Which place is cheaper, Montreal or Lyon?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Lyon or Montreal?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Lyon or Montreal, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Lyon or Montreal?
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.
Montreal
While Quebec City is the political capital of Quebec Province, Montreal is the economic and cultural capital. It's also the second largest city in Canada, with a population of about 1.9 million and 4 million in the metropolitan area. It's the second largest French speaking city in the world behind Paris.
Montreal is a very trendy and vibrant city with an active nightlife and countless activities to enjoy. It's located on an island in the St. Lawrence River and has a humid continental climate. There are four distinct seasons. Summers are warm or hot and humid. Spring and fall are mild and winters are cold and snowy. You can expect about 2 meters of snow every year, but there are also more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours from Paris, The Best 2-Week Tours from Paris, The Best Train & Rail Tours in Canada, and The Best Sightseeing Tours in Canada.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLyon €125Montreal €195
The average daily cost (per person) in Lyon is €125, while the average daily cost in Montreal is €195. 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 Lyon and Montreal in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLyon €53Montreal €123
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLyon €106Montreal €246
Compare Hotels in Lyon and Montreal
Looking for a hotel in Lyon or Montreal? 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: Lyon Hotel Prices and Montreal Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Lyon €17Montreal €19
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Lyon
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Lyon:
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Funiculaire€5.20
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Hop-on Hop-off Tourist Bus€19
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lyon
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lyon:
- Superior Private Transfer From Lyon City to Geneva City: $297
- Private Direct Transfer from Lyon to Geneva: $274
- Private Transfer Grenoble Airport GNB - Grenoble Ski Resort: $230
- Lyon St Exupery Airport to Courchevel/Les Arcs - Arrival Transfer: $181
- Lyon Saint Exupery Airport to Meribel - Arrival Private Transfer: $180
- Lyon Saint Exupery Airport(LYS) to Alpe d'Huez - Arrival Transfer: $164
- Lyon Exupery Airport to Les Deux La Clusaz Round Trip Transfer: $143
- Lyon Private Transfer from Lyon city centre to Lyon (LYS) Airport: $131
- Private Transfer: Lyon to Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS): $125
- Private Transfer: (LYS) Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport to Lyon: $124
- Transfer Privé Lyon saint exupery airport to lyon : $120
- Lyon : Private Transfer from/to Lyon Saint-Exupery Airport: $118
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Montreal
Also for Montreal, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Transfer from Montreal Cruise Port to Montreal City: $36
- Private Transfer: Montreal City Center to Pierre E.T. Airport-YUL: $48
- Le Terminal Cruise Port to Québec Airport YQB Departure Transfer: $57
- Private One-way Montreal Airport Transfer To/From Montreal: $58
- Arrival Transfer from International Airport: $65
- Transfer in private vehicle from Montreal CityCenter- to Montreal Airport (YUL): $67
- Downtown Direct: Montreal's Exclusive Airport Transfer: $79
- Montreal Best Private Transfer services : $82
- Private Transfer: Montreal to Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL): $87
- Private Departure Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL: $116
- Montreal Private Transfer to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
- Departure Private Transfer: Montreal to Montreal Airport YUL in Business Car: $117
Is it cheaper to fly into Lyon or Montreal?
Prices for flights to both Montreal 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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayLyon €41Montreal €34
Typical Food Prices in Lyon
Some typical examples of dining costs in Lyon are as follows:
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Pastry€1.70
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
Typical Food Prices in Montreal
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Montreal:
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Tim Hortons breakfast and coffee€8.39
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Le Bateau-Mouche À La Carte Menu Dinner Cruise: $59
- No Diet Club: Walking food Tour with many tastings: $59
- Beyond the Market Food Tour by Spade & Palacio: $74
- Montreal Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $74
- Old Montreal Food & Drink Tour by Local Montreal Food Tours: $103
- Cooking Class and Tasting Menu with Michelin Chef: $130
- Montréal: 5-Course Dinner Cruise with Music & VIP Option: $160
- Personalized Private Food Tour with a Local Foodie: $207
- Cooking Class in Montreal with a Michelin-Star Trained Chef: $224
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Lyon €20Montreal €20
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€45
Tours and Activities in Lyon
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Lyon are as follows:
- 1 or 2-Hour Pedicab tour of Lyon: $27
- 1-hour tourist walk with guide: $38
- Access to a Self-Guided Tour to Traboules de Croix-Rousse: $8.77
- Alternative Tour: Murals and Hidden Frescoes of Lyon: $46
- An unusual city tour with sketches: $65
- Audio-Guided Tour of the United States Quarter and Painted Walls: $11
- Audio-guided tour of Old Lyon: $11
- Audio-guided tour of the Fourvière and the Sacred Hill: $11
- Beaujolais Wine Discovery - Private Tour - Half Day: $253
- Beaujolais Wines & Castles - Private Tour - Half Day: $269
- Best Intro Tour of Lyon with a Local: $142
- Cheese and Wine Accord Tour at Château de Champ-Renard: $55
Typical Entertainment Prices in Montreal
For Montreal, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Botanical Gardens (family of 4)€50
Tours and Activities in Montreal
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Montreal.
