How Much Does a Trip to Paris Cost?

A magical city, Paris is one of the top dream destinations for honeymoons and romantic vacations. If you’re planning a trip here, you’re probably wondering how much it will cost to visit Paris.

Is Paris expensive to visit? It’s certainly not considered a cheap destination. But a visit to Paris doesn’t have to break the bank. In this article, we’ll give you some ideas about how much a trip to Paris costs so you can figure out how to budget your trip to Paris.

So, how much is a trip to Paris? The answer depends on when you go, how long you stay, where you stay, and what you do during your visit.

If you want to stay in charming accommodations, see the sights, and eat at mid-priced restaurants during your stay, we recommend budgeting around $3500 + flights for a 5-day trip.

You’ll probably spend more if you’re going in summer, which is the high season. We suggest traveling to Paris in the spring or fall, for lower prices plus fewer crowds.

How much does it cost to get to Paris?

Airfare will probably be the biggest expense of your Paris trip. Depending on when you travel and where you’re departing from, it can be as high as $2000 roundtrip per person. Major hubs like New York tend to have the lowest prices, while smaller markets will cost more.

The high season for Paris airfares is June and July; shoulder seasons are fall and spring. The cheapest months to fly to Paris are generally January and February.  You can also save money by traveling on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Airfare to Paris from New York City ranges from around $400 to $1200 depending on the time of year and travel day.

Airfare to Paris from New Orleans ranges from around $650 to more than $2000 depending on the time of year and travel day.

Airfare to Paris from Los Angeles ranges from around $500 to $1800 depending on the time of year and travel day.

Once you’re in Paris, you’ll need to get to your hotel. The public bus or the RER train is your least expensive transportation to and from the airport. Buses cost around 6 euros; the RER train tickets start around 11 euros. Taxis will be your most expensive option. The cost of a taxi will depend on where your hotel is; the average fare is about 60 euros.

How much does it cost to get around Paris?

Luckily, Paris has great public transportation, which is always an inexpensive option in any big city. You will rarely need to take a taxi. The bus and the Metro in Paris go all over, so they’re very convenient.

You can save money by buying a “carnet” of ten tickets, rather than individual tickets. This costs about 14 euros. A single bus/Metro ticket is 1.90 euros. These tickets are also good for the RER trains.

You can also buy a travel card that provides unlimited travel within certain zones. This is called the Paris Visite Pass and the price ranges from about 12 to 65 euros depending on which zones and how many days you want to travel.

And of course, walking is free! Paris isn’t a huge city, so you should be able to walk to many of the places you want to go.

How much do activities cost in Paris?

There is a huge range of costs for activities in Paris. Here are a few examples.

A 1-hour cruise on the Seine starts at about $17 per person. A ticket to the Musee L’Orangerie is about $10. A ticket to the Louvre or Musee d’Orsay is about $18. You can also get a guided tour of the Louvre and its greatest masterpieces for between $60-100 per person.

Tickets for the Eiffel Tower range from about 11 to 27 euros depending on how high you want to go and whether you take the stairs or the elevator.

A tour of the Paris Catacombs starts at around $30 per person. A Paris Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show with champagne starts at $96 per person.

A 3-hour Montmartre cheese, wine, and pastry tour starts at around $100 per person. A 2-hour French wine tasting with a sommelier starts at around $75 per person.

If you want to see a lot of attractions in Paris plus be able to skip the line, a Paris Pass starts at $64 per person for two days.

How much does it cost to eat in Paris?

Meal prices in Paris will vary depending on where and how much you eat. Paris has a range of restaurants, from inexpensive cafés and bistros to ultra-high-priced Michelin-starred restaurants (where you can spend hundreds of dollars per person in one sitting).

For planning purposes, budget an average meal cost of about $50 per person per day unless you want to eat at a lot of top restaurants.

Like any major city, restaurants in touristy areas may be more expensive, so it pays to go a bit off the beaten path.

