Budget · Lyon · France
Lyon on a budget
What a trip to Lyon really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pline, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Lyon is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $70–$110 per person per day on a tight budget, $150–$250 mid-range and $350–$800 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–February.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $70–$110 a day
- Mid-range
- $150–$250 a day
- Luxury
- $350–$800 a day
- Local currency
- EUR
- Free sights
- 10
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $70–$110 | $210–$330 | $350–$550 | $490–$770 |
| Mid-range | $150–$250 | $450–$750 | $750–$1,250 | $1,050–$1,750 |
| Luxury | $350–$800 | $1,050–$2,400 | $1,750–$4,000 | $2,450–$5,600 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Lyon, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| TCL single ticket | about €2–€2.50 |
| Espresso at a café counter | about €1.50–€2.50 |
| Weekday lunch formule | about €16–€25 |
| Bouchon dinner menu | about €25–€40 per person |
| Pot (46 cl) of house wine | about €12–€20 |
| Museum ticket | about €8–€14 |
| Rhônexpress airport tram, one way | about €16–€18 |
Money-saving tips
- Eat your main meal at lunch, when bouchon and bistro set menus cost far less than dinner.
- Fourvière, Vieux Lyon's traboules, the Parc de la Tête d'Or and its zoo are all free.
- The Lyon City Card pays off if you visit several museums and take the river cruise.
- Book well ahead or avoid the Fête des Lumières if you want reasonable hotel prices in December.
- Picnic from the Croix-Rousse market or the Halles on the Saône quays or in the Parc de la Tête d'Or.
- Funiculars use normal TCL tickets, so there is no need to pay for tourist trains up Fourvière.
Free things to do
- Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière — Built between 1872 and 1896 on the hill above Vieux Lyon, the white basilica has a lavish interior of mosaics, gilding and marble.
- Vieux Lyon and the traboules — The Renaissance quarter along the Saône is threaded with traboules, covered passages that cut through buildings and courtyards from one street to the next, once used by silk merchants.
- Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse — Named after the city's most famous chef, this covered market gathers dozens of top producers: cheesemongers selling runny Saint-Marcellin, charcutiers, pâtissiers, oyster bars and chocolatiers.
- Saint-Jean Cathedral — Lyon's cathedral, built between the 12th and 15th centuries, mixes Romanesque and Gothic styles and has medieval stained glass.
- Place Bellecour and the Presqu'île — Place Bellecour, a vast square of red gravel with an equestrian statue of Louis XIV, is the starting point for walks along rue de la République and rue Victor-Hugo, past 19th-century façades, shops and cafés, towards the Place des Jacobins and its fountain.
- Place des Terreaux — The square in front of the 17th-century Hôtel de Ville is dominated by the Bartholdi Fountain, sculpted by the creator of the Statue of Liberty, with horses representing rivers.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, solo travellers and culture
Terreaux and the Pentes de la Croix-Rousse
City hall square, the fine-arts museum and steep lanes of bars and studios
$$ · Best for food lovers, quiet stays and couples
Croix-Rousse plateau
Village-like hilltop of the silk weavers with a daily market
$$ · Best for budget and first-timers
Part-Dieu
Business district around the main TGV station and shopping centre
Eating well for less
- Silk worker's brain — Bouchons, usually as a starter or before the cheese course.
- Saint-Marcellin — Cheesemongers in the Halles Paul Bocuse and on the Croix-Rousse market, and bouchon cheese courses.
Getting around for less
Lyon City Card
Free entry to many museums, guided tours and a river cruise, plus unlimited public transport, for one to four days.
TCL day ticket
Unlimited travel on metro, trams, buses and funiculars for 24 hours or more.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Lyon cost?
About $750–$1,250 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $350–$550 on a tight budget.
+Is Lyon expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Eat your main meal at lunch, when bouchon and bistro set menus cost far less than dinner.
+How much money do I need per day in Lyon?
Roughly $70–$110 on a budget and $150–$250 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Lyon?
Usually in January–February.