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SUMMARY
We analyzed apartment rental yields in Lyon, as of 2026, for foreign residential apartment buyers using the raw dataset provided. The work compares modeled purchase prices, monthly rents, gross rental yields, and net rental yields across the main Lyon neighborhoods and apartment sizes.
This article is updated regularly, so the figures should be read as a May 2026 snapshot of the Lyon apartment rental yield market rather than a permanent forecast.
The main finding is clear: smaller apartments usually produce the strongest rental yield in Lyon. Studios beat 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments in most neighborhoods because the monthly rent is high relative to the entry price.
The strongest modeled net-yield areas are Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Vaise, and Guillotière. Studio net yields reach about 3.9% in Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel and about 3.8% in Vaise and Guillotière.
Gerland, Jean Macé, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, and Part-Dieu also look attractive for rental income. They do not always produce the very highest yield, but they have stronger transport, employment, student, or residential demand.
The weakest income profile is in the prestige areas. Foch / Masséna, Brotteaux, Presqu’île, Confluence, and parts of Vieux Lyon can be excellent places to live, but their purchase prices absorb much of the rent.
For a beginner foreign buyer, the safest Lyon apartment strategy is often a well-located 1-bedroom apartment. Studios maximize yield, but 1-bedroom apartments usually offer deeper tenant demand and better resale flexibility.
The Lyon apartment market is strongly shaped by metro access, employment nodes, universities, building quality, energy performance, and rent control. A high spreadsheet yield is not enough if the apartment is badly located, poorly insulated, or in a weak copropriété.
The practical takeaway is that Vaise, Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Guillotière, Gerland, Jean Macé, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, and Part-Dieu offer the most useful income-first signals, while Brotteaux, Foch / Masséna, Presqu’île, and Vieux Lyon are more convincing for lifestyle and capital preservation than pure rental yield.
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Neighborhoods and apartment rental yields in Lyon in 2026
This table compares apartment rental yields in Lyon by neighborhood and apartment size.
For each area, the table shows estimated purchase price, estimated monthly rent, gross rental yield, and net rental yield for studios, 1-bedroom apartments, and 2-bedroom apartments.
Finally, please note you'll find much more detailed data in our real estate pack about Lyon.
| Neighborhood | Studio average purchase price | Studio average monthly rent | Studio gross rental yield | Studio net rental yield | 1-bedroom average purchase price | 1-bedroom average monthly rent | 1-bedroom gross rental yield | 1-bedroom net rental yield | 2-bedroom average purchase price | 2-bedroom average monthly rent | 2-bedroom gross rental yield | 2-bedroom net rental yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brotteaux | €151,000 | €570 | 4.5% | 3.0% | €240,000 | €840 | 4.2% | 2.9% | €353,000 | €1,170 | 4.0% | 2.9% |
| Confluence | €150,000 | €590 | 4.7% | 3.1% | €237,000 | €870 | 4.4% | 3.1% | €349,000 | €1,220 | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Croix-Rousse | €138,000 | €540 | 4.7% | 3.1% | €218,000 | €790 | 4.3% | 3.0% | €322,000 | €1,110 | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Foch / Masséna | €159,000 | €580 | 4.4% | 2.9% | €252,000 | €850 | 4.0% | 2.8% | €371,000 | €1,190 | 3.8% | 2.8% |
| Gerland | €121,000 | €530 | 5.3% | 3.5% | €192,000 | €790 | 4.9% | 3.5% | €282,000 | €1,100 | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Guillotière | €116,000 | €550 | 5.7% | 3.8% | €184,000 | €810 | 5.3% | 3.7% | €271,000 | €1,130 | 5.0% | 3.6% |
| Jean Macé | €121,000 | €540 | 5.4% | 3.5% | €192,000 | €790 | 4.9% | 3.5% | €282,000 | €1,110 | 4.7% | 3.4% |
| Monplaisir / Sans-Souci | €111,000 | €510 | 5.5% | 3.6% | €176,000 | €760 | 5.2% | 3.6% | €259,000 | €1,060 | 4.9% | 3.5% |
| Part-Dieu | €123,000 | €550 | 5.4% | 3.5% | €195,000 | €820 | 5.0% | 3.5% | €287,000 | €1,150 | 4.8% | 3.5% |
| Perrache / Sainte-Blandine | €135,000 | €550 | 4.9% | 3.2% | €214,000 | €820 | 4.6% | 3.2% | €315,000 | €1,140 | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Presqu’île | €151,000 | €580 | 4.6% | 3.0% | €240,000 | €860 | 4.3% | 3.0% | €353,000 | €1,210 | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Sans-Souci / Montchat | €124,000 | €510 | 4.9% | 3.3% | €197,000 | €750 | 4.6% | 3.2% | €290,000 | €1,050 | 4.3% | 3.1% |
| Vaise | €101,000 | €490 | 5.8% | 3.8% | €161,000 | €730 | 5.4% | 3.8% | €236,000 | €1,010 | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Vieux Lyon / Saint-Jean | €141,000 | €560 | 4.8% | 3.1% | €224,000 | €830 | 4.4% | 3.1% | €330,000 | €1,160 | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel | €101,000 | €500 | 5.9% | 3.9% | €161,000 | €740 | 5.5% | 3.9% | €237,000 | €1,040 | 5.3% | 3.8% |
We have made this infographic to give you a quick and clear snapshot of the property market in France. It highlights key facts like rental prices, yields, and property costs both in city centers and outside, so you can easily compare opportunities. We’ve done some research and also included useful insights about the country’s economy, like GDP, population, and interest rates, to help you understand the bigger picture.