On average, breakfast in Paris can range from $6 for coffee and croissant to around $15-$20 for a full meal. Lunch ranges from $15-$20 at a restaurant, more if you go to a nicer place for a 3-course prix fixe menu, or less if you grab a sandwich from a shop.

Dinner can be around $20-30 per person, more if you go to a nicer restaurant or have wine. A classic casual French dinner at Astier costs about 35 euros per person for an appetizer, main course, dessert, and a cheese course.

There are some new “sandwich bars” in Paris that serve casual fare for less, including Boco, which offers organic food prepared by Michelin-starred chefs for takeout. Prices here start at about 7 euros, with most items under 15 euros.

How much does it cost to stay in Paris?

The price of accommodations in Paris varies widely depending on the quality and location of the hotel, as well as the time of year you visit. Rates for hotels are higher in the high season of summer, less in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall, and lowest in the winter. Here are some examples of different hotel categories and rates in Paris.

Hotel Grand Amour – $ (From 100 euros/night)

Hotel Grand Amour is a boutique hotel in the upcoming 10e district that attracts a fashionable crowd with its retro-chic decorated rooms.

Hotel de la Motte Picquet – $$ (from 150 euros/night)

Hotel de la Motte Picquet is a charming small hotel on rue Cler, a lovely pedestrian street filled with shops and cafes that is conveniently located to many top sights including the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, and the Rodin Museum. Rates here include a continental breakfast, but just it’s a lot more fun to sit at an outside table at one of the nearby cafés and watch the locals start their day.

Hotel Mathis – $$ (From 180 euros/night)

Located near the Champs-Elysees, Hotel Mathis provides a unique opportunity to stay close to one of Paris’ most cherished landmarks and shopping centers and yet not spend a ton. Each of their 23 rooms is designed with a unique color scheme and mood. Their stylish rooms are a mix of vintage features and modern luxuries. Best of all, you do not have to sacrifice location for the price.

Hotel Da Vinci & Spa – $$$ (From 315 euros/night)

For those looking to treat themselves, this destination offers you a hotel stay by the river with exceptional service. Though their rooms might be on the small side, you can forget your stresses with a massage and a spa treatment, then head back to your room for the bottle of wine waiting for you.

Shangri-La Hotel – $$$ (From $1600 euros/night)

Formerly the private residence of Napoleon, the Shangri-La has grand stairways and a wedding-cake façade. The bedrooms and suites are classically Parisian, and some even have with rooftop terraces with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Can you visit Paris on a budget?

Paris is not an inexpensive destination. However, there are ways you can save money on a trip to Paris. Here are some suggestions on how to visit Paris on a budget.

Travel in the off or low season. Summer is the high season, so we recommend visiting Paris in the fall or spring for pleasant weather plus lower rates and smaller crowds. If you don’t mind the cold, prices really drop from November through February (aside from the holidays).

Get the Paris Museum Pass to save some money if you want to see the Louvre and other museums.

Use the public bus and Metro to get around. You can even take the bus around the city for a sightseeing tour that costs a lot less than a tour company! Bus routes number 63 and 87 passes by many of the top sights in Paris.

Go to nicer restaurants for lunch rather than dinner. Prices are less at lunch; you can even find a 3-course lunch menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant for less than $50 per person.

Eat from the street. There are vendors all over selling inexpensive but delicious local specialties like crepes.

Have a picnic.  Food at the shops is a lot less expensive than in restaurants. Grab some cheese and fruit, a baguette, dessert, and maybe even a bottle of wine, and have a relaxing meal in one of Paris’ beautiful parks.

Do free things. Just walking around Paris is a delight for the senses. Montmartre offers a breathtaking view of the city plus the chance to walk through the neighborhoods where Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and many other renowned artists used to have their studios. Be sure to head out after dark, as Paris is really a beautiful city at night.

Take a leisurely stroll along the Seine and admire famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tour, all lit up.

Now that you have a better idea of how much it costs for tourists to visit Paris, are you ready to plan your trip? Check out our article on honeymoons in Paris or romantic date ideas in Paris for more tips!