Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Valence and Lyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Valence: $1,594 a month against $2,050 in Lyon, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Valence
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Valence Living Index
98

Cost of Living Index in Lyon
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Lyon Living Index

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Valence

🇫🇷 France

$1,594

/mo nomad

Lyon

🇫🇷 France

$2,050

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Valence and in Lyon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Valence and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,594 per month in Valence vs $2,050 in Lyon, rent included.

Valence $1,594
Lyon $2,050

A couple spends around $2,337 per month in Valence vs $3,182 in Lyon, rent included.

Valence $2,337
Lyon $3,182

A family of three spends $3,079 per month in Valence vs $4,315 in Lyon, rent included.

Valence $3,079
Lyon $4,315

Valence is about 22% cheaper than Lyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Valence and Lyon sit above the global median – Valence by 17%, Lyon by 51%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.56 €12.14

$16.86 €15.10

-19.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.55 €35.42

$67.5 €60.5

-41.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.56

$13.67 €12.25

-30.07%

Cappuccino

$3.72 €3.33

$4.12 €3.69

-9.71%

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

$2.98 €2.67

$2.76 €2.47

7.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 €1.79

$1.65 €1.48

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.74 €5.14

$7.60 €6.80

-24.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 €4.07

$6.08 €5.44

-25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 €1.02

$1.57 €1.41

-27.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 €0.98

$1.72 €1.54

-36.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €2.02

$2.45 €2.20

-7.76%

Eggs

$3.78 €3.38

$4.74 €4.25

-20.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.42 €16.50

$22.95 €20.55

-19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.75 €12.31

$12.21 €10.93

12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.90 €22.30

$22.99 €20.59

8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 €2.68

$2.41 €2.16

24.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 €2.14

$2.51 €2.24

-4.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 €2.59

$3.43 €3.07

-15.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 €3.56

$3.19 €2.85

24.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 €2.08

$2.50 €2.24

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 €2.64

$2.94 €2.64

0.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 €1.55

$1.41 €1.27

22.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 €0.19

$1.07 €0.96

-80.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 €12.58

$13.89 €12.44

1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.28 €2.94

$7.77 €6.96

-57.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 €3.40

$2.66 €2.38

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.50

$3.25 €2.91

-14.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 €1.36

$2.42 €2.16

-37.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.60 €20.24

$82.3 €73.7

-72.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 €4.42

$8.39 €7.52

-41.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 €1.47

$2.20 €1.97

-25.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.99 €29.54

$41.20 €36.89

-19.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.23 €2.00

$2.21 €1.98

0.90%

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

$34.3K €30.7K

$34.4K €30.8K

-0.23%

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

$38.4K €34.4K

$37.6K €33.6K

2.26%

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

$137 €123

$268 €240

-48.78%

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

$11.35 €10.16

$14.01 €12.55

-18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.40 €24.54

$29.09 €26.06

-5.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.80 €24.90

$36.88 €33.03

-24.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 €15.07

$28.38 €25.41

-40.73%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 €12.32

$15.33 €13.73

-10.24%

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

$729 €653

$628 €563

16.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K €11.5K

$11.2K €10.0K

14.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 €69.2

$108 €96.5

-28.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 €58.8

$43.36 €38.84

51.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €92.6

$122 €109

-15.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 €160

$127 €114

40.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 €526

$891 €798

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 €476

$702 €629

-24.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 €751

$1,879 €1,683

-55.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 €647

$1,369 €1,226

-47.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,116 €2,791

$6,425 €5,755

-51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,705 €2,422

$4,317 €3,866

-37.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,599 €2,328

$3,069 €2,748

-15.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.68

3.53%

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

Last update for Valence: October 26, 2026

Last update for Lyon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Valence

$531 33.3%

Lyon

$702 34.3% 32.2% $171

Groceries & Markets

Valence

$359 22.6%

Lyon

$385 18.8% 7% $25

Eating Out

Valence

$239 15%

Lyon

$293 14.3% 22.4% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Valence

$191 12%

Lyon

$180 8.8% 5.8% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Valence

$176 11%

Lyon

$311 15.2% 76.7% $135

Sport & Entertainment

Valence

$55 3.5%

Lyon

$68 3.3% 22.1% $12

Getting Around

Valence

$42 2.6%

Lyon

$111 5.4% 166% $70

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Valence versus $891 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 18% 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 $40 in Valence versus $68 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $385 – making Valence the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇫🇷 Valence

🇫🇷 Lyon

🕒 Local time

05:26 5:26 AM

Same time as Valence

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,483

522,250

💱 Currency

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Valence Lyon 92 km

From you

Valence
Lyon

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Valence vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 29% more than Valence, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,391 per month in Valence and $3,075 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Valence, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $587 there versus $891 in Lyon.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,594 in Valence and $2,050 in Lyon. That makes Valence about 22% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Valence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,594 in Valence and $2,050 in Lyon. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Lyon has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,594 in Valence to $2,050 in Lyon. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Valence. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lyon makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.