Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Versailles and Lyon

For one person, living is cheaper in Lyon: $2,050 a month against $2,485 in Versailles, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Versailles, France
Lyon, France
Versailles
🇫🇷 France
$2,485
/mo nomad
Lyon
🇫🇷 France
$2,050
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Versailles 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 Versailles and in Lyon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,485 per month in Versailles vs $2,050 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Versailles $2,485
  • Lyon $2,050

A couple spends around $3,938 per month in Versailles vs $3,182 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Versailles $3,938
  • Lyon $3,182

A family of three spends $5,390 per month in Versailles vs $4,315 in Lyon, rent included.

  • Versailles $5,390
  • Lyon $4,315

Versailles costs about 21% more than Lyon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Versailles and Lyon sit above the global median – Versailles by 83%, Lyon by 51%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$23.80 €21.31
$16.86 €15.10
41.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.9 €70.6
$67.5 €60.5
16.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.38 €10.19
$13.67 €12.25
-16.75%
Cappuccino
$4.25 €3.81
$4.12 €3.69
3.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.55 €3.18
$2.76 €2.47
28.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 €1.87
$1.65 €1.48
26.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.69 €7.78
$7.60 €6.80
14.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.29 €6.53
$6.08 €5.44
19.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 €1.29
$1.57 €1.41
-8.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 €2.03
$1.72 €1.54
31.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.81 €3.42
$2.45 €2.20
55.51%
Eggs
$4.26 €3.82
$4.74 €4.25
-10.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.20 €10.03
$22.95 €20.55
-51.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$16.71 €14.96
$12.21 €10.93
36.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$41.17 €36.87
$22.99 €20.59
79.08%
Apples (1kg)
$3.90 €3.49
$2.41 €2.16
61.83%
Banana (1kg)
$2.17 €1.95
$2.51 €2.24
-13.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.43 €2.18
$3.43 €3.07
-29.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.31 €2.96
$3.19 €2.85
3.76%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 €2.35
$2.50 €2.24
4.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 €1.92
$2.94 €2.64
-26.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.08 €1.86
$1.41 €1.27
47.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.50
$1.07 €0.96
-47.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.36 €11.97
$13.89 €12.44
-3.82%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.25 €7.39
$7.77 €6.96
6.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.27 €2.93
$2.66 €2.38
22.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.25 €2.91
-
🚌 Getting Around
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.29 €2.05
$2.42 €2.16
-5.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.2 €86.1
$82.3 €73.7
16.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.68 €5.09
$8.39 €7.52
-32.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.43 €1.28
$2.20 €1.97
-35.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.77 €37.41
$41.20 €36.89
1.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.98 €1.77
$2.21 €1.98
-10.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K €30.6K
$34.4K €30.8K
-0.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K €32.7K
$37.6K €33.6K
-2.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$315 €282
$268 €240
17.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.98 €26.85
$14.01 €12.55
113.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$38.39 €34.39
$29.09 €26.06
31.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$53.2 €47.62
$36.88 €33.03
44.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.86 €24.95
$28.38 €25.41
-1.83%
Cinema Ticket
$14.77 €13.23
$15.33 €13.73
-3.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$996 €892
$628 €563
58.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.1K €9,068
$11.2K €10.0K
-9.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$122 €110
$108 €96.5
13.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.5 €64.0
$43.36 €38.84
64.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.9 €79.6
$122 €109
-27.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 €137
$127 €114
20.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,064 €953
$891 €798
19.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$920 €824
$702 €629
31.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,201 €1,971
$1,879 €1,683
17.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,967 €1,762
$1,369 €1,226
43.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$10.1K €9,006
$6,425 €5,755
56.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,063 €8,117
$4,317 €3,866
109.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Versailles
Lyon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,424 €3,066
$3,069 €2,748
11.57%
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 Versailles: 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
Versailles
$920
Lyon
$702 23.7% $218
Groceries & Markets
Versailles
$429 *
Lyon
$385 10.4% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Versailles
$383
Lyon
$311 18.9% $72
Eating Out
Versailles
$356
Lyon
$293 17.7% $63
Clothing & Footwear
Versailles
$196
Lyon
$180 8.1% $16
Getting Around
Versailles
$118
Lyon
$111 5.7% $6.8
Sport & Entertainment
Versailles
$83
Lyon
$68 18.4% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,064 in Versailles 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 12% higher in Versailles, 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 $79 in Versailles versus $68 in Lyon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $385 – making Lyon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇫🇷 Versailles
🇫🇷 Lyon
🕒 Local time
20:51 8:51 PM
20:51 8:51 PM
Same time as Versailles
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
83,587
522,250
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
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  • Versailles
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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
Versailles vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Versailles or Lyon?
Versailles costs about 21% more than Lyon, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. 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 Versailles and in Lyon?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,728 per month in Versailles and $3,075 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Versailles or Lyon?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Lyon, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $891 there versus $1,064 in Versailles.
How much does it cost to live in Versailles compared to Lyon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,485 in Versailles and $2,050 in Lyon. That makes Lyon about 18% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Versailles compared to Lyon?
Public transport costs about 14% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Versailles or in Lyon?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,485 in Versailles and $2,050 in Lyon. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Lyon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Versailles compared to Lyon?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Versailles or to Lyon?
If budget matters most, go with Lyon. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Versailles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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