Lyon on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Lyon works on a budget, especially if you eat bouchon menus at lunch and walk between sights. Allow about €85 a day per person for a hostel or shared room, food, a museum and transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €40 | €85 | €250 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €60 | €150 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €90 |
| Local transport | €4 | €8 | €25 |
| Per person, per day | €84 | €183 | €515 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Lyon day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Roman theatres of Lugdunum on Fourvière hill
- The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and its viewpoint
- Vieux Lyon's Renaissance streets and traboules such as the Longue Traboule
- The Parc de la Tête d'Or and its free zoo
- The Mur des Canuts mural in Croix-Rousse
- The Fête des Lumières light installations (around 8 December)
Cheap eats
- Saucisson brioché slice to take away: about €4–7
- Cervelle de canut starter: roughly €6–9
- Bouchon lunch menu: roughly €20–30
- Bakery sandwich and pastry: about €6–10
- Praluline or praline tart slice: about €3–5
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels in Vieux Lyon or near the Presqu'île and Croix-Rousse, with dorm beds roughly €25–45.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre and use metro, trams and the Fourvière and Saint-Just funiculars with a TCL ticket. The Rhônexpress from the airport is quick but costs about €17 one way; a cheaper alternative is the tram plus bus combination, which takes longer.
A sample budget day
- Morning: funicular to Fourvière, the basilica and the Roman theatres (free)
- Lunch: bouchon menu in Vieux Lyon, about €22
- Afternoon: traboules and Croix-Rousse on foot (free), then the Museum of Fine Arts, about €12
- Evening: bakery and market picnic on the Saône, about €10
- Total: about €85 including a hostel bed
More ways to save
- Buy a day pass for the funiculars and metro if you will make three or more trips.
- Check for free entry on the first Sunday of the month at some museums.
- Buy food at the Halles Paul Bocuse to take away rather than eat in.
- Visit in July–August when hotel prices often dip.
- Use Vélo'v bike-share for short hops along the rivers.
- Join a free walking tour (tip-based) of Vieux Lyon.
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Common questions
How much do I need per day in Lyon?
About €85 per person: €40 for a bed, €30 for food, €10 for sights and €4 for transport.
What is free in Lyon?
The Roman theatres, Fourvière basilica, Vieux Lyon's traboules, the Parc de la Tête d'Or and its zoo, and the Mur des Canuts.
How do I get from the airport cheaply?
The Rhônexpress tram is fastest but costs about €17. Cheaper tram-and-bus combinations exist but take longer.