Should you visit Lyon or Mont-Saint-Michel?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lyon or Mont-Saint-Michel, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
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.
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is an island community in Normandy, France. It is located about a half of a mile (or one kilometer) off of the country's northwest coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island, at last count, was just under 50 people. The island has been a strategic fortifications since ancient times and since the 8th century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it was named. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fishermen and farmers. One of France's most recognizable landmarks, visited by more than 3 million people each year, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Over 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as historical monuments.
Which city is cheaper, Mont-Saint-Michel or Lyon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Lyon is €100, while the average daily cost in Mont-Saint-Michel is €125. 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 city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Lyon and Mont-Saint-Michel in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Lyon is about €84 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Mont-Saint-Michel's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €112. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €56.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Lyon cost around €33 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around €13.
The average traveler spends about €35 per day in Mont-Saint-Michel for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Lyon €33
Mont-Saint-Michel €35
Typical Food prices in Lyon
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lyon are as follows:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lyon
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lyon.
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Lyon 2.5-Hour Dinner Cruise:
$67
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Presqu'île Food Tour with a Local Guide:
$68
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Lyon Old Town Walking Guided Food Tour:
$68
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Half-Day Gourmet Food Tour with Tastings:
$78
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Lyon Old Town Half-Day Walking Food Tour with Local Specialties Tasting & Lunch:
$93
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Old Town Food Tour:
$102
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Secret Food Tour:
$107
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Lyon Old Town Five Tasting Stops Walking Food Tour with Lunch:
$108
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Lyon Quais Saint Antoine Private Gastronomic Food Tour:
$111
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Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Lyon:
$137
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Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse Food Tour:
$217
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Food tour in Lyon:
$258
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Lyon is €14 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
The average price of local transportation around Mont-Saint-Michel is €56 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Lyon
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lyon:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lyon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lyon:
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Airport Lyon - private VIP transfer to Megève on Mercedes V-class:
$649
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Airport Lyon - private VIP transfer to Morzine on Mercedes V-class:
$683
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Airport Lyon - private VIP transfer to Tignes on Mercedes V-class:
$683
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Airport Lyon - private VIP transfer to Val-d Isere on Mercedes V-class:
$702
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Departure Private Transfer Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS by Business Car:
$66
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Departure Private Transfer Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS by Luxury Van:
$87
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Departure Private Transfers from Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS in Business Car:
$95
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Departure Private Transfers from Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS in Luxury Van:
$103
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Grenoble-Isère Airport to Lyon City - One Way:
$284
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport to Lyon City - One Way:
$124
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Lyon-Bron Airport to Lyon City - One Way:
$65
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Lyon Airport Transfers : Lyon City to Lyon Airport LYS in Business Car:
$98
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mont-Saint-Michel
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mont-Saint-Michel:
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Private Transfer from Mont Saint-Michel to Rennes - Up to 7 People:
$297
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Private Transfer: Mont Saint-Michel to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG):
$1,096
Is it cheaper to fly into Lyon or Mont-Saint-Michel?
Prices for flights to both Mont-Saint-Michel and Lyon 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.
Entertainment
Lyon's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €16 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Mont-Saint-Michel's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €24 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Lyon
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Lyon are as follows:
Tours and Activities in Lyon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lyon are as follows:
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Lyon City Historic Neighborhoods Guided Walking Tour (English):
$3.82
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Vieux Lyon Cultural & Historical Walking Guided Tour (English):
$3.82
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Private Lyon Ghost Tour: Haunted City Center Exploration Game:
$8.70
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1-Hour City Tram Audio-Guided Tour:
$9.22
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Lyon Croix-Rousse City Tram Tour with Audio Guide:
$11
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Haunted Lyon City Exploration Game & Tour:
$11
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Lyon Museum of Cinema Miniature Admission Ticket:
$12
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Storytelling Tour of Croix-Rousse:
$15
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Guided Sightseeing Cruise:
$15
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1-Hour Discovery Tour by Boat:
$17
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Ticket to Mini World Lyon Museum:
$17
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Lyon City Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Bus Tour:
$22
Tours and Activities in Mont-Saint-Michel
Here are a few actual costs in Mont-Saint-Michel for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Private Walking Tour of Mont-St-Michel and Surroundings:
$217
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Private 3-hour Walking Tour of Mt St. Michel with official tour guide:
$249
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Private Mont Saint-Michel Family Walking Tour:
$391
Alcohol
The average person spends about €19 on alcoholic beverages in Lyon per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Mont-Saint-Michel may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €6.29 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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
€6.80
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Bottle of Wine
€15
Sample the Local Flavors in Lyon
Also in Lyon, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Beaujolais Segway Tour With Wine Tasting:
$52
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Golden Stones Beaujolais Wine Tasting Trip from Lyon:
$101
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Half-Day Vienne & Côte-Rotie Wine Tasting Tour:
$101
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Half-Day Beaujolais Wine Tour from Lyon:
$101
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Northern Rhône Valley Cheese & Wine Tasting Half Day Tour from Lyon:
$111
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Lyon Old Town Food & Wine Tasting Tour including a Bouchon Lyonnais:
$112
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The Original Syrah Wine Tour - Afternoon - Small Group Tour from Lyon:
$114
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The Original Syrah Wine Tour - Morning - Small Group Tours from Lyon:
$114
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Beaujolais Gourmet Wine Tour with Tastings from Lyon:
$123
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Macon & Beaujolais Wine Tour - Full Day - Small Group Tour from Lyon:
$147
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Cotes du Rhone Wine Tour - Full Day - Small Group Tour from Lyon:
$153
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Beaujolais Region Vineyard Day Tour with Wine Tasting from Lyon:
$160
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lyon and Mont-Saint-Michel, we can see that Mont-Saint-Michel is more expensive. And not only is Lyon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Lyon would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Lyon 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 Mont-Saint-Michel would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mont-Saint-Michel than you might in Lyon.
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