Which neighborhoods offer the best net yield among areas people actually want to live in Lyon?
The best net-yield neighborhoods among areas people actually want to live in Lyon are Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Vaise, Guillotière, Gerland, Jean Macé, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, and Part-Dieu.
Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel is the strongest area in the dataset, with modeled net yields of about 3.9% for studios and 1-bedroom apartments, and 3.8% for 2-bedroom apartments.
Vaise is also one of the clearest income-first choices. The modeled studio price is only €101,000, with €490 monthly rent, producing 5.8% gross yield and 3.8% net yield.
Guillotière looks strong on the numbers, with studios at 5.7% gross yield and 3.8% net yield. The practical caution is that micro-location, street feel, noise, and building quality matter more here than in safer prestige districts.
Gerland, Jean Macé, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, and Part-Dieu are slightly less aggressive yield plays, but they are easier to justify for a beginner buyer because tenant demand is supported by transport, employment, universities, hospitals, and everyday services.
Where can I find apartments with above-average yields and below-average entry prices in Lyon?
The clearest Lyon areas with above-average yields and below-average entry prices are Vaise, Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Guillotière, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, Gerland, and Jean Macé.
The studio entry price is about €101,000 in Vaise and €101,000 in Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel. That is far below the modeled €151,000 studio price in Brotteaux and Presqu’île, and far below €159,000 in Foch / Masséna.
Monplaisir / Sans-Souci is also efficient. A studio is modeled at €111,000 and €510 monthly rent, giving 5.5% gross yield and 3.6% net yield.
Gerland and Jean Macé both show studios around €121,000, with net yields near 3.5%. They are not the absolute cheapest options, but the rental case is supported by stronger transport and employment logic.
The honest interpretation is that low entry price only matters when tenant demand is real. For a foreign buyer, Vaise, Charpennes, Gerland, Jean Macé, and Monplaisir are more useful than cheap streets with weak transport or poor resale liquidity.
Where does the rent level justify the purchase price most clearly in Lyon?
The rent level justifies the purchase price most clearly in Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Vaise, Guillotière, Part-Dieu, Gerland, Jean Macé, and Monplaisir / Sans-Souci.
The strongest signal is where monthly rent stays close to central Lyon levels while the purchase price is materially lower. In Vaise, a 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €161,000 and €730 monthly rent, giving 5.4% gross yield and 3.8% net yield.
Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel has a similar rent-to-price relationship. A 1-bedroom apartment is also modeled at €161,000, but monthly rent is slightly higher at €740, producing 5.5% gross yield and 3.9% net yield.
Part-Dieu is more expensive, but it still makes sense because rents are stronger. A 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €195,000 and €820 monthly rent, which supports a 5.0% gross yield and 3.5% net yield.
By contrast, Foch / Masséna and Brotteaux have weaker rent-to-price ratios. Foch / Masséna 2-bedroom apartments are modeled at €371,000 and €1,190 monthly rent, producing only 3.8% gross yield and 2.8% net yield.
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Where is the best place to buy if I want stable rental income rather than maximum yield in Lyon?
