✦ Compare
Lugano vs
Lyon
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Lugano, CH vs Lyon, FR at a glance — Lyon, FR is 32% cheaper than Lugano, CH overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $900/mo versus $1,800/mo. Top income tax: 45% vs 40%.
To keep the same standard of living in Lyon, FR, you'd need
$50,626 / year
Lyon, FR is 32% cheaper overall
Category breakdown (Lyon, FR vs Lugano, CH)
- Housing-39%
- Food & groceries-29%
- Transport-32%
- Utilities-8%
- Healthcare-41%
- Goods & services-31%
◎ How Lugano, CH and Lyon, FR compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Lugano, CH | Lyon, FR | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 147 | 99 |
| Housing | 160 | 98 |
| Food | 150 | 107 |
| Transport | 115 | 78 |
| Utilities | 122 | 112 |
| Healthcare | 140 | 82 |
| Goods & services | 155 | 107 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $1,800/mo | $900/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | — | $680/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | — | $1,800/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | — | $6,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $679 | $1,005 |
| Inexpensive meal | — | $15 |
| Monthly transit pass | — | $70 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 40% | 45% |
| VAT / sales tax | 8.1% | 20% |
| Social security (employee) | — | 22% |
| Corporate tax | 15% | 25% |
| Capital gains | 0% | 30% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $6,000/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP) | — | $60,483✓ |
| Minimum wage | — | $2,164/mo✓ |
| GDP per capita | $114,769✓ | $48,986✓ |
| Inflation (annual) | 0.2%✓ | 0.9%✓ |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | — | Moderate |
| Coworking spaces | — | 30 |
| Time zone | — | UTC+1 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Quality of life (overall) | — | 74 |
| Safety index | — | 66 |
| Healthcare index | — | 85 |
| Pollution index | — | 45 |
| Internet speed | — | 160 Mbps |
| Walkability | — | 82 |
| Public transport | — | 80 |
| Family-friendly | — | 74 |
| Tap water | — | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 84 yr✓ | 83 yr✓ |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | — | +4 °C |
| July avg | — | +22 °C |
| Sunny days / year | — | 200 |
| Rainfall / year | — | 830 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | — | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: Switzerland vs France. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), Eurostat 2026, World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →
Cost of living: Lugano vs Lyon — in your currency
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
Good to know before you move to Lugano
- Currency
- Swiss franc (Fr. CHF)
- Languages
- German, French, Italian
- Power
- J · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
Good to know before you move to Lyon
A UNESCO-listed city where two rivers meet — France's food capital, a two-hour TGV from Paris at a fraction of its rents. Renaissance streets, a strong tech and biotech scene and easy weekend access to the Alps make it a favourite softer landing than the capital.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- French
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 160 Mbps
- English
- Fairly common
- Safety
- 66/100
- Climate
- ❄ 4°C · ☀ 22°C · 200 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- E · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Presqu'île · Croix-Rousse · Confluence · Vieux Lyon
Plan your move to Lugano
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalDiscoverCars
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
Sponsored
Plan your move to Lyon
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsPlanetofhotels
- Car rentalDiscoverCars
- Airport transferWelcome Pickups
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Lugano to Lyon: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Lugano to Lyon, your cost of living will be roughly 32% cheaper. Lyon’s cost-of-living index is 99 versus 147 for Lugano (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Lugano cheaper than Lyon?
Lyon is about 32% cheaper than Lugano overall — its cost-of-living index is 99 versus 147 for Lugano.
Which is more expensive, Lugano or Lyon?
Lugano is more expensive than Lyon. Its cost-of-living index is 147 vs 99 (US = 100) — about 48% higher.
Is rent cheaper in Lugano or Lyon?
Rent is cheaper in Lyon — about $900/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,800 in Lugano.
How much do you need to earn in Lyon to live like in Lugano?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Lugano is worth about $50,626 in Lyon. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Lugano or Lyon?
Switzerland has the lower top income-tax rate — 40% versus 45% in France.
◷ More comparisons from Lugano
How we calculate these figures →
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.