Climate
Aix-en-Provence logs 266 sunny days a year to Lyon's 179 — Aix-en-Provence wins by 87. Aix-en-Provence also leads on frost days by 19.
Aix-en-Provence
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Lyon
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Cost of Living
Lyon is $386/mo cheaperAix-en-Provence runs about $2,629/mo for a balanced lifestyle against Lyon's $2,243/mo — Lyon comes in $386 cheaper each month, roughly 17% less.
Aix-en-Provence
$2,629monthly · balanced
Lyon
$2,243monthly · balanced
Mobility
On mobility, Lyon scores 3.6 vs Aix-en-Provence's 2.4 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on public transit. Aix-en-Provence still holds an edge on motorbike/scooter efficiency.
Culture
Lyon's culture score of 3.6 sits well above Aix-en-Provence's 3.3, with the biggest gap on history museums.
Nature & Outdoors
Aix-en-Provence's nature & outdoors score of 4.2 sits well above Lyon's 3.8, with the biggest gap on sea access. Lyon still holds an edge on green areas.
Safety
Aix-en-Provence's safety score is ~1.3× Lyon's — in the upper band, while Lyon lands in the middle of the scale, with the biggest gap on walking safety. Lyon still holds an edge on wildfire safety.
Career
Lyon's career score of 3.2 sits well above Aix-en-Provence's 2.6, with the biggest gap on career opportunities.
Social & Community
Aix-en-Provence and Lyon score neck-and-neck on social & community (2.6 vs 2.7, 0–5 scale).
Food & Dining
On food & dining, Lyon scores 3.0 vs Aix-en-Provence's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on restaurant variety.
Family
On family, Lyon scores 3.1 vs Aix-en-Provence's 2.8 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on international schools. Aix-en-Provence still holds an edge on wellness/spa.
Healthcare
On healthcare, Lyon scores 3.0 vs Aix-en-Provence's 2.7 (0–5 scale), with the biggest gap on private healthcare quality.
Air Quality
Aix-en-Provence averages 9.5 µg/m³ (good) PM2.5 annually versus Lyon's 10.6 µg/m³ (moderate) — Aix-en-Provence breathes ~10% cleaner air (1.1 µg/m³ lower).
Aix-en-Provence
Lyon
PM2.5 annual average
WHO classification
City Scale
Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.
Aix-en-Provence (82K) and Lyon (1.2M) are 15x in population — Lyon is the larger metro, Aix-en-Provence the smaller; on land area Lyon spans roughly 12x more ground.
Lyon is roughly 13x the scale of Aix-en-Provence
Combined population & area comparison
LyonAix-en-ProvenceCity Scale Rankings
Lyon1.2M15xAix-en-Provence82K1xLyon256 km²12xAix-en-Provence21 km²1xAix-en-Provence
Lyon
Who Thrives Here
Aix-en-Provence favours the sunshine lover, while Lyon suits the career builder. Both cities work well for the escaping weather.
Also compared
Frequently asked about Aix-en-Provence vs Lyon
▶Which is cheaper, Aix-en-Provence or Lyon?
▶How does the climate compare between Aix-en-Provence and Lyon?
▶Is Aix-en-Provence or Lyon safer?
▶Should I move to Aix-en-Provence or Lyon?
The best city depends on what matters to you
This comparison shows how Aix-en-Provence and Lyon stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.
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