France · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Lyon: a working city where the Rhône meets the Saône
A Renaissance old town, a public international school, and France's second-largest university hospital center.
- 519,127
- Population (2023)
- $2,200/mo
- Monthly budget · single
- 55°F / 13°C
- Avg temperature
Budget $2,200 a month if you're moving to Lyon on your own; most solo budgets here land between $1,900 and $2,500. A couple spends about $3,500, and a family of four about $5,600. A one-bedroom in the center rents for around $950, closer to $750 farther out, and home internet is $35 a month (all figures as of 2026).
Lyon fits people who want a big French city's hospitals, trains and restaurants at a smaller scale than Paris: remote workers, retirees who like city life, and families looking at a public international school. About 519,000 people live in the city proper (2023); it runs like a place people work and raise kids.
The trade-off is the weather. January highs average around 45°F and winters are gray, while July highs average near 82°F. On safety, Lyon scores 56 out of 100, right in the middle of the scale, so ordinary big-city habits apply.
Reviewed and updated September 26, 2026 · 3 min read
At a glance
$2,200
Monthly budget · single person
$950/mo 1-bed rent, center
56/100
Safety index
$35
Internet / month
55°Fannual average
Jan 39° · Jul 72°
Climate
519,127
Population (2023)
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Cost of living
What it costs to live in Lyon
Single person
$1,900–$2,500/mo
about 30% below Austin, TX
Couple
$3,100–$3,900/mo
about 25% below Austin, TX
Family of four
$4,900–$6,300/mo
about 30% below Austin, TX
Compared with Austin, TX (Expatsi estimate, 2026).
- $17 −15%
- Inexpensive meal
- $800–$1,050/mo −51%
- 1-bed rent, center
- $650–$800/mo −44%
- 1-bed rent, outside
- $35/mo −46%
- Internet
- $80/mo +94%
- Transit pass
- $576/sq ft −11%
- Buy price, center
Expatsi estimates, updated Aug 2026, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Daily life
How Lyon lives
- A+ grade, 95th percentile among the cities we track
- Dining & cafésstandout
- A grade, 90th percentile among the cities we track
- Arts & culturestandout
- A- grade, 84th percentile among the cities we track
- Parks & outdoorsstrong
- A+ grade, 97th percentile among the cities we track
- Schools & educationstandout
- A grade, 89th percentile among the cities we track
- Healthcare accessstandout
- A- grade, 82nd percentile among the cities we track
- Bike infrastructurestrong
- A grade, 91st percentile among the cities we track
- Public transitstandout
- A+ grade, good physical accessibility
- Accessibilitygood
Graded on OpenStreetMap amenity density relative to the 152 cities we track. Accessibility is the exception: it's graded against a fixed standard (terrain steepness and sidewalk surfaces), not a curve.
Climate
Weather through the year
Annual average 55°F (13°C) · 33 in of rain a year · Source: Meteostat station normals (07480, 1991-2020; sunshine from 1981-2010)
On the ground
Scenes from Lyon
Getting around
Transport in Lyon
Most people in Lyon live without a car. The TCL network ties together metro, trams, buses and the funiculars that climb to Fourvière, and a monthly pass costs about $80. From Part-Dieu, the main station, the metro gets you to the old town in about 20 minutes on lines B and D.
Vélo'v, the public bikeshare, has 5,000 bikes at 428 stations, and you can unlock one any time through the app. The flat riverbanks along the Rhône and the Saône are the easy rides; the climb to the Croix-Rousse is not.
Leaving town is simple too. The Rhônexpress tram runs from Part-Dieu to Saint-Exupéry airport in 29 minutes, every 15 minutes from early morning to late evening, and the fast train reaches Paris in about two hours. A car earns its keep only for weekends in the Alps or the countryside; renting one for those trips is the usual answer.
- 71/sq mi
- Transit stops
- 69/sq mi
- Bike infrastructure
- 416/sq mi
- Wheelchair-accessible places
Mapped features per square mile from OpenStreetMap.
