✦ Compare
Lyon vs
Rotterdam
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
Lyon, FR vs Rotterdam, NL at a glance — Rotterdam, NL is 20% more expensive than Lyon, FR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,500/mo versus $900/mo. Top income tax: 49.5% vs 45%.
To keep the same standard of living in Rotterdam, NL, you'd need
$89,650 / year
Rotterdam, NL is 20% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Rotterdam, NL vs Lyon, FR)
- Housing+48%
- Food & groceries+3%
- Transport+18%
- Utilities+7%
- Healthcare+20%
- Goods & services+5%
◎ How Lyon, FR and Rotterdam, NL compare
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
▤ Full comparison
| Lyon, FR | Rotterdam, NL | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 99 | 119 |
| Housing | 98 | 145 |
| Food | 107 | 110 |
| Transport | 78 | 92 |
| Utilities | 112 | 120 |
| Healthcare | 82 | 98 |
| Goods & services | 107 | 112 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $900/mo | $1,500/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $680/mo | $1,150/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $1,800/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $6,000 | $6,500 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $1,005 | $841 |
| Inexpensive meal | $15 | $18 |
| Monthly transit pass | $70 | $100 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 45% | 49.5% |
| VAT / sales tax | 20% | 21% |
| Social security (employee) | 22% | — |
| Corporate tax | 25% | 25.8% |
| Capital gains | 30% | — |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $2,600/mo | $3,100/mo |
| Minimum wage | $1,600/mo | $2,100/mo |
| GDP per capita | $48,986 | $73,684 |
| Inflation (annual) | 0.9% | 3.3% |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | No | No |
| English proficiency | Moderate | High |
| Coworking spaces | 30 | 35 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 | UTC+1 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 66 | 62 |
| Healthcare index | 85 | 85 |
| Pollution index | 45 | 40 |
| Internet speed | 160 Mbps | 170 Mbps |
| Walkability | 82 | 80 |
| Public transport | 80 | 82 |
| Family-friendly | 74 | 72 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink | Safe to drink |
| Life expectancy | 83 yr | 82 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | High | High |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +4 °C | +4 °C |
| July avg | +22 °C | +18 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 200 | 110 |
| Rainfall / year | 830 mm | 800 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: France vs Netherlands. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
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
Good to know before you move to Rotterdam
Europe's biggest port and the Netherlands' boldest architecture — a modern, design-driven city rebuilt after the war, noticeably cheaper and grittier than Amsterdam. Bike-first, international and well-connected, with the same flat, wet, windy weather.
- Currency
- Euro (€ EUR)
- Languages
- Dutch
- Time zone
- UTC+1
- Internet
- 170 Mbps
- English
- Widely spoken
- Safety
- 62/100
- Climate
- ❄ 4°C · ☀ 18°C · 110 sunny days/yr
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Power
- F · 230V
- Driving
- Right-hand side
- Popular areas
- Kop van Zuid · Kralingen · Cool District · Delfshaven
Plan your move to Lyon
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferWelcome Pickups
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
Plan your move to Rotterdam
Everything you will book for the move — sorted, and updated as we add partners.
- FlightsCheapvuelos
- FlightsAviasales
- HotelsNH Hotels
- Car rentalEconomybookings
- Airport transferKiwitaxi
- Tours & ticketsKlook
- Tours & ticketsTiqets
- InsuranceSafetyWing
- eSIM / dataAiralo
- Luggage storageRadical Storage
- Flight compensationAirHelp
Sponsored
? Frequently asked questions
Moving from Lyon to Rotterdam: cheaper or more expensive?
Moving from Lyon to Rotterdam, your cost of living will be roughly 20% more expensive. Rotterdam’s cost-of-living index is 119 versus 99 for Lyon (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.
Is Lyon cheaper than Rotterdam?
Rotterdam is about 20% more expensive than Lyon overall — its cost-of-living index is 119 versus 99 for Lyon.
How much do you need to earn in Rotterdam to live like in Lyon?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Lyon is worth about $89,650 in Rotterdam. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Lyon or Rotterdam?
France has the lower top income-tax rate — 45% versus 49.5% in Netherlands.
◷ More comparisons from Lyon
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.