DAILY COSTS TO VISIT PARIS | CITY PRICE GUIDES

How much to budget for visiting Paris

Paris is one of the most popular destinations in Europe. It offers so many things — food, fashion, culture, nature, etc. It is also a city that can break the bank very quickly. BUT that doesn’t have to be the case because there are plenty of ways to visit the city affordably. Below are some guidelines to help you estimate your daily travel costs.

This article is part of our City Price Guide Series

AVERAGE DAILY COST FOR VISITING PARIS

These prices are based on what you’ll need to visit the city comfortably — they don’t include things like big nights out at the bar/pub, club entry fees, souvenir/clothing shopping, tours, etc. Don’t forget to budget extra for those “non-essentials.”

DAILY COST OF BUDGET TRAVEL IN PARIS: €75 (APPROX. $90)

• Attractions: €10

• Food: €25

• Breakfast: €4

• Lunch: €6

• Dinner: €15

• Treat (dessert/beer/wine): €3

• Transportation: €5

• Accommodation (hostel): €32/night

DAILY COST OF FRUGAL TRAVEL IN PARIS: €40 (APPROX. $48)

• Attractions: €0 (stroll around the city, spend the day in the park, or visit a free museum)

• Food: €11

• Breakfast: €0 (free hostel breakfast)

• Lunch: €5 (sandwich from a bakery or a kebab with fries)

• Dinner: €6 (cook your own meal in the hostel)

• Treat: €2 (coffee in a café or a pastry)

• Transportation: €1.70 (single metro ride)

• Accommodation (cheap hostel bed): €25/night

PARIS ATTRACTION AND MUSEUM PRICES

• The Louvre: €12

• National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou: €13

• Musée d’Orsay: €11 (€16 as a combo ticket for Musée de l’Orangerie)

• Musée de l’Orangerie: €9

• Sainte Chapelle: €8.50

• Eiffel Tower (Top Level): €15

• Palace of Versailles (Palace and Grounds): €18

• Catacombs of Paris: €10

• Walking Tours: Free (€5 tip) – €15

You might be able to save some money by using the Paris Pass.

PARIS FOOD PRICES

Paris is world-renowned for its cuisine… but it comes at a cost. Luckily, even cash-strapped travelers can still eat well on a budget. However, it’s important to do your research because there are a ton of subpar restaurants in Paris. If you’re not careful, you’ll spend a lot of money on a bad meal.

BUDGET BREAKFAST: FREE – €7

• Many hostels will offer a free simple breakfast that normally consists of cereal, bread/croissant, and maybe milk, coffee, tea, or juice (some hostels will offer more and some less).

• You can also find plenty of budget friendly options at the bakery. Croissants and other baked goods start around €1. Coffee from a typical café will cost around €2.

BUDGET LUNCH: €5-€15

• Super budget travelers can make a super cheap lunch of bread, cheese, and fruit from any grocery store for a few Euros.

• Cheap takeaway meals (like kebabs with fries) will cost about €5.

• A ham and cheese crepe from a street vendor will cost about €4-€6.

• A simple, yet filling and tasty, lunch from a local (i.e. non-touristy) restaurant will cost about €10-€15.

BUDGET DINNER: €10-€20

• It isn’t too tough to find a good meal for about €15. Look for the plat du jour or a fixed price (prix fixe) menu for the best deal. Again, you’ll need to leave the touristy parts of the city.

• A McDonalds combo meal (burger, fries, and a drink) will cost €7-€9.

DRINKS AND ALCOHOL

• A pint of beer will cost anywhere from €3-€7.

• A six-pack of beer from the store will cost €6-€8.

• A decent glass of wine starts at €3.

• A decent bottle of wine from the store will start around €5.

PARIS TRANSPORTATION PRICES

Paris is a super walkable city, so you’ll want to try walking as much as possible. You may find yourself only using public transportation once or twice. For this reason, I recommend purchasing a pack of 10 tickets and using them as needed.Note: The Métro (subway) and buses use the same tickets and are the same prices.

Single one-way ticket: €1.70

Pack of 10 one-way tickets: €13.70 (€1.37/each)

Unlimited Day Pass: €6.80

Paris Visite Pass

• 1-Day: €10.85

• 2-Day: €17.65

• 3-Day: €24.10

• 5-Day: €34.70

RER (train) ticket from CDG airport into the city: €9.75

Bus from CDG airport into the city: €10.50

Taxi from CDG airport into the city: €40-€70

PARIS HOSTEL/HOTEL ACCOMMODATION PRICES

Budget hotels are small, kinda junky, and still fairly expensive in Paris. You’ll have to drop some cash to get something nice. Hostels in Paris aren’t that great — especially for how much they cost. Apartment rentals can be a very attractive option if you’re traveling with two or more people.

HOSTELS: €25-€45 (BED IN A SHARED DORM ROOM)

You should budget about €32/night per person for a decent hostel, although many hostels raise their prices on the weekend. Remember, these prices are for bed in a shared dorm room. If you want a private room, expect to pay €50-€100.

We book our hostels through Hostel World.

BUDGET HOTELS: €50-€150

At the low end you shouldn’t expect much, but once you get around €100/night, the hotels get a bit better (think Super 8 or Motel 6).

RENTAL APARTMENT: €65-€120+

From my experience, rental apartments (via Airbnb) tend to be much bigger and much nicer than similarly priced hotel rooms. Plus, you’ll get a kitchen so you can save more money by cooking your own meals — click here to get $30 off your first stay.