The best places to buy for stable rental income rather than maximum yield in Lyon are Part-Dieu, Jean Macé, Gerland, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, and Croix-Rousse.
Part-Dieu is the clearest stability play. Its 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €195,000, with €820 monthly rent and 3.5% net yield, which is not the highest return but is supported by office, rail, shopping, and professional demand.
Jean Macé and Gerland are practical renter zones. Both show 1-bedroom apartment rents around €790 per month and net yields around 3.5%, with a lower purchase price than the prestige districts.
Monplaisir / Sans-Souci is useful for buyers who want a calmer residential profile. The modeled 1-bedroom price is €176,000, with €760 monthly rent and 3.6% net yield.
Croix-Rousse does not top the yield table, with 1-bedroom net yield around 3.0%, but it has a strong identity, good livability, and resilient renter appeal. For a cautious buyer, that can matter more than an extra fraction of yield.
The practical takeaway is that stable income usually means accepting a slightly lower headline yield. A 3.4% to 3.6% net yield with low vacancy risk can be better than a higher number in a building that is hard to rent or resell.
Which apartment type gives the best return for the lowest total investment in Lyon?
The apartment type that gives the best return for the lowest total investment in Lyon is usually the studio apartment, but the safest beginner compromise is often the 1-bedroom apartment.
Studios have the lowest entry price and the highest yield in most neighborhoods. In Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, a studio is modeled at €101,000 and €500 monthly rent, producing 5.9% gross yield and 3.9% net yield.
Vaise studios are also efficient, with a €101,000 purchase price, €490 monthly rent, 5.8% gross yield, and 3.8% net yield. Guillotière studios are close behind at 5.7% gross yield and 3.8% net yield.
Two-bedroom apartments produce higher rent in absolute terms, but they need much more capital. In Brotteaux, a 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €353,000 and €1,170 monthly rent, but the net yield is only 2.9%.
For a foreign individual buyer, the 1-bedroom apartment is often easier to manage than a studio. It can serve single professionals, couples, remote workers, and students moving up from smaller units.
We give you more details in the our real estate pack about Lyon.
Which neighborhoods offer strong rental income with the lowest vacancy risk in Lyon?
The Lyon neighborhoods that offer strong rental income with lower vacancy risk are Part-Dieu, Jean Macé, Gerland, Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel, Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, and Croix-Rousse.
Part-Dieu is the most obvious income-depth location. A 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €1,150 monthly rent and 3.5% net yield, while a 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €820 monthly rent and 3.5% net yield.
Jean Macé and Gerland both combine practical rents with manageable entry prices. Their 1-bedroom apartments are modeled at €790 monthly rent, with purchase prices of about €192,000 and net yields near 3.5%.
Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel gives the strongest yield with a broad tenant base. The area is useful for students, young workers, and renters who want access to both Villeurbanne and central Lyon.
Monplaisir / Sans-Souci and Croix-Rousse are less about maximum yield and more about repeatable demand. Their value is tenant stability, neighborhood identity, and easier day-to-day livability.
The honest interpretation is that low vacancy risk comes from tenant depth, not just rent. A high-rent apartment in Confluence or Brotteaux can still be less efficient if the purchase price is too high.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in France versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
Which areas look overpriced relative to their rental income in Lyon?
The Lyon areas that look most overpriced relative to rental income are Foch / Masséna, Brotteaux, Presqu’île, Confluence, and parts of Vieux Lyon / Saint-Jean.
Foch / Masséna is the clearest low-yield prestige market. A studio is modeled at €159,000 and €580 monthly rent, giving 4.4% gross yield and only 2.9% net yield.
The larger the unit, the weaker the income case becomes in Foch / Masséna. A 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €371,000 and €1,190 monthly rent, producing only 3.8% gross yield and 2.8% net yield.
Brotteaux has a similar profile. A 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €240,000 and €840 monthly rent, which produces 4.2% gross yield and 2.9% net yield.
Presqu’île and Confluence remain attractive places to live, but rental income does not fully offset the purchase price. Presqu’île 2-bedroom apartments are modeled at €353,000 and €1,210 monthly rent, giving about 3.0% net yield.
The trade-off is not good neighborhood versus bad neighborhood. It is income return versus lifestyle, prestige, and capital preservation.
Which neighborhoods should I avoid even if the rental yield looks attractive in Lyon?
