162 DKK 27.2K
$3,179 €2,778
30.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.93
3.76
4.52%

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

Last update for Roskilde: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lyon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,346 in Roskilde 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 31% higher in Roskilde, 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 $119 in Roskilde versus $75.0 in Lyon. Groceries tell a different story – $336 in Roskilde vs $427 in Lyon – so Roskilde 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
Roskilde vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Roskilde or Lyon?
Roskilde costs about 17% 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Roskilde and in Lyon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,790 per month in Roskilde and $3,232 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Roskilde or Lyon?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Roskilde compared to Lyon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,527 in Roskilde and $2,155 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How expensive is transport in Roskilde compared to Lyon?
Public transport costs about 6% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Roskilde or in Lyon?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,155, than in Roskilde at $2,527. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Roskilde it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Roskilde or Lyon?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,155 versus $2,527 in Roskilde. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Roskilde compared to Lyon?
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.
Should I move to Roskilde or to Lyon?
If budget matters most, go with Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Roskilde makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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