22 Ways to Save Money in Paris

Uncorking a bottle of French wine on a sunny day, spreading brie on a baguette, gazing out on the Paris skyline in front of the Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre. To me, that’s the perfect day in Paris.

Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world thanks to its cobblestone streets, historic architecture, incredible music, savory delicious food, and smartly dressed locals. Paris is a city I just melt into. I love it so much I moved there to live out my cliched “writer in Paris” fantasy. (It was everything I wanted it to be.)

But Paris is a city that melts wallets as much as it does hearts.

Paris’ plentiful restaurants, bars, and attractions can quickly lighten you of euros if you aren’t careful. However, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Yes, it’s pricey but it doesn’t need to bust your wallet. Compared to other places in the world, residents don’t take home a high percentage of their salary. As such, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Paris without breaking the bank.

Once you get out of the city center and away from the restaurants designed for tourists, the city isn’t that expensive. I found living here to be quite affordable.

Below are 24 ways to save big money on your next visit to the City of Lights based on my years of traveling and living in Paris:

 

1. Visit the Louvre for free

Admission to the famous Louvre Museum is free after 6pm on the first Friday of each month (except July and August). It’s also free for anyone under 18, and 18-25-year-old residents of the European Economic Area.

Moreover, to avoid the massive ticket lines, enter via the Carrousel du Louvre entrance and you’ll get right to the ticket counter. You can skip the lines if you have a Paris Museum Pass, which I recommend getting (see below).

Just keep in mind that there are more people visiting during the free days so you’ll want to arrive as early as you can.

2. Save at the Musée d’Orsay

Entry is free the first Sunday of the month (reservations required). It’s also free for anyone under 18, and 18-25-year-old residents of the European Economic Area. On Thursdays, tickets to the museum are only 10 EUR after 6pm. Regular ticket prices are 14 EUR.

3. Buy a Paris Museum Pass

I’m a huge fan of tourist cards, and Paris is one of the best places to get one. There are so many museums and attractions worth seeing that ticket prices can really add up quickly. The Paris Museum Pass will help you save money as it offers free and discounted admission to 60 museums and monuments around the city — and it lets you skip the ticket lines! Post-COVID, the lines in Paris have gotten really long and you won’t want to spend time waiting in them. I always get this pass when I’m museum hopping in the city. It saves so much money and time. I can’t recommend it enough.

It comes in 2-, 4-, and 6-day versions costing 70, 90, and 110 EUR respectively. It pays for itself after three museums so if you plan on seeing the main sights, get this pass.

4. First Sunday of the month? Free museums!

If you happen to find yourself in Paris on the first Sunday of the month between October and March, most of the city’s major museums offer free admission. During the other months, admission is free for those under 26 and from the EU. The Louvre is free on Friday nights for everyone. The downside is that they will all be super crowded as this is no secret!

Here’s a list of museums that participate:

• Musée National d’Art Moderne – Centre Pompidou
• Musée des Arts et Métiers
• Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature
• Musée National Eugène Delacroix
• Musée National Gustave Moreau
• Musée National Jean-Jacques Henner
• Musée National du Moyen Âge – Thermes de Cluny
• Musée National de l’Orangerie
• Musée d’Orsay
• Musée National Picasso
• Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine
• Cité Nationale de l’Histoire de l’Immigration
• Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
• Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet

There are also other museums that offer free admission on the first Sunday but only at certain times of the year. Check the Paris tourism website for an exhaustive list.

5. Take public transport from the airport

Save money right when you land by taking public transportation into the city. Once you get into the city, you can transfer to the metro to reach your final destination.

For CDG, you have a few options:

• RER B (regional train): This option costs 11.80 EUR and takes 25–50 minutes (depending on your destination and whether you get an express train).
• Express bus: The “RoissyBus” costs 16.60 EUR per person and takes around 60 minutes.
• Local bus: Line 350 runs from Paris Porte de la Chapelle, while Line 351 runs from Place de la Nation. A ticket costs 2.20 EUR and buses run every 15-30 minutes. However, the journey is much longer than other options because it makes more stops (it takes at least 90 minutes).

For ORY, here are your options:

• RER B: To get to this train at ORY, you need to take the free Orlyval train between terminals. Then, it’s 14.50 EUR to get into Paris, with a travel time of 17-25 minutes depending on what stop you get off at.
• Express bus: The OrlyBus costs 11.20 and takes 30 minutes.
• Metro: The new metro line 14 costs 10.30 EUR and takes 16-40 minutes depending on where you get off.

I prefer the RER, but depending on where you’re going, the express bus might be more direct, as you may not have to transfer to a local metro.

You can find more details on getting to and from the city’s airports here.

6. Skip taxis

Taxis are convenient but they add up fast. Prices start at 4-7 EUR and go up by almost 2 EUR per kilometer. A taxi to the airport is a flat rate 56-65 EUR for CDG and 36-44 EUR for Orly. Uber is cheaper, but it adds up fast too, so skip the private rides unless you don’t have an option.

7. Stick to public transportation

Bus and metro tickets cost 2.15 EUR each. They’re way cheaper than taxis or Uber and can get you pretty much anywhere you need to go. They run late too, usually until after 1am, so as long as you plan ahead you can likely save a good chunk of money.

8. Use the Vélib’

Paris’ bike-share program boasts over 20,000 bikes at 1,800 stations throughout the city. It’s 3 EUR for a 45-minute one-way trip, 5 EUR for a one-day pass (10 EUR for an e-bike) or 20 EUR for a three-day pass. You’ll need a pin-and-chip card to use the machines. If you don’t have that type of credit card, you can buy a ticket online and use your access code at the stations.

