Lyonvs
San FranciscoLyon vs San Francisco: cost, size & quality of life compared
Trying to decide between Lyon and San Francisco? Here's the honest bottom line first — then the full, sourced breakdown on cost of living, salary, safety and quality of life.
Lyon comes out ahead overall — decisively.
But the "winner" depends on what you care about. Here's who takes each dimension:
LyonLyonLyonSan FranciscoComposite scores
Overall: Lyon wins by 1.8 points
Population & size
Is Lyon bigger than San Francisco?
San Francisco is the bigger city: about 873k people versus Lyon's 520k — roughly 1.7× larger.
City-proper / metro population estimates. Size is one input — scroll on for cost of living, salary equivalence and quality-of-life scoring.
Distance
How far is Lyon from San Francisco?
Lyon is about 9,340 km (5,800 mi) from San Francisco in a straight line — roughly 11 h 45 m of nonstop flight time.
Great-circle distance, not a routed itinerary; flight estimate assumes ~850 km/h cruise plus 45 minutes of taxi, climb and descent.
Climate
Is Lyon warmer than San Francisco?
Lyon and San Francisco have broadly similar temperatures across the year. San Francisco gets noticeably more sun — about 890 more sunshine hours per year.
| Month | Lyon | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| January (high / low) | 7° / 1°C | 14° / 8°C |
| July (high / low) | 28° / 17°C | 21° / 13°C |
Semi-continental with Mediterranean influence. Warmer than Paris, four distinct seasons, sunnier than most French northern cities.
Famously mild and foggy. Almost no extremes — summers are cool (rarely above 25°C), winters mild and wet. Microclimates within the city vary wildly.
Lyon outscores San Francisco 6.4 to 4.4, a decisive 2-point gap that suggests stronger livability fundamentals despite SF's global prominence.
San Francisco's lower score reflects persistent housing costs and urban density challenges that Lyon's French municipal planning appears to manage more effectively.
If livability metrics matter to your move decision, examine what Lyon does differently in housing policy and public transit—the numbers suggest it's worth replicating.
Data signals
What separates Lyon and San Francisco
How decisive
Lyon comes out ahead by 1.8 composite points — a decisive win.
Biggest difference
The widest gap is healthcare, where Lyon leads by 3.4 points.
Where they match
They're most evenly matched on remote-work friendliness — within 0.2 points of each other.
Overall cost gap
Total monthly costs in San Francisco run about 166% higher than in Lyon.
Where budgets split most
Healthcare is the line item that diverges most: roughly 1057% pricier in San Francisco than Lyon.
Size difference
San Francisco is the larger metro — about 1.7× the population of the other, which shapes commute times, housing supply and how "big-city" daily life feels.
Safety
Lyon scores higher on safety (60 vs 45 / 100) — a common deciding factor for families.
Score-by-score, side-by-side
Each axis is scored independently with disclosed weights and a calculation string.
The exact scores and winners:
| Axis | Lyon | San Francisco | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability | 3.2 | 0.0 | Lyon +3.2 |
| Quality of life | 6.8 | 6.0 | Lyon +0.8 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.5 | 6.7 | San Francisco +0.2 |
| Healthcare | 8.4 | 5.0 | Lyon +3.4 |
Each axis is a weighted aggregate of underlying indicators normalized to a 0–10 scale. Weights are explicit and disclosed per axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes — axes are not collapsed further because the underlying trade-offs (e.g. low cost vs poor air quality) are user-dependent.
Affordability
- Cost-of-living index (weight 60%)77
- Rent index (weight 40%)55
How this is calculated
Affordability = ((100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − rentIndex)/100 × 0.4) × 10. For Lyon: ((100 − 77)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − 55)/100 × 0.4) × 10 = 3.2.
Lyon is among the more expensive cities tracked. Salary expectations should be calibrated to the high cost base before relocating.
Quality of life
- Safety index (weight 40%)60
- Healthcare index (weight 35%)80
- Air quality index (weight 25%)65
How this is calculated
QoL = (safety/100 × 0.4 + healthcare/100 × 0.35 + airQuality/100 × 0.25) × 10. For Lyon: (60/100 × 0.4 + 80/100 × 0.35 + 65/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.8.
Lyon has a mixed quality profile. Safety: good; healthcare: excellent; air: good. Weigh the weakest axis against your personal priorities.
Remote-work friendliness
- Internet (median Mbps) (weight 45%)220 Mbps
- Effective income tax (lower = better) (weight 30%)14.0%
- Cost-of-living (lower = better) (weight 25%)77
How this is calculated
RemoteWork = (min(Mbps/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − incomeTax) × 0.3 + (100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.25) × 10. For Lyon: (min(220/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − 0.14) × 0.3 + (100 − 77)/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.5.
Lyon works for remote work but isn't optimized for it: internet 220 Mbps, income tax 14%, cost index 77.
