Cost of Living Comparison Between Valence and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Valence and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,581 per month in Valence vs $2,163 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,388 per month in Valence vs $3,334 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,196 per month in Valence vs $4,505 in Lyon, rent included.

Valence is about 27% cheaper than Lyon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Valence and Lyon sit above the global median – Valence by 18%, Lyon by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.34 €12.34

$17.46 €15.02

-17.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 €49.61

$75.9 €65.3

-23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 €9.94

$12.52 €10.77

-7.75%

Cappuccino

$2.93 €2.52

$4.02 €3.46

-27.11%

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

$2.71 €2.33

$2.84 €2.44

-4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.64

$1.83 €1.57

4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 €5.01

$7.97 €6.85

-26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 €3.93

$7.11 €6.11

-35.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.48 €1.27

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 €1.02

$2.64 €2.27

-54.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.66 €2.28

-10.90%

Eggs

$4.27 €3.68

$4.34 €3.73

-1.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.17 €16.49

$25.03 €21.53

-23.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.47 €13.30

$15.90 €13.68

-2.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.35 €22.67

$26.06 €22.41

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.16 €2.72

$2.69 €2.31

17.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$2.60 €2.23

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$3.44 €2.96

-23.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 €3.43

$3.90 €3.36

2.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$2.85 €2.46

-17.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 €2.24

$2.80 €2.41

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 €1.42

$1.43 €1.23

16.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 €0.21

$0.91 €0.79

-73.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.16 €11.32

$14.10 €12.13

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.54 €3.05

$8.53 €7.34

-58.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 €2.62

$3.20 €2.75

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 €3.33

$3.10 €2.66

24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 €1.42

$2.36 €2.03

-30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.95 €41.24

$84.3 €72.5

-43.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 €4.56

$5.68 €4.89

-6.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.90 €1.63

-3.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.00 €29.25

$58.5 €50.3

-41.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.10 €1.81

-4.29%

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

$37.6K €32.4K

$37.2K €32.0K

1.29%

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

$38.5K €33.1K

$37.8K €32.5K

1.93%

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

$146 €126

$283 €243

-48.29%

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

$11.66 €10.03

$22.15 €19.06

-47.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.22 €25.14

$37.37 €32.14

-21.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.16 €19.06

$44.01 €37.86

-49.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.56 €15.97

$23.14 €19.90

-19.79%

Cinema Ticket

$14.08 €12.11

$13.87 €11.93

1.51%

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

$783 €674

$730 €628

7.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,993 €6,875

$11.8K €10.2K

-32.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 €87.6

$110 €94.5

-7.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.41 €38.20

$50.5 €43.47

-12.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.3

$123 €106

-14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 €155

$168 €144

7.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 €468

$984 €846

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 €400

$713 €613

-34.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 €689

$1,909 €1,642

-58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 €590

$1,242 €1,068

-44.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,305 €2,843

$6,714 €5,775

-50.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,824 €2,429

$4,089 €3,517

-30.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,710 €2,331

$3,282 €2,824

-17.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.64

3.76

-3.19%

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

Last update for Valence: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lyon: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $544 in Valence 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 21% 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 $58.0 in Valence versus $76.0 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $434 – making Valence 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

Valence vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lyon costs about 37% more than Valence, 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 $2,371 per month in Valence 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 Valence, 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 $1,581 in Valence 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 76% less in Valence. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Valence, where all-in costs run around $1,581, than in Lyon at $2,163. In Valence it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lyon it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Valence costs $1,581 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 Valence. 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.