9. Stay in hostels

Hostels offer great accommodations for those on a budget, especially since most hotels in Paris are beyond expensive. Dorm rooms in Paris are around 20-30 EUR in the low season and 40-80 EUR in the high season. Private rooms in hostels begin around 50 EUR in the low season and 100-150 EUR in the high season.

One of my favorite hostels to stay at is St. Christopher’s Canal.

For more suggestions, here is a complete list of my favorite hostels in the city. If you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of Paris!

Additionally, get a HostelPass to save even more. This card gives you up to 20% off certain hostels in Europe, including many in Paris. Use code NOMADICMATT for 25% off when you sign up!

10. Drink in hostel bars

Even if you aren’t staying in a hostel, you should still consider drinking at their bars. They offer amazing happy hours and it’s easy to meet people at them even if you aren’t staying there. They’re a great place to start your night out in Paris without busting your budget.

11. Visit the free sights

The city has a lot of free attractions. Here are some of my favorites:

• Musée d’Art Moderne
• Maison de Balzac
• Maison de Victor Hugo
• Musée Carnavalet (the Paris History Museum)
• Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris
• Musée de la Prefecture de Police (Police Headquarters Museum)
• Fragonard Perfume Museum

Most churches and parks (like the Jardin du Luxembourg) are also free.

12. Take a free walking tour

One of the first things I do in a new city is take a free walking tour. It’s the best way to see the sights and connect with a local that can share their insider tips and advice.

Free walking tours of Paris’s central sights are available from several tour companies. My favorite is New Europe. There’s also Paris Greeters, where locals lead you on a free tour of their city. Just remember to tip your guide at the end!

For paid tours, check out my list of the best walking tours in Paris.

13. Get free water

When you order water at a restaurant, make sure you ask for tap water. They’ll try to provide bottled water and charge you for it, but tap water is free and safe to drink.

You can also fill up your water bottle at the 800+ water fountains located throughout the city. The water is filtered and safe to drink. A normal water bottle will suffice, but if you’re concerned about safety, bring a LifeStraw reusable bottle with a built-in filter. You’ll reduce your reliance on single-use plastic, save money, and always have clean water.

14. Get the set lunch menu

If you eat out, do so at lunch and get the prix fixe menu (two- or three-course set menu). Restaurants throughout town offer this set menu during lunch, and with prices between 15-25 EUR, it’s a way better deal than the regular dinner menu!

15. Head to the outdoor markets and grocery stores

Paris is a market city, and each neighborhood has its own food market. If you want to save big on meals, head to one of the markets, pick up some cheese, wine, bread, meats, or anything else, and head to the park or river for a picnic (or just grab a sandwich for later).

Some great markets to check out are:

• Marche d’Aligre (Tuesday-Sunday)
• Marché couvert les Enfants Rouges (Tuesday-Sunday)
• Marche Bastille (Thursday and Sunday)

Grocery shopping is another no-brainer way to eat cheap. They have all the ingredients you need for basic meals as well as prepared meals. You can buy wine at both grocery stores and markets starting at around 3 EUR a bottle, so skip the bars and sit outside. You’ll find the locals doing the same thing, and it’s one of the cheaper ways to get a true taste of French food.

16. Enjoy free summer festivals

During the summer, you can find free entertainment almost any night of the week, such as the Paris Jazz Festival and outdoor film screenings like Cinéma en Plein Air.

The Paris Tourism board maintains a calendar of free events so you can check what’s going on during your visit.

17. Eat away from the tourist centers

There are so many world-class restaurants in Paris that if you only eat close to the main tourist attractions, you’ll eat terrible food and have terrible service. There’s like an invisible line tourists never seem to cross. My rule: always walk five blocks away from any tourist sight to find good local cuisine.

Some good areas to eat are the Latin Quarter, Bastille, Montmartre, Le Marias, the 5th arrondissement, and the 13th arrondissement.

18. Check the local tourism office for free stuff

The local tourism office’s job is to save you money and help you plan your way around the city. They are a grossly under-utilized resource by travelers. They know everything going on. Go into their office, ask questions, find free things, and get discounts on tours and attractions throughout the city.

19. Use apps to get discounts on food

Find good and cheap food on websites like La Fourchette. La Fourchette (The Fork) offers discounts of up to 50% off at more than 1,000 restaurants across Paris. It’s the best app to use to help you eat like a Parisian.

Another great app to use is Too Good to Go. Through this app, bakeries, grocery stores, grab-and-go spots, and other eateries offering prepared foods can offer discounted grab bags of items that otherwise would have been thrown away at the end of the day. The idea is that it saves food waste while providing people with food at up to half the price. Win-win!

20. Stay in an affordable neighborhood

Like every city, Paris has budget-friendly neighborhoods as well as those that, while nice, will blow your budget out of the water. To save money, stay in Montmartre. It’s one of the most popular budget-friendly areas to stay in. Bastille is another budget-friendly arrondissement.

Here’s a list of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris and suggested places to stay.

21. Get an ISIC card

If you’re a student, get an ISIC card. You’ll be able to save money on a few attractions in the city, including 10% off Generator Hostels, 10% off New Europe tours, and free access to the National Museums if you’re under 26 (including the Louvre, the Musée Picasso, and more).

22. Get dinner at Middle Eastern restaurants

If you want to eat out on a budget, find your local Middle Eastern restaurants. You can get an entire plate of food that includes kebab, skewers or rotisserie chicken, fries or rice, and salad for around 12-15 EUR. It’s delicious and filling!

***

Paris is an expensive city and visiting on a budget has become harder in the last couple of years. But, like any major city, there are plenty of budget options if you know where to look.

By making a few small adjustments and following the tips above you can find big savings that will make any trip to Paris fun, affordable, and memorable!