Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo and Lyon Cost of Living Comparison Between Waterloo and Lyon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,402 per month in Waterloo vs $2,134 in Lyon, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,416 per month in Waterloo vs $3,259 in Lyon, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,430 per month in Waterloo vs $4,384 in Lyon, rent included.

Waterloo costs about 13% more than Lyon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Waterloo and Lyon sit above the global median – Waterloo by 79%, Lyon by 59%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.70 €24.51

$17.56 €15.00

63.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$106 €90.4

$74.4 €63.5

42.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.95 €11.92

$12.76 €10.90

9.33%

Cappuccino

$4.68 €4.00

$3.89 €3.32

20.31%

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

$3.46 €2.95

$2.84 €2.43

21.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 €2.82

$1.80 €1.54

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.75 €4.91

$8.11 €6.93

-29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 €4.85

$7.09 €6.06

-20.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.55 €1.32

-5.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 €2.26

$2.61 €2.23

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 €2.04

$2.55 €2.18

-6.27%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.68

$4.14 €3.54

4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.40 €14.01

$24.95 €21.31

-34.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.57 €10.73

$16.19 €13.82

-22.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 €16.26

$25.43 €21.72

-25.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 €2.64

$2.82 €2.41

9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 €2.07

$2.49 €2.13

-2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 €2.38

$3.54 €3.03

-21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 €2.60

$3.91 €3.34

-22.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 €1.57

$2.90 €2.47

-36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 €1.82

$2.70 €2.31

-20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 €1.12

$1.43 €1.22

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 €0.81

$0.91 €0.78

3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.65 €10.81

$13.78 €11.77

-8.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 €8.18

$8.51 €7.26

12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 €1.65

$3.09 €2.64

-37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.59

$3.21 €2.74

-5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 €2.41

$2.44 €2.09

15.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 €49.25

$84.7 €72.3

-31.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.33 €6.26

$5.89 €5.03

24.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 €1.98

$1.90 €1.62

22.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.49 €29.46

$58.1 €49.62

-40.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.56

$2.01 €1.72

-8.96%

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

$33.4K €28.6K

$37.4K €31.9K

-10.56%

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

$35.7K €30.5K

$36.8K €31.4K

-2.94%

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

$227 €193

$286 €244

-20.81%

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

$22.36 €19.09

$22.54 €19.25

-0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 €44.24

$37.86 €32.33

36.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.60 €27.84

$44.73 €38.20

-27.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.23 €14.71

$22.78 €19.45

-24.36%

Cinema Ticket

$15.31 €13.08

$13.83 €11.81

10.70%

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

$626 €534

$737 €630

-15.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K €11.5K

$11.8K €10.1K

13.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €89.4

$113 €96.5

-7.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.40 €42.19

$51.3 €43.79

-3.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €99.8

$123 €105

-5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €129

$166 €142

-8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 €931

$990 €845

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 €889

$702 €600

48.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 €1,163

$1,920 €1,639

-29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 €952

$1,263 €1,078

-11.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,564 €3,043

$6,821 €5,825

-47.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 €1,836

$4,231 €3,613

-49.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,590 €2,212

$3,245 €2,771

-20.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

3.76

-0.53%

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

Last update for Waterloo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lyon: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,090 in Waterloo versus $990 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 25% higher in Lyon, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $106 in Waterloo versus $74.0 in Lyon. Groceries tell a different story – $355 in Waterloo vs $433 in Lyon – so Waterloo 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

Waterloo vs Lyon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Waterloo costs about 13% more than Lyon, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,603 per month in Waterloo and $3,202 in Lyon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,402 in Waterloo and $2,134 in Lyon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% less in Lyon. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lyon, where all-in costs run around $2,134, than in Waterloo at $2,402. In Lyon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waterloo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lyon costs $2,134 versus $2,402 in Waterloo. 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 Lyon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Waterloo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.