Daily Budget Tiers
Paris is among Europe's pricier capitals, but strategic choices � free museum Sundays, boulangerie lunches, neighbourhood restaurants outside tourist zones � can bring daily costs to a manageable level. For a full destination overview including neighbourhoods, culture, and sightseeing tips, see our Paris destination guide.
Full Cost Breakdown
| Expense | Budget option | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|
| Return flight (from Europe) | Budget airline / Eurostar from London | �60�200 |
| Accommodation (5 nights) | Hostel or budget hotel in 10th/11th/18th arr. | �120�180 |
| Food & drinks (5 days) | Boulangeries + one brasserie lunch/day | �90�130 |
| Transport | 10-journey metro carnet + RER airport | �25�40 |
| Louvre (or other paid museums) | Book online in advance | �17�22 |
| Eiffel Tower (2nd floor) | Stairs are cheapest option | �12�19 |
| Other activities | Palace of Versailles, Seine picnic, markets | �20�35 |
| Travel insurance | Basic EU coverage | �15�25 |
| Total (5 days) | �360�650 | |
Visiting Paris on the first Sunday of the month dramatically cuts museum costs � the Louvre, Mus�e d'Orsay, and Centre Pompidou are all free. Plan your trip around this date and save �60+ per person.
5-Day Budget Itinerary
Eiffel Tower & Champ de Mars
The Eiffel Tower exterior is free to admire � picnic on the Champ de Mars grass with boulangerie supplies for �5�8. Take the stairs to the 2nd floor (�12) rather than the lift to the summit (�19). View from Trocad�ro across the river: free and the best angle.
Free Museum Sunday: Louvre
Plan this day for the first Sunday of the month � the Louvre is free (normally �17). Arrive 30 minutes before opening (9am) to beat crowds. Focus on the highlights: Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and the Mona Lisa room. 3�4 hours minimum.
Montmartre & Sacr�-C�ur
Climb to Montmartre (free funicular, or stairs), admire Sacr�-C�ur for free, watch street artists at Place du Tertre. Best views over Paris without any entry fee. Lunch at a Montmartre brasserie (�14�18 for a formule: starter + main + glass of wine).
Le Marais & Canal Saint-Martin
Le Marais is Paris's most beautiful neighbourhood and free to walk. Centre Pompidou exterior plaza and street performers: free. Place des Vosges (oldest square in Paris): free. Canal Saint-Martin: perfect for a picnic with wine from a supermarket (�5 total).
Mus�e d'Orsay & Seine Walk
Mus�e d'Orsay (�16, book online) for Impressionist art � Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh. Walk along the Left Bank back towards Notre-Dame (free exterior, currently post-fire restoration). Croissant and caf� au lait at a neighbourhood boulangerie: �3.50.
Cheap Accommodation in Paris
Paris is expensive for accommodation � expect to pay more than in Prague or Athens for equivalent quality. The good news: the metro connects all arrondissements efficiently, so staying slightly outside the centre saves money without sacrificing convenience.
Best budget arrondissements
- 10th arrondissement (Canal Saint-Martin / R�publique): Trendy, affordable, great restaurants and bars. Hostels from �25/dorm, budget hotels from �70.
- 11th arrondissement (Bastille / Oberkampf): Local feel, excellent nightlife and food scene. Budget hotels from �65.
- 18th arrondissement (Montmartre): Atmospheric and cheaper than central Paris. Hostels from �20/dorm.
- Near CDG or Orly airports: Some travellers sleep near the airport for very short stays � suburban RER makes the city accessible in 30�40 minutes.
Budget ranges
- Hostel dorm: �20�35/night
- Budget private room: �65�100/night
- Mid-range hotel: �110�160/night
Eating on a Budget in Paris
The French take food seriously at every price point � a �5 boulangerie lunch can be transcendent. The key is to eat like a local: boulangerie for breakfast and lunch, brasserie for the lunchtime formule, supermarket for picnic dinners.
