How much do you need to earn to live in Lyon? We calculate the gross monthly salary required to cover rent, food, transport, and utilities — accounting for France's tax system.
You need at least €1,639/month gross to live in Lyon on a budget.
For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €1,999/month gross (€1,493 net after ~25% tax).
| Expense | Budget | Comfortable | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1BR) | €500 Cheapest neighborhood (La Duchère (9th)) | €650 Median neighborhood | €1,000 Premium neighborhood (Brotteaux (6th)) |
| Groceries | €320 | €384 | €480 |
| Transport | €74 | €74 | €74 |
| Utilities | €169 | €169 | €169 |
| Dining & Entertainment | €180 | €216 | €270 |
| Total Monthly Expenses | €1,243 | €1,493 | €1,993 |
€1,639/month gross
€1,999/month gross
€2,753/month gross
1-bedroom second-hand rents across 14 neighborhoods in Lyon
La Duchère (9th)
25 min by tram
€500 - €600
Saint-Fons
20 min by metro
€500 - €600
Jean Macé (7th)
10 min by metro
€600 - €700
Brotteaux (6th)
12 min by metro
€900 - €1,100
Presqu'île (2nd)
5 min by walk
€900 - €1,000
Confluence (2nd)
12 min by tram
€800 - €900
See all 14 neighborhoods, detailed expense breakdowns, and savings projections.
Explore LyonEnter your actual salary to see your take-home pay, affordable neighborhoods, and savings potential.
Open calculatorWe total monthly expenses (rent, groceries, transport, utilities, dining out) for each lifestyle tier, then reverse-calculate the gross salary needed to cover those expenses after France's income tax and social contributions. Rent data comes from second-hand market listings (what expats actually pay). All figures are based on 2026 data from official government statistics. See our data sources for full attribution.
On a budget lifestyle, you need at least €1,639/month gross salary to cover basic expenses in Lyon. For a comfortable lifestyle, aim for €1,999/month gross. These figures include rent, food, transport, utilities, and dining out, with taxes calculated for France.
The average 1-bedroom rent across 14 neighborhoods in Lyon is approximately €725/month. Rents range from €500 in La Duchère (9th) to €1,100 in Brotteaux (6th).
Monthly groceries for a single person in Lyon cost approximately €320. This covers basic home cooking. Dining out and premium food will add to this budget.
Tax rates in France are progressive. At the budget salary level of €1,639/month, the effective tax rate is approximately 24%. At the comfortable level of €1,999/month, it rises to approximately 25%. This includes income tax and social contributions.