Beginner investors should be cautious with Guillotière, some cheaper parts of Vaise, selected outer 8e micro-locations, and weak streets around large road corridors, even when the rental yield looks attractive.
Guillotière is the clearest example of a high-yield but street-sensitive market. Studios are modeled at 5.7% gross yield and 3.8% net yield, but the result depends heavily on the exact street, noise, building quality, and tenant profile.
Vaise also needs careful selection. The modeled studio net yield is 3.8%, but the best rental case is stronger near metro access, services, and improving Saône-side links.
Outer value districts can be misleading when the purchase price looks low. A cheap apartment with poor transport, weak common areas, bad energy performance, or high charges can lose the advantage of a strong modeled yield.
The practical rule is simple: avoid weak buildings, not necessarily whole neighborhoods. A good apartment in Guillotière or Vaise can work well, but a bad one can be hard to rent and harder to resell.
Which neighborhoods look risky even though the rental yield is high in Lyon?
The Lyon neighborhoods that can look risky despite high rental yield are Guillotière, Vaise, selected outer 8e locations, and weaker Villeurbanne edges outside the strongest Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel core.
The risk is not that these areas cannot work. The risk is that the yield comes partly from a lower purchase price, which can reflect weaker resale liquidity, more mixed street quality, or a more selective tenant pool.
Guillotière studios are modeled at €116,000 and €550 monthly rent, giving 5.7% gross yield and 3.8% net yield. That is strong, but only if the apartment is quiet, rentable, and in a building tenants accept quickly.
Vaise studios are modeled at €101,000 and €490 monthly rent, with 5.8% gross yield and 3.8% net yield. The number is attractive, but the investor should still check metro distance, street quality, building maintenance, and copropriété charges.
Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel is the best-performing area in the dataset, but the label should not be applied too widely. The strongest case is near transport, student demand, services, and central links.
The safer alternative is to accept a slightly lower yield in Part-Dieu, Jean Macé, Gerland, or Monplaisir / Sans-Souci, where tenant demand is easier for a beginner to understand.
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What neighborhoods should I avoid when buying a rental apartment in Lyon?
When buying a rental apartment in Lyon, a beginner should avoid weak micro-locations inside Guillotière, Vaise, outer 8e areas, and older high-charge buildings in Vieux Lyon or Presqu’île unless the discount is clear.
This is not a full-neighborhood ban. It is a warning that the Lyon apartment market rewards exact location, building quality, energy performance, charges, and tenant demand more than the neighborhood label alone.
Avoid Guillotière when the apartment has poor sound insulation, difficult street exposure, weak common areas, or an uncertain tenant profile. The modeled yield is strong, but the execution risk is higher.
Avoid Vaise when the unit is far from metro, shops, services, and improving river-side or station-side demand. Vaise works best when the apartment is genuinely connected to daily renter needs.
Avoid old central apartments if the energy rating is poor and the renovation budget is unclear. Poor DPE performance can directly damage rental liquidity, especially in older Lyon stock.
For a beginner foreign buyer, the rule is to avoid apartments where the only attractive feature is the spreadsheet yield. A slightly lower-yield property in a better building can be the stronger investment.
Which neighborhoods are seeing rental demand weaken, and why, in Lyon?
The Lyon neighborhoods most exposed to weaker rental demand are overpriced prestige areas, tourist-heavy old-center areas, and supply-heavy new-build pockets where purchase prices have moved faster than long-term rents.
The main watchlist is Foch / Masséna, Brotteaux, parts of Presqu’île, Vieux Lyon / Saint-Jean, and parts of Confluence. These are not weak places to live, but they are less forgiving for income-first buyers.
The problem is yield compression. Foch / Masséna 2-bedroom apartments are modeled at only 2.8% net yield, while Brotteaux 1-bedroom apartments are modeled at 2.9% net yield.
Presqu’île and Vieux Lyon have strong appeal, but older buildings, tourist pressure, regulation, energy performance, and renovation needs can make net income less certain.
Confluence is attractive and modern, but the buyer often pays a premium upfront. A 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €349,000 and €1,220 monthly rent, which gives a 3.0% net yield.
The practical recommendation is to separate livability from rental efficiency. A neighborhood can remain desirable while becoming less attractive for pure apartment rental yield in Lyon.
