Cost of Living Comparison Between Saintes and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Saintes and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,743 per month in Saintes vs $2,155 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,581 per month in Saintes vs $3,300 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,420 per month in Saintes vs $4,445 in Lyon, rent included.

Saintes is about 19% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Saintes and Lyon sit above the global median – Saintes by 30%, Lyon by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.66 €15.07

$17.60 €15.01

0.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.15 €24.87

$76.2 €65.0

-61.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 €8.00

$12.57 €10.72

-25.38%

Cappuccino

$3.49 €2.98

$3.85 €3.29

-9.35%

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

$2.53 €2.16

$2.91 €2.49

-13.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 €1.27

$1.78 €1.52

-16.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 €4.03

$8.00 €6.83

-41.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 €4.43

$6.87 €5.86

-24.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.93

$1.49 €1.27

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 €3.54

$2.51 €2.14

65.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.53 €3.01

$2.68 €2.29

31.72%

Eggs

$2.27 €1.94

$4.15 €3.54

-45.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.70 €19.36

$24.90 €21.24

-8.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 €11.42

$16.08 €13.71

-16.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.94 €17.86

$25.53 €21.78

-17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 €2.59

$2.83 €2.42

7.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 €1.75

$2.52 €2.15

-18.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.78

$3.62 €3.09

-42.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 €2.70

$3.92 €3.34

-19.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 €0.72

$2.81 €2.39

-70.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.55

$2.75 €2.34

-34.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.38

$1.47 €1.25

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.91 €0.78

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.80 €10.92

$13.81 €11.78

-7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 €7.41

$8.80 €7.50

-1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 €2.30

$3.21 €2.74

-15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 €2.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 €1.67

$2.41 €2.06

-19.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.52 €42.24

$84.8 €72.3

-41.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.73 €4.89

$5.70 €4.86

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 €2.15

$1.82 €1.55

38.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.99 €31.55

$58.1 €49.59

-36.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.72

$2.00 €1.70

0.50%

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

$37.8K €32.3K

$37.3K €31.8K

1.38%

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

$39.6K €33.7K

$36.8K €31.4K

7.38%

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

$184 €157

$289 €246

-36.31%

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

$11.43 €9.75

$22.27 €18.99

-48.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.26 €23.25

$36.85 €31.43

-26.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.31 €32.68

$44.82 €38.23

-14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 €15.54

$23.37 €19.93

-22.08%

Cinema Ticket

$10.50 €8.95

$13.66 €11.65

-23.13%

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

$785 €670

$731 €623

7.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,631 €7,362

$11.8K €10.0K

-26.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.54 €39.70

$113 €96.1

-58.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.67 €30.42

$51.3 €43.78

-30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 €58.7

$123 €105

-44.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 €96.9

$163 €139

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 €652

$983 €839

-22.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 €533

$709 €605

-11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 €1,181

$1,966 €1,677

-29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 €923

$1,216 €1,038

-11.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,198 €3,581

$6,903 €5,888

-39.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,389 €2,891

$4,115 €3,510

-17.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,148 €2,685

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 Saintes: April 21, 2026

Last update for Lyon: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Saintes versus $983 in Lyon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29 in Saintes versus $76 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $382 vs $433 – making Saintes 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

Saintes vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 24% more than Saintes, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,614 per month in Saintes and $3,232 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saintes, 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 $1,743 in Saintes and $2,155 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Saintes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saintes, where all-in costs run around $1,743, than in Lyon at $2,155. In Saintes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Saintes costs $1,743 versus $2,155 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 Saintes. 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.