Healthcare
- Healthcare quality index (weight 70%)80
- Healthcare out-of-pocket / month (lower = better) (weight 30%)40
How this is calculated
Healthcare = (qualityIndex/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − OOP/500) × 0.3) × 10. For Lyon: (80/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − 40/500) × 0.3) × 10 = 8.4.
Lyon combines excellent system quality with a manageable out-of-pocket cost (~40 EUR/month). Travel insurance still recommended for non-residents.
Each axis is a weighted aggregate of underlying indicators normalized to a 0–10 scale. Weights are explicit and disclosed per axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes — axes are not collapsed further because the underlying trade-offs (e.g. low cost vs poor air quality) are user-dependent.
Affordability
- Cost-of-living index (weight 60%)120
- Rent index (weight 40%)115
How this is calculated
Affordability = ((100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − rentIndex)/100 × 0.4) × 10. For San Francisco: ((100 − 120)/100 × 0.6 + (100 − 115)/100 × 0.4) × 10 = 0.
San Francisco is among the more expensive cities tracked. Salary expectations should be calibrated to the high cost base before relocating.
Quality of life
- Safety index (weight 40%)45
- Healthcare index (weight 35%)72
- Air quality index (weight 25%)68
How this is calculated
QoL = (safety/100 × 0.4 + healthcare/100 × 0.35 + airQuality/100 × 0.25) × 10. For San Francisco: (45/100 × 0.4 + 72/100 × 0.35 + 68/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.
San Francisco has a mixed quality profile. Safety: fair; healthcare: good; air: good. Weigh the weakest axis against your personal priorities.
Remote-work friendliness
- Internet (median Mbps) (weight 45%)280 Mbps
- Effective income tax (lower = better) (weight 30%)17.0%
- Cost-of-living (lower = better) (weight 25%)120
How this is calculated
RemoteWork = (min(Mbps/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − incomeTax) × 0.3 + (100 − costIndex)/100 × 0.25) × 10. For San Francisco: (min(280/300, 1) × 0.45 + (1 − 0.17) × 0.3 + (100 − 120)/100 × 0.25) × 10 = 6.7.
San Francisco works for remote work but isn't optimized for it: internet 280 Mbps, income tax 17%, cost index 120.
Healthcare
- Healthcare quality index (weight 70%)72
- Healthcare out-of-pocket / month (lower = better) (weight 30%)500
How this is calculated
Healthcare = (qualityIndex/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − OOP/500) × 0.3) × 10. For San Francisco: (72/100 × 0.7 + max(0, 1 − 500/500) × 0.3) × 10 = 5.
San Francisco has trade-offs in healthcare: quality is good, typical out-of-pocket cost is ~500 USD/month. Cross-border insurance closes the gap.
Monthly cost delta: Lyon vs San Francisco
Normalized to EUR at 1 USD = 0.9259 EUR.
| Category | Lyon | San Francisco | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| housing | €1,000 | $3,500 | +224% |
| food | €400 | $700 | +62% |
| transport | €70 | $80 | +6% |
| utilities | €150 | $200 | +23% |
| leisure | €320 | $700 | +103% |
| healthcare | €40 | $500 | +1057% |
Where each city's money goes
Two cities can have the same monthly total but very different shapes — one might burn 50% on housing while the other splits more evenly. The composition matters as much as the headline.
The biggest shape difference is housing: San Francisco spends 11.1 percentage points more of its budget on it (62% vs. 51%). If you're sensitive to that category, weight the per-axis scores accordingly.
Buying property
Apartment prices: Lyon vs San Francisco
Approximate asking prices in EUR per square meter (as of 2025-01), central vs mid-distance neighborhoods.
Buying in central Lyon runs about 58% cheaper per square meter (€5,500/m² vs €13,000/m²).
Midpoints of public listing ranges — a scoping number for rent-vs-buy thinking, not a valuation. Renting comparisons live in the cost table above.
Getting around
Public transport: Lyon vs San Francisco
Monthly pass and casual-ride pricing in EUR (as of 2025-01) plus the modes each network runs.
TCL pass; metro is compact (4 lines) but supplemented by frequent trams and the funicular up Fourvière hill.
Single ride: €2.2 · Modes: Metro, Tram, Bus, Cable car
Muni pass + BART; one of the few cities where the cable cars are still everyday transit, not just tourist rides.
Single ride: €2.8 · Modes: Metro, Tram, Bus, Commuter rail, Ferry, Cable car
Salary equivalence: Lyon ↔ San Francisco
What earning the same purchasing power costs in each city. Cost-adjusted using the local cost-of-living index (Lyon = 77, San Francisco = 120); currency-converted at 1 USD = 0.9259 EUR. Tax differences are not modeled.
| Lyon gross | San Francisco equivalent |
|---|---|
| €40,000 | $67,325 |
| €75,000 | $126,234 |
| €120,000 | $201,974 |
| San Francisco gross | Lyon equivalent |
|---|---|
| $40,000 | €23,765 |
| $75,000 | €44,560 |
| $120,000 | €71,296 |
Equivalence here means same cost-of-living purchasing power, not same net take-home. Effective tax rates differ between countries; a salary equivalent on cost can still net more or less depending on the destination's tax regime. Use the calculator for tax-adjusted figures at a specific lifestyle tier.