Which neighborhoods are seeing new developments that could create stronger rental demand in Lyon?
The Lyon neighborhoods where new developments could create stronger rental demand are Part-Dieu, Confluence, Gerland, Vaise, Perrache / Sainte-Blandine, and Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel.
Part-Dieu is the most important demand-creating district because it combines offices, railway access, shops, services, and metropolitan transport. Its 1-bedroom apartments are modeled at €820 monthly rent and 3.5% net yield.
Gerland is also important because employment, research, universities, and transport improvements support practical rental demand. A 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €192,000 and €790 monthly rent.
Confluence has a strong development story and high rents, with 2-bedroom apartments modeled at €1,220 monthly rent. The caution is that the purchase price is also high, so the modeled net yield is only 3.0% for 2-bedroom apartments.
Vaise and Perrache / Sainte-Blandine can benefit from better connectivity and urban renewal. Vaise has the stronger yield profile, while Perrache / Sainte-Blandine has a more central but lower-yield profile.
The final recommendation is to favor development that creates renter demand, not just development that adds new supply. Jobs, transport, universities, and daily services matter more than a glossy new building alone.
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of France. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
Which neighborhoods have become less attractive for apartment investors over the last 12 months in Lyon?
The neighborhoods that have become less attractive for apartment investors in Lyon are mainly Foch / Masséna, Brotteaux, Presqu’île, Vieux Lyon / Saint-Jean, and parts of Confluence.
The issue is not that these places have become bad neighborhoods. The issue is that the balance between purchase price, rent, net yield, energy risk, regulation, and renovation cost has become less forgiving.
Foch / Masséna is the clearest example. A 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €252,000 and €850 monthly rent, but the net yield is only 2.8%.
Brotteaux also looks weak for income buyers. A 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €353,000 and €1,170 monthly rent, which produces 4.0% gross yield and 2.9% net yield.
Presqu’île and Vieux Lyon remain liquid and desirable, but old-building costs, energy rules, and regulation make net income less predictable. For a foreign buyer, that means more due diligence before purchase.
Confluence is more modern and attractive, but prices can already include much of the future growth story. Its 1-bedroom apartment is modeled at €237,000 and €870 monthly rent, producing 3.1% net yield.
The practical conclusion is to avoid paying prestige prices for income returns. If the goal is rental income in Lyon, Vaise, Charpennes, Guillotière, Gerland, Jean Macé, Monplaisir, and Part-Dieu offer more useful yield signals.
Which apartment types are becoming harder to rent in Lyon, and in which neighborhoods?
The apartment types becoming harder to rent in Lyon are overpriced 2-bedroom apartments in expensive districts, poorly located studios in mixed areas, and old apartments with weak energy performance.
Two-bedroom apartments can still rent, but they are less efficient for pure rental income when the purchase price is high. In Foch / Masséna, a 2-bedroom apartment is modeled at €371,000 and €1,190 monthly rent, giving only 2.8% net yield.
Brotteaux, Presqu’île, Confluence, and Vieux Lyon also show the same pattern. Their 2-bedroom apartments have higher monthly rents, but the purchase price absorbs too much of the income.
Studios are usually the strongest income format, but only when the location and building are good. In Guillotière and Vaise, studios show 3.8% net yield, but a noisy or poorly maintained studio can still suffer from turnover.
Older apartments with weak energy performance are becoming more selective across Lyon. A cheap old unit can lose its investment appeal if the renovation cost, rental restrictions, or comfort issues are not understood before purchase.
The most liquid beginner format is usually a well-located 1-bedroom apartment. It can attract students moving up, young professionals, couples, and remote workers, while still keeping the purchase ticket below most 2-bedroom apartments.
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INSIGHTS
These insights are drawn from the Lyon apartment rental yield dataset, with a focus on what a foreign individual buyer should understand before buying a residential apartment to rent out.
You’ll find even more insights in our our real estate pack about Lyon.
- Lyon studios usually beat larger apartments on rental yield because the rent per euro invested is stronger. For a beginner buyer, a smaller apartment can be more efficient than a larger and more expensive unit.
- Villeurbanne Charpennes / Gratte-Ciel has the strongest all-round income profile in the dataset. The area reaches about 3.9% net yield for studios and 1-bedroom apartments, while still keeping purchase prices around €101,000 to €161,000 for smaller units.
