France · Visit or make it home

Lyon

Lyon is a city in France. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Lyon — Lyon-part-dieu-2023

Get to know Lyon

A sense of the place

Lyon is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, 391 km southeast of Paris, 278 km north of Marseille, and 113 km southwest of Geneva, Switzerland. The City of Lyon is the third-largest city in France with a population of 519,127 as of 2023 within its small municipal territory of 48 km2 , but together with its suburbs and exurbs the Lyon metropolitan area had a population of 2,338,789 that same year, the second largest in France. Lyon and 58 suburban municipalities have formed since 2015 the Metropolis of Lyon, a directly elected metropolitan authority now in charge of most urban issues, with a population of 1,436,354 in 2023. Lyon is the prefecture of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and seat of the Departmental Council of Rhône . The capital of the Gauls during the Roman Empire, Lyon is the seat of an archbishopric whose holder bears the title of Primate of the Gauls. Lyon became a major economic hub during the Renaissance.

Weather through the year

When to visit Lyon

Temperature

July has the warmest monthly average (20.6°C); January is coolest (1.5°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

November averages about 85 mm of rain, compared with 46 mm in February. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

May, June, July, August, September combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

January, February, December have monthly means below 5°C. For a stay then, compare accommodation heating and keep indoor options in your itinerary. These figures do not establish snow cover or ski conditions.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C1.52.36.010.013.818.420.620.115.911.66.02.3
Rain, mm544654618267656662828563

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Lyon

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Lyon

What is the average rent in Lyon?

915 €/month is the recorded central one-bedroom rent reference for Lyon, dated 2025. This is a dated comparison measure, rather than a home available today. Check current listings in your chosen neighbourhood, then add utilities, the deposit and commuting to make a budget for your own move.

Source: ANIL / DGALN — Carte des loyers (indicateurs de loyers d'annonce par commune, 2025), €/m²/mois charges comprises · Reference date: 2025 · Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0

Average salary in Lyon

What is the average salary in Lyon?

5,023.6 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes France, not average salary in Lyon. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Lyon with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Lyon, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

Compare holiday preferences →

A relocation budget

The recorded central one-bedroom rent is 915 €/month (2025). Compare it with properties in your chosen neighbourhood.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

Compare with another city →

Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Lyon in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Rent starts from the recorded 2025 figure; edit it for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

Compare with another city →

Compare the details

Lyon at a glance

France: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Lyon. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 12 national indicators

Other places to compare in France

Compare Lyon with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

All maintained comparisons →

Privacy choices

Optional analytics

Google Analytics helps us understand how the site is used. In the EEA, UK and Switzerland it stays off until you accept; elsewhere it starts by default. You can reject or withdraw it at any time.

Full privacy notice