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Montreal self-guided tour App - multilingual AudioGuide: $4.31
- Montréal's Mile End to Outremont: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.20
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.54
- Escape Game and Tour: $8.61
- APP Self-Guided Tours Montreal with Audioguide: $8.74
- Montreal Art Center & Museum Audio Guided Tour: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour: $11
- McCord Stewart Museum : Entry Ticket: $15
- Montreal Zipline Adventure: $15
- Self-Guided Old Town Scavenger Hunt Walking Tour: $15
- Montreal Old Port: Urban Zipline Ticket: $16
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLyon €24Montreal €15
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:
- 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
Typical Alcohol Prices in Montreal
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Montreal:
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Vodka€17
Sample the Local Flavors in Montreal
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Montreal:
- Haunted Montreal Pub Crawl: $22
- Guided Bar Crawl with Free Shots and Club Entry: $42
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Lyon and Montreal, we can see that Montreal is more expensive. And not only is Lyon much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Lyon is in Europe and Montreal is in North America, 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 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 Montreal would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Montreal than you might in Lyon.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Lyon Expensive? and Is Montreal Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Lyon or Montreal?
Montreal has a larger population, and is about 7 times larger than the population of Lyon. When comparing the sizes of Lyon and Montreal, 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.
When is the best time to visit Lyon or Montreal?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Lyon or Montreal in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Lyon as well as Montreal. Most visitors come to Lyon for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences during these months.
In the summer, Lyon is around the same temperature as Montreal. Typically, the summer temperatures in Lyon in July average around 22°C (71°F), and Montreal averages at about 21°C (69°F).
The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Montreal. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Lyon this time of the year. In the summer, Lyon often gets around the same amount of sunshine as Montreal. Lyon gets 285 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 276 hours of full sun.
Lyon usually gets less rain in July than Montreal. Lyon gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 91 mm (3.6 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyLyon 22°C (71°F)Montreal 21°C (69°F)
Should I visit Lyon or Montreal in the Autumn?
Both Montreal and Lyon are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The autumn months attract visitors to Lyon because of the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Lyon is generally much warmer than Montreal. Daily temperatures in Lyon average around 14°C (56°F), and Montreal fluctuates around 8°C (47°F).
Lyon usually receives less sunshine than Montreal during autumn. Lyon gets 127 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 141 hours of full sun in the autumn.
In October, Lyon usually receives around the same amount of rain as Montreal. Lyon gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 79 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberLyon 14°C (56°F)Montreal 8°C (47°F)
Should I visit Lyon or Montreal in the Winter?
Both Montreal and Lyon during the winter are popular places to visit. The museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine are the main draw to Lyon this time of year.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Montreal. It's quite cold in Lyon in the winter. Lyon is much warmer than Montreal in the winter. The daily temperature in Lyon averages around 4°C (39°F) in January, and Montreal fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).
In the winter, Lyon often gets less sunshine than Montreal. Lyon gets 62 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Montreal receives 103 hours of full sun.
Lyon usually gets less rain in January than Montreal. Lyon gets 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 74 mm (2.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryLyon 4°C (39°F)Montreal -10°C (14°F)
Should I visit Lyon or Montreal in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Lyon and Montreal. Many travelers come to Lyon for the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
In the spring, Lyon is much warmer than Montreal. Typically, the spring temperatures in Lyon in April average around 11°C (53°F), and Montreal averages at about 6°C (43°F).
Lyon usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Montreal during spring. Lyon gets 174 hours of sunny skies, while Montreal receives 183 hours of full sun in the spring.
In April, Lyon usually receives less rain than Montreal. Lyon gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Montreal receives 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilLyon 11°C (53°F)Montreal 6°C (43°F)
Typical Weather for Montreal and Lyon
| Lyon | Montreal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (39°F) | 55 mm (2.1 in) | -10°C (14°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Feb | 6°C (42°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | -9°C (16°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) |
| Mar | 8°C (47°F) | 62 mm (2.4 in) | -2°C (28°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) |
| Apr | 11°C (53°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 6°C (43°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) |
| May | 15°C (60°F) | 85 mm (3.4 in) | 13°C (55°F) | 75 mm (3 in) |
| Jun | 19°C (66°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 18°C (64°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jul | 22°C (71°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 91 mm (3.6 in) |
| Aug | 21°C (70°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 19°C (67°F) | 104 mm (4.1 in) |
| Sep | 18°C (65°F) | 75 mm (3 in) | 14°C (58°F) | 90 mm (3.5 in) |
| Oct | 14°C (56°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 8°C (47°F) | 79 mm (3.1 in) |
| Nov | 8°C (46°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 2°C (35°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (40°F) | 57 mm (2.3 in) | -7°C (20°F) | 99 mm (3.9 in) |
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.