- Vaise is one of the clearest low-entry yield opportunities in Lyon. The studio price is modeled at €101,000, but the rent still reaches €490 per month, which supports 5.8% gross yield.
- Guillotière offers strong numbers, but it needs more street-level due diligence. The yield is attractive, but tenant quality, noise, common areas, and resale liquidity can change quickly from one building to another.
- Part-Dieu is not the highest-yield neighborhood, but it is one of the most practical income locations. Jobs, rail access, services, and professional tenant demand make its 3.5% net yield more reliable than the headline number alone suggests.
- Jean Macé and Gerland are useful middle-ground markets. They give better income than prestige districts, while still offering transport and employment logic that a beginner can understand.
- Monplaisir / Sans-Souci is a strong example of stable residential yield. It does not look speculative, but a 1-bedroom apartment at €176,000 and €760 monthly rent gives a solid 3.6% net yield.
- Foch / Masséna is one of the weakest pure income plays in the dataset. The neighborhood is prestigious, but a 2-bedroom apartment produces only 2.8% net yield because the purchase price is high.
- Brotteaux protects lifestyle and liquidity better than yield. Its modeled yields around 2.9% to 3.0% net are more consistent with wealth preservation than income optimization.
- Presqu’île and Vieux Lyon should not be judged only by rent. Old buildings, regulation, energy performance, and renovation costs can make net returns less certain than the central location suggests.
- Confluence shows why high rent is not enough. Monthly rents are strong, but purchase prices are also high, so the 2-bedroom net yield is only about 3.0%.
- Two-bedroom apartments in Lyon often work better for stability or family demand than for maximum yield. The larger ticket size usually reduces the efficiency of rental income.
- A well-located 1-bedroom apartment is often the best beginner format in Lyon. It gives more tenant depth than a studio and usually avoids the heavy price drag of a 2-bedroom apartment.
- The most important Lyon risk is not always the neighborhood name. It is the exact combination of metro distance, DPE, noise, building charges, common-area condition, tenant pool, and resale liquidity.
- Foreign buyers should compare net yield, not only gross yield. Vacancy, charges, repairs, management, tax friction, and energy works can turn an attractive gross yield into a much weaker real return.
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OUR METHODOLOGY TO BUILD THIS TRACKER
To estimate purchase price, monthly rent, and rental yield in different Lyon neighborhoods, we built the analysis manually from the ground up by neighborhood and apartment type. For each area, we looked separately at studios, 1-bedroom apartments, and 2-bedroom apartments, using comparable residential apartment formats.
We did not reuse a third-party yield dataset. We manually researched current residential sale and rental listings across major French real estate platforms relevant to Lyon, including SeLoger, Bien’ici, and leboncoin.
For each neighborhood and property type, we collected comparable sale listings first. We then removed duplicates, excluded non-comparable properties, filtered out unrealistic asking prices, and cleaned out luxury outliers, distressed assets, serviced-style offers, incomplete listings, and other properties that would distort the estimate.
Sale prices were normalized by location, property type, size, condition, and listing quality. We used the median purchase price as the main reference where possible, or the average only when the sample was clean enough to make the average useful.
We built the rental side of the dataset separately. For the same neighborhood and apartment type, we manually collected rental listings, removed outliers and non-comparable listings, and estimated a realistic monthly rent using the median rent where possible.
Purchase prices and rents were then matched by neighborhood and apartment type. Gross rental yield was calculated as annual rent divided by estimated purchase price.
To estimate net yield, we did not apply one flat deduction to every property. The deduction was adjusted by neighborhood and apartment type, reflecting vacancy risk, maintenance, management costs, letting costs, tax friction, repairs, utilities where relevant, service charges, building costs, and copropriété costs.
This matters because different residential properties do not have the same cost structure. A small central studio, a 1-bedroom apartment in a practical renter area, and a larger old apartment in a high-charge building should not be treated as if they have the same operating cost profile.
Each estimate was assigned a confidence level based on the quality and size of the comparable listing sample. A sample of 30 to 40 comparable listings means higher confidence. A sample of 20 to 30 comparable listings means usable but less robust. Fewer than 20 comparable listings means directional only unless the comparable area was widened.
These estimates are updated regularly and should be read as structured market estimates, not guarantees of future rental income. Honesty, quality, and rigor are central to the work, and they are also what you will find in our real estate pack about Lyon.
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