Is Paris Expensive to Visit? Trip Costs And Budgets

Everybody loves Paris, including us. The French capital has a cultural symbol and status that not many other cities can even hold a candle to. It oozes class, cuisine, and art. And with a slightly gritty chip on its shoulder, it has a real personality that challenges and stimulates millions of visitors a year.

Whether you take a day trip to Paris or stay for a week, you’ll take astounding views of landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. You’ll sample delicious cuisine and peer through the bars at the only vineyard in Paris, or check out the eerie Catacombs before sightseeing the Louvre Museum after hours. There’s so much to do and see. With that in mind, it’s no wonder you are wondering about the cost of your trip to Paris. Is Paris expensive to visit?

In this guide, we’ll answer exactly that. How much you spend on your Paris vacation depends on whether your travel budget is low, mid-range, or luxury. To help you arrive prepared, we’ll give you a budget for each category. After 5 trips to Paris, I think we know what we are talking about.

Accommodation Costs in Paris

There’s no denying it; accommodation in Paris can get a little steep. And if you aren’t just taking a day trip to Paris, there’s no avoiding this major cost.

The thing is that there’s just so much novelty to be had in Paris. With landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, there’s no wonder that you have hotel rooms at $1,000s of dollars a night. But with that said, if you book far enough in advance, the French city does come into its own in the mid-range department.

The average hotel room price in Paris is around $130 a night, which is reasonable compared to the rest of Western Europe. The issue is more in Paris’ popularity; it’s a victim of its own success in the sense that modestly priced rooms sell out quickly. It is such an iconic city that it tempts people towards more expensive accommodation in the name of “landmark views.” You can see how it built up a reputation as being costly.

It’s also worth noting that hotel prices vary depending on your desired location. If you want to stay in the city center, your total accommodation cost will inevitably be higher. However, you’ll save hundreds if you’re happy to stay on the outskirts and take a “day trip” 20 minutes or so by Metro into the city center. The 14th Arrondissement, 10th Arrondissement, and 13th Arrondissement are all outskirt neighborhoods that offer more moderately priced…