Keep exploring
Places like Lyon
Community
Community & practical notes
Meeting other Americans: The American Club of Lyon is the obvious first stop. Its Tuesday morning Coffee Chat (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.) is open to anyone, members or not, and the volunteer-run club adds happy hours and wine tastings through the year. Full membership is open to fluent English speakers who are U.S. citizens, have lived in the U.S. for at least a year, or are married to an American.
Healthcare: Lyon is home to the Hospices Civils de Lyon, France's second-largest university hospital center, with 14 facilities across the area. Once you're settled, our guide to healthcare in France walks through joining the public system.
Remote work: Home internet runs $35 a month, and coworking spaces are spread across the city. The time difference is the real constraint: you're six hours ahead of New York, so U.S. afternoon meetings land in your evening.
Schools: The Cité Scolaire Internationale, in the 7th arrondissement, is a public school that teaches from primary grades through the baccalauréat. It has an English section among its international language sections, and students can earn the international option of the French diploma (OIB) or the BFI.
Limited mobility: Lyon's transit is in good shape for wheelchair users. TCL says the whole tram network is accessible, every metro station but Croix-Paquet is accessible, and the funicular stations are too. Optibus, TCL's on-demand service for riders with reduced mobility, fills the gaps. The terrain is harder than the transit: Fourvière and the Croix-Rousse are steep, and the old town's cobbled lanes are rough going. Check a neighborhood's slope before you sign a lease.
Retirement: Lyon works well for retirees who want a full city rather than a village, with a couple spending about $3,500 a month. France doesn't have dedicated retirement visa; most American retirees use the long-stay visitor visa, which we cover on our France retirement visa page. Our guide to moving to France goes deeper on taxes and healthcare, and the retirement visa hub compares countries if you're still choosing.
Housing
Renting and buying
- 1-bed rent (center)
- $800–$1,050/mo
- 1-bed rent (outside center)
- $650–$800/mo
- Buy price (center)
- $576/sq ft
- Buy price (outside center)
- $376/sq ft
Expatsi estimates, based on rental listings, government statistics, and local reporting.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How much is rent in Lyon?
A one-bedroom apartment in central Lyon rents for about $950 a month, with most between $800 and $1,050 as of 2026. Outside the center, expect about $750, usually between $650 and $800.
How much does it cost to live in Lyon, France?
One person spends about $2,200 a month in Lyon, with most budgets between $1,900 and $2,500 as of 2026. A couple spends about $3,500 a month and a family of four about $5,600. Rent for a one-bedroom in the city center averages around $950.
Is Lyon a good place to retire?
Lyon suits retirees who want city life with a large university hospital system, trams and trains. A retired couple spends about $3,500 a month there. France has no dedicated retirement visa, so most American retirees move on the long-stay visitor visa.
Is Lyon safe for Americans?
Lyon has a safety index of 56 out of 100 and a crime index of 44, which puts it in the middle of the range. Americans living there generally take the same precautions they would in any large U.S. city.
Do you need a car to live in Lyon?
No. Most residents get around on the metro, trams, buses and the Vélo'v bikeshare, and a monthly transit pass costs about $80. A tram reaches the airport in 29 minutes, and fast trains reach Paris in about two hours.
Are there international schools in Lyon for American kids?
Yes. The Cité Scolaire Internationale is a public school in Lyon that teaches from primary grades through the French baccalauréat. It has an English language section, and students can earn the international option of the diploma (OIB) or the BFI.
What is the weather like in Lyon?
Lyon averages about 55°F over the year, with around 33 inches of rain. January highs average around 45°F and winters are gray. July highs average near 82°F, so summers get hot.
See how Lyon fits your life
Take the free Expatsi Test and compare France to nearly 200 countries on what actually matters: cost, healthcare, climate, and safety. About five minutes.
Why not you?