Which place is cheaper, Lyon or Johannesburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Johannesburg or Lyon?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Johannesburg and Lyon can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Johannesburg or Lyon?
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa with a population of over 3 million people. Most of the population is made up of South Africa's black residents, who predominately reside in the Soweto area. There are approximately half a million white residents and 300,000 residents of other descent. Half of the population live in the Soweto area as well as the nearby suburbs.
Lyon
Lyon, located within the region of Southeastern France, is France's third largest city in terms of population, with just over 500,000 inhabitants. This makes the city large, yet still small and personable enough to be explored properly in a short visit. Known as the gastronomic capital of Europe, your culinary needs are exceptionally well catered to here, and for those with historical and cultural interests, you will never be at a loss for new things to do and see.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to South Africa, The Best Eco Tours in South Africa, The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Paris.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayJohannesburg $95Lyon $134
The average daily cost (per person) in Johannesburg is $95, while the average daily cost in Lyon is $134. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Johannesburg and Lyon in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personJohannesburg $55Lyon $57
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomJohannesburg $110Lyon $114
Compare Hotels in Johannesburg and Lyon
Looking for a hotel in Johannesburg or Lyon? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Johannesburg Hotel Prices and Lyon Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Johannesburg $16Lyon $18
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Johannesburg
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Johannesburg:
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Taxi Ride$3.24
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Johannesburg
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Johannesburg:
- 1-3 Passenger Private Johannesburg - Airport Transfer: $35
- Johannesburg Airport JNB to Johannesburg Hotels Arrival Transfer: $35
- Johannesburg O.R. Tambo Airport (JNB) to Johannesburg - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
- Johannesburg to Johannesburg Airport (JNB) Departure Transfer: $35
- Transfers Between Lanseria Airport And Johannesburg : $42
- OR Tambo Private Airport to Hotel and Hotel to Airport Transfers : $43
- Private Airport Transfer & Grounds to Sandton, Johannesburg & Pretoria 599: $44
- Johannesburg Airport Private Transfers: Departures (Hotel Pickup): $45
- OR Tambo Airport Transfers Around Johannesburg: $46
- Private Airport Transfer from OR Tambo Airport to Lesedi Village: $47
- Airport Transfers Johannesburg : $47
- Luxury Car Johannesburg Airport Private Transfer: $52
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lyon
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lyon:
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Funiculaire$5.57
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Hop-on Hop-off Tourist Bus$20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lyon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lyon:
- Private transfer from or to Lyon train stations - Lyon city by car or luxury van: $47
- Private Transfer: Saint Exupéry Airport(LYS) to Lyon City Center: $52
- Private Transfer: Lyon City Center to Saint Exupéry Airport(LYS): $52
- Lyon City Card with Airport Transfer: $53
- Lyon St Exupery Airport to Les Deux/La Clusaz - Arrival Transfer: $71
- Lyon Airport (LYS) to Val d'Isere/Espace Killy: Arrival Transfer: $77
- Arrival Private Transfer from Lyon Airport LYS to Lyon City by Business Car: $79
- Departure Private Transfer Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS by Business Car: $79
- 1-Way Private Transfer center to Saint Exupery Airport: $81
- 1-Way Private Transfer from Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport: $81
- Excellecar Private Driver - Stations & Airports Transfers: $82
- Private Transfer between Lyon Satolas Airport and Lyon: $86
Is it cheaper to fly into Johannesburg or Lyon?
Prices for flights to both Lyon and Johannesburg change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayJohannesburg $17Lyon $44
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Johannesburg
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Johannesburg.
- Maboneng Street Art and Street Food Tour: $41
- A Private Traditional Cape Malay Cooking Class, with a MKR Finalist: $95
- JOBURG DINNERS : MABONENG CITY DINNER: $97
- Johannesburg Culture and food tour: $99
- Pan-African Cooking & Dinning Experience: $216
Typical Food Prices in Lyon
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lyon are as follows:
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Pastry$1.82
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lyon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lyon.