Pros and cons
Why pick Lyon
- Wins on affordability (+3.2 points vs San Francisco).
- Wins on quality of life (+0.8 points vs San Francisco).
- Wins on healthcare (+3.4 points vs San Francisco).
Why pick San Francisco
San Francisco doesn't have any standout advantages of ≥0.3 points on the scoring model.
Lyon trade-offs
No material trade-offs versus San Francisco on the scored axes.
San Francisco trade-offs
- Trails Lyon on affordability by 3.2 points.
- Trails Lyon on quality of life by 0.8 points.
- Trails Lyon on healthcare by 3.4 points.
Remote work logistics
Time zones and language: Lyon vs San Francisco
Lyon (Europe/Paris) and San Francisco (America/Los_Angeles) sit 9 hours apart in standard time. A 9-to-5 in one overlaps the other's for 0 hours a day — fully asynchronous collaboration.
Official: French · English: Moderate · Local language: Recommended
French is required for daily-life bureaucracy and most workplaces. English usable in Part-Dieu business district and at international firms; limited elsewhere.
Official: English · English: Native-equivalent · Local language: Not needed
English-native. Significant Spanish and Mandarin presence in specific neighborhoods (Mission, Chinatown). English universal.
Who should choose which
The composite winner doesn't always match what matters to you. These four reader profiles weigh the axes differently — find the closest fit.
Single, salaried remote worker, 25-40, optimizing for runway + bandwidth.
Axes scored: affordability, remoteWork
Couple with school-age children, prioritizing safety, healthcare, and air quality.
Axes scored: qualityOfLife, healthcare
Fixed income, healthcare-sensitive, prefers low cost and stable infrastructure.
Axes scored: healthcare, qualityOfLife, affordability
Salary stretch matters most. Cuts everything else if it lowers the burn rate.
Axes scored: affordability
Profiles use simple axis averaging — for a deeper read with your own weights, use the per-axis breakdown above.
Zoom out from cities to countries: compare France vs United States on average wage, take-home after tax and cost of living.
Going deeper
Visa landscape for both countries — and case studies that touch this corridor.
Tools that work for either choice
Some links below are affiliate links — if you sign up we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
How this page is calculated
Data sources
- Mundevo per-city dataset. Cost basket, rent index, safety, healthcare, air quality and median internet for both cities. Reference date: 2026-05-28 (Lyon) and 2026-05-28 (San Francisco).
- FX rate. 1 USD = 0.9259 EUR, used to normalize cost baskets.
- CityScoreCalculator. Four axes (Affordability, Quality of life, Remote work, Healthcare) computed with explicit weights and explanations. See per-axis calculation strings rendered on this page.
- ComparisonService. Per-category cost deltas (housing, food, transport, utilities, leisure, healthcare) normalized to the origin currency.
Update cadence
Data as of . Last reviewed .
Calculation
For each of the four axes we compute an independent 0–10 score using the formulas printed beside each axis. The composite is the unweighted mean of the four axes. The overall winner is the city with the higher composite, unless the margin is under 0.05 points — in which case Lyon is shown first as a tiebreaker to keep results stable.
Limitations
- Climate is not scored — we don't yet hold a maintained climate dataset, so weather-driven preferences are not modeled.
- Tax differences between cities in the same country are not modeled (Spain and Germany don't have material regional differences for this dataset).
- Indices are population-level. Personal cost varies with neighborhood, employer benefits and family status.
- Quality-of-life axis weights (safety 0.4 / healthcare 0.35 / air 0.25) are editorial defaults — readers with strong preferences should re-weight manually.
Frequently asked questions
Lyon vs San Francisco: which is cheaper?
Lyon is roughly 166% cheaper than San Francisco on the monthly cost basket (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). Lyon has cost index 77 vs San Francisco at 120 (both with New York = 100).
Which city has better quality of life?
Lyon scores 6.2/10 on the Mundevo composite versus San Francisco at 4.4/10. The composite weights safety (40%), healthcare (35%) and air quality (25%). Lyon wins overall by 1.8 points.
Is Lyon or San Francisco better for remote work?
Lyon has 220 Mbps median internet vs San Francisco at 280 Mbps. The four-axis decision rubric on this page (affordability, quality of life, remote work, healthcare) gives a per-dimension breakdown rather than a single answer.
Is Lyon bigger than San Francisco?
San Francisco is larger — about 873k people versus Lyon's 520k, roughly 1.7× the size.
Is Lyon safer than San Francisco?
Lyon scores higher on safety — 60 vs 45 / 100 on the Mundevo safety index (crime and personal-security signals).
Should I move to Lyon or San Francisco?
It depends on what you weight. Lyon wins the overall Mundevo composite by 1.8 points, but Lyon is cheaper, and the two split differently across affordability, quality of life, remote work and healthcare. Use the per-axis table and the reader-profile section above to match the verdict to your own priorities.