Cheap Paris eats
- Boulangerie croissant + caf�: �3�4 � do this every morning
- Jambon-beurre sandwich (ham and butter baguette): �4�5 from any boulangerie
- Brasserie formule lunch: Starter + main + glass of wine for �14�18 � extraordinary value for sit-down food
- Cr�pe from a stand: �3�4 (sweet) or �5�6 (savoury galette) in Montmartre or Latin Quarter
- Falafel in Le Marais (Rue des Rosiers): �7�9 � a Paris institution
- Supermarket picnic: Baguette, cheese, charcuterie, wine for two � �10�15 from Monoprix or Carrefour
Where to eat cheaply
- Rue Mouffetard (Latin Quarter) � cheap restaurants, market stalls, very student-friendly
- Belleville neighbourhood � excellent Vietnamese and Chinese food from �8�12
- Oberkampf and R�publique � neighbourhood restaurants with �12�15 lunch menus
- Avoid: Champs-�lys�es, Eiffel Tower base, and Place du Tertre restaurants (tourist trap pricing)
Getting Around Paris Cheaply
- Metro: Single ticket �2.15; 10-journey carnet (book of tickets) �16.90. The most efficient way to cross Paris. Lines run until 1am (2am Fri/Sat).
- Navigo Easy card: Reloadable card, needed for carnets. Buy at any metro station for �2.
- RER B to CDG airport: �11.80 from any central Paris station � much cheaper than taxis (�55�60) or Orlybus.
- Walking: Paris's arrondissements are more compact than they look � walking from Notre-Dame to the Louvre takes 20 minutes.
- V�lib' bike share: �3/day for unlimited 30-minute rides � great for exploring along the Seine.
- Uber / Bolt: Available but rarely cheaper than metro for short trips. Good for late-night airport runs.
Free Things to Do in Paris
- Eiffel Tower exterior and Champ de Mars � free (pay only to go inside)
- Notre-Dame de Paris exterior � under restoration but the square and views remain accessible
- Sacr�-C�ur Basilica � free entry, stunning interior
- Luxembourg Gardens � free, one of Paris's most beautiful parks
- Tuileries Garden (between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde) � free
- Mus�e Carnavalet (Paris history museum) � free permanent collection
- Petit Palais � free permanent collection of fine art
- All national museums � free on the first Sunday of each month (Oct�March)
- Place des Vosges � free, Paris's oldest and most beautiful square
- Canal Saint-Martin evening walk � free, very local, very Parisian
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Visit on Free Museum Sunday
On the first Sunday of each month (year-round for EU residents under 26; Oct�March for all), the Louvre, Mus�e d'Orsay, and Centre Pompidou are free. Save �50+ per person by planning your visit accordingly.
Eat the Brasserie Lunch Formule
French brasseries serve a 2 or 3-course lunchtime menu (formule) for �12�18 � the same dishes cost twice as much � la carte in the evening. Lunch big, eat light at dinner.
Skip the Eiffel Tower Summit
The 2nd-floor view from the Eiffel Tower stairs costs �12 and takes 30 minutes queuing. The summit lift costs �19+ and queues for 1�2 hours. The Trocad�ro view is free and arguably better.
Buy Metro Carnets Not Singles
Single tickets cost �2.15. A 10-journey carnet costs �16.90 (�1.69 each). Load onto a Navigo Easy card and save 20% versus single tickets on every journey.
Shop at Lidl / Monoprix for Wine
A decent bottle of French wine costs �4�7 at Lidl or the supermarket section of Monoprix. Restaurant wine markups are enormous � save wine for picnics on the Seine or Champ de Mars.
Book Louvre Tickets in Advance
The Louvre's online ticket (�17) skips the main ticket queue which can be 45�90 minutes. More importantly: you cannot enter without a timed-entry ticket � the queue for buying tickets on-site is even longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paris really as expensive as people say?
For accommodation and restaurants in tourist areas, yes. But Paris has many free world-class attractions, excellent supermarkets, and a lunchtime formule culture that makes eating well affordable. With planning, a solo budget traveller can manage on �85�100/day.
What is the cheapest month to visit Paris?
January and February are cheapest (post-Christmas lull) but cold. March�April (before peak season) and October�November offer the best balance. Avoid July�August (peak) and Christmas/New Year (expensive and crowded).
Can I see Paris on a budget in 3 days?
Yes. In 3 days you can cover the Eiffel Tower, Louvre (book ahead), Notre-Dame, Sacr�-C�ur, Le Marais, and the Seine. Schedule one free museum Sunday and eat boulangerie lunches � a 3-day trip is achievable for �300�400 excluding flights.
Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
The Paris Museum Pass (�52 for 2 days, �66 for 4 days) covers 50+ museums and monuments including the Louvre, Mus�e d'Orsay, Versailles, and Sainte-Chapelle. It pays for itself after visiting 2�3 major museums and also skips ticket queues � definitely worth it for museum enthusiasts.