How Much a Trip to Paris Really Costs

If you’ve always wanted to take a vacation in France, or love the idea of exploring its romantic capital for yourself, you’ve probably already asked yourself “how much would it cost to go to Paris?”. The answer really depends on where you’re traveling from, what you’d like to do in the city, and how long you’re traveling for!

Therefore, to get a good idea of the general costs associated with Paris travel, accommodation, and things to do, we’ve dug into some online research and asked the opinions of our experienced SIMOVO jet-setters. The results might surprise you, as depending on what you’re willing to sacrifice, you won’t have to spend a fortune enjoying the bistros, galleries, and city walks here.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at how much you might expect to spend on a trip to Paris, from the perspective of using USD and EUR, and based on expectations averaged at the time of publication.

How much would it cost to go to Paris?

On average, here’s how much it costs to travel to Paris for a week, based on estimates for accommodation, tours and activities, food and drink, and travel itself once in the city. We’ve split the average costs into budget, mid-weight, and high-end, depending on how much you have or want to spend when you go away.

We’ve also included a general cost for plane travel to Paris from the US as a rough marker for what you can expect on the way there and back, as well as what you might expect to spend on public transport.

• Low-end: EUR 1,600 to 2,000
• Mid-weight: EUR 2,100 to 4,000
• High-end: EUR 4,000+

Keep in mind that these rates are not precise and will fluctuate, however, they should give you a reasonable idea of what you’ll pay in the regional currency once you arrive.

Low-end rates refer to stays where you largely stick to simple cafes and eateries, stay in hostels or budget hotels, and travel minimally. High-end refers to the most luxurious accommodation, restaurants, and travel. So, depending on your vacation budget, you can pick and choose what you can feasibly afford before you travel.

We recommend budgeting ahead of time simply because nobody wants to be counting the pennies when they’re meant to be enjoying themselves! It’s also why you should invest in an eSIM for France before you travel, so that you have access to mobile data paid upfront and no worries about getting charged extra when you come home.

Estimate the total cost of a trip to Paris

Is Paris expensive to visit? Breaking down the costs

Let’s start taking a closer look at the costs involved in the average figures we’ve listed above, and consider a few ways you might want to make your vacation more affordable along the way.

Flight costs to Paris

Flight costs to Paris will, of course, always vary depending on where you’re flying from! To illustrate, let’s say you’re flying from LAX to PAR on a return journey, and you’re traveling during peak season (between June and August).

At this time, you’re likely to spend anywhere between $500 and $800 per person. It’s why many people choose to travel to Paris off-peak and off-season, say, in April or September. At those times of year, you’re most likely to get tickets closer to the $400 to $500 mark, but it’s still worth using services like SkyScanner ahead of time to check the most affordable routes.

Accommodation prices in Paris

Accommodation in Paris can really vary in terms of costs, meaning you could spend less than  EUR 100 a day in a budget hostel, or EUR 500+ per day in the best hotel rooms. What’s more, the closer you are to the heart of Paris itself, the more you’ll spend.

A good tip is to consider how far you’re happy or willing to travel into the city, and to look at nearby areas and villages with Airbnbs. If you’d prefer to get the full luxury experience as close to the Arc de Triomphe as possible, be prepared to sacrifice a four-figure sum over the course of a week!

Transportation expenses in Paris

The good news is that public transport costs in Paris are relatively cheap, with metro costs for individual city trips sitting at a flat rate of EUR 2.55 (as of the time of publishing). 

That said, there may be times where you prefer the convenience of taxi trips, meaning you’ll usually spend between EUR 1-2 for every km traveled. It’s worth consulting apps like Uber, too, and comparing with what local firms at hailing zones charge. On average, Uber is likely to cost more in the heart of Paris than what you’d expect in typical US cities.

Tour and activity costs in Paris

Touring and activities in Paris start at zero, because you could simply tour the city on its own! However, expect to spend EUR 10-20 per person for entry into museums and popular attractions such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, and Versailles Palace. Eiffel Tower costs are likely to be a little more, and if you want to take in a full show at the Moulin Rouge, you are likely to spend three figures at least on a ticket.

Disneyland Paris costs too, of course, will vary - depending on how many people are going, and whether or not you want to book a multi-day pass. Reserve at least EUR 100 per person, per day, as a good measure (because, again, costs can and will increase with inflation, and we want this guide to stay evergreen for you)!

Food and drink prices in Paris

Touring and activities in Paris absolutely must include some of the city’s famous and fabulous food and drink, meaning whether you’re sipping wine or heading to a boulangerie, it really pays to have a separate budget for every meal.

Simple pastries, croissants, and more are likely to cost up to EUR 3-4 along with coffees at a similar rate. Lunch menus usually won’t cost more than EUR 30 per person, depending on what you have, but eating out at a fine dining restaurant in Paris is always likely to command a three-figure bill per person.

Alcohol costs may surprise you, as France’s wine is surprisingly affordable per glass, with beer frequently costing more. It’s also surprisingly affordable to purchase wine from local supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Practical ways to save money while traveling in Paris

Now you know how much it would cost to go to Paris on average, it’s time to look at a few quick ways you can save a bit of money on your vacation, and to make it stretch a bit further than expected.

• If you know you’ll use public transport a lot, invest in weekly or daily passes (or walk as much as you can)
• Try to explore street food vendors for lunch
• Consider the Paris Museum Pass to save money on entry to several of the city’s best attractions
• Try picnicking and head to Bouillons for affordable meals
• Head to Paris during the off-season - spring and fall/autumn are ideal
• Always look for accommodation outside the center of the city if you can

And, above all, make sure you’re completely covered for mobile data when you’re here, so you don’t come home to high bills or have to hunt down local SIMs. Pick an eSIM for Europe from the SIMOVO range, and you’re always covered with the fastest, most reliable connectivity available.