- Street Food Tour: $65
- Croix-Rousse District Vegan Food Tour with Tastings: $65
- Lyon Street Food Tour : $66
- 3h Lyon Vegan Food Tour: $66
- Guided Food Tour with Tastings: $67
- Afternoon Old Town Food tour: $77
- Lyon 2.5-Hour Dinner Cruise: $81
- Cultural Walking Food Tour in the Vieux Lyon District: $86
- Lyon Old Town Half-Day Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties Tasting & Lunch: $93
- Old Town Food Tour: $97
- Guided Food Tour with Tastings and Wine: $102
- Guided Evening Food Tour: $102
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Johannesburg $21Lyon $22
Tours and Activities in Johannesburg
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Johannesburg are as follows:
- Johannesburg Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus with Optional Soweto Tour: $16
- Jo'burg Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour with Apartheid Museum & Soweto: $16
- Architectural Walking Tour: $19
- Soweto: Hector Pieterson Memorial, to Orlando Towers Tour: $24
- Braamfontein Street Art Tour: $27
- Maboneng Street Art & Culture Tour: $27
- Soweto: Bike Tour with a Local Tour Guide: $30
- Colours of A Graffiti & Street Art Tour: $30
- (Meet the Artist)Art Gallery & Street Art tour with lunch: $30
- Half-Day Walking Tour in Soweto: $32
- A Day Of Soweto Food & Beer Tour: $32
Typical Entertainment Prices in Lyon
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lyon are as follows:
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Lunch for 2$48
Tours and Activities in Lyon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lyon are as follows:
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- City Exploration Game and Tour: $4.31
- Lyon Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour: $4.84
- Hop-On Hop-Off City Cruise: $5.38
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Lyon Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.58
- Private Self-Guided Tour of the Curse Quest of Old Lyon: $8.74
- Access to a Self-Guided Tour to Traboules de Croix-Rousse: $8.77
- Lyon Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- French Resistance Smartphone Audio Walking Tour: $9.68
- Old Lyon Walking In App Audio Tour: $9.77
- Lyon Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $9.94
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayJohannesburg $4.73Lyon $25
Sample the Local Flavors in Johannesburg
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Johannesburg:
- Wine Tasting Experience in Johannesburg: $8.23
- Wine Tasting and Cableway Half Day Tour: $115
- Experience Johannesburg Wine Tour Views and Luxury: $226
Typical Alcohol Prices in Lyon
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Lyon from other travelers:
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Drinks for 2$7.29
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Bottle of Wine$16
Sample the Local Flavors in Lyon
Also in Lyon, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Beaujolais Segway Tour with Wine Tasting: $65
- Guided tour of Beaujolais by electric bike and wine tasting: $98
- Lyon Old Town Food & Wine Tasting Tour including a Bouchon Lyonnais : $99
- Lyon Music & Wine tasting: $104
- From Beaujolais Region Wine Tour with Tastings: $107
- Golden Stones Beaujolais Wine Tasting Trip from Lyon: $107
- Beaujolais: Half-Day Wine Tour: $107
- From Wine tasting and visits of the Beaujolais: $107
- Half-Day Côte-Rotie Wine Tasting Tour: $107
- Lyon : Music & Wine tasting tour: $108
- Beaujolais Half Day Wine Tasting Tour: $109
- Golden stones Beaujolais Wine Tour with Tastings from Lyon: $109
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Johannesburg and Lyon, we can see that Lyon is more expensive. And not only is Johannesburg much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Johannesburg is in Africa and Lyon is in Europe, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Johannesburg would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Johannesburg and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Lyon would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Lyon than you might in Johannesburg.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Johannesburg Expensive? and Is Lyon Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Johannesburg or Lyon?
Johannesburg has a larger population, and is about 4 times larger than the population of Lyon. When comparing the sizes of Johannesburg and Lyon, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.