Last Updated: 10/10/20 | October 10th, 2020
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 for spring 2019 to live out my “writer in Paris” cliched fantasy. (It was everything I wanted it to be.)
But Paris is a city that melts wallets as well as hearts. Paris’ plentiful restaurants, bars, and attractions can quickly lighten you of Euros if you aren’t careful. However, 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 (relative to other large cities in the world). 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:
1. Visit the Louvre for free — Admission to the famous Louvre Museum is free the first Sunday of each month from October to March. It’s also free on Friday evenings for anyone under 26. 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 also skip the lines if you have a Paris Museum Pass.
2. Save at the Musée d’Orsay — Tickets to the museum are only 9 EUR after 4:30 p.m. (except on Thursdays, when they’re reduced to 9 EUR at 6 p.m. until 9:45 p.m.). Entry is also free the first Sunday of the month. Regular ticket prices are 12 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. It offers free and discounted admission to 60 museums and monuments around the city, and it lets you skip the ticket lines! Prices: 48 EUR (two days); 62 EUR (four days); 74 EUR (six days). It pays for itself after three museums. Heck, the Palace of Versailles is 20 EUR alone! Get this ticket if you plan to see at least three museums!
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
5. Take public transport from Charles de Gaulle Airport — Save money right when you land by taking public transportation into the city. You have two options:
- Take the RER B (regional train): This option costs 10.30 EUR and takes 25–50 minutes (depending on your destination and whether you get an express train). Once you get into the city, you can transfer to the metro to reach your final destination.
- Take a bus: The “RoissyBus” costs 10 EUR per person and takes 45–60 minutes.
I prefer the RER, but depending on where you’re going, the bus might be more direct, as you may not have to transfer to a local metro.
6. Skip taxis — The subway system in Paris is very extensive and can take you anywhere you need to go. Don’t waste money on overpriced taxis. If you do need to get around, take an Uber instead.
7. Buy a 10-pack of metro/bus tickets — Bus and metro tickets cost 1.90 EUR each. However, you can purchase a “carnet,” which is a pack of 10 tickets, for 14 EUR. It saves you a few euros — a modest savings, but better than nothing!
8. Use the Vélib’ — Paris’ bike-share program boasts over 20,000 bikes at 1,800 stations throughout the city. You join by purchasing a one-day pass for 5 EUR or a one-week pass for 15 EUR. 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 start at 20 EUR nightly, and private rooms in hostels begin around 50 EUR. My favorite hostels to stay at are St. Christopher’s Canal and The Loft. Here are my other favorite hostels in the city, click here to see them.
10. Drink in hostels — Even if you aren’t staying in a hostel, you should still consider drinking at their bars. They offer amazing happy hours, with beers as little as 2 EUR. They’re a great place to start your night out in Paris without busting your budget.
11. Couchsurf — Nothing’s cheaper than sleeping for free. Couchsurfing connects you with locals who will not only give you a free place to stay but can act as a local tour guide and introduce you to all the hidden places around the city that only a local would know. To me, it’s one of the greatest ways to really get to know a city. (If you don’t want to stay with people, there are always tons of Couchsurfing events going on, so you can at least use it to meet some locals!) Here’s a guide to using Couchsurfing!
12. Visit the free sights — The city has a lot of free attractions, including museums (like the Musée d’Art Moderne, Maison de Balzac, and Maison de Victor Hugo), most churches, and parks (like the Jardin du Luxembourg). Also free are the Musée Carnavalet (the Paris History Museum), the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Musée de la Prefecture de Police (Police Headquarters Museum), and the Fragonard Perfume Museum.
13. Take a free walking tour — Free walking tours of Paris’s central sights are available from several tour companies. My favorite is New Europe Walking Tours. There’s also Paris Greeters, where locals lead you on a free tour of their city. It’s modeled after the one in New York. Be sure to tip your guides!
14. Remember that water is free! — 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.
15. 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 10-20 EUR, it’s a way better deal than the regular dinner menu!
16. Pick up lunch at outdoor markets — Paris is a market city, with food markets throughout town. If you want to save big money on meals, head to one of the markets, pick up some cheese, wine, bread, meats, or anything else, and head to the park for a picnic. (Or grab a sandwich for later!) 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.
17. Head to the grocery store for basics — Grocery shopping is a no-brainer way to eat cheap. They have all the ingredients you need for basic meals as well as prepared meals. They sell wine too!
18. 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.
19. Use Airbnb — Don’t want to sleep in a stranger’s home or a hostel? Airbnb offers the next cheapest accommodation options. This site allows you to rent a room or entire apartment in a Paris neighborhood. You get all the comforts of home! I’ve seen entire apartments for as little as $70 a night. Split that a few ways, and it’s cheaper than a hostel!
To help you plan your visit and find the perfect apartment rental, here are the best neighborhoods in Paris.
Note on using Airbnb: Airbnb has dramatically raised the price of rents and pushed out the locals you want to interact with, as people have started to buy multiple properties in order to rent them out to tourists. I strongly encourage you to only use Airbnb if you are renting a room in someone’s house, not an entire place — it’s too hard to determine if that entire home you’re renting is really someone’s private residence or a rental property owned by a giant company.
20. Fill up your water bottle around town — Paris has more than 800 water fountains located throughout the city where you can fill your water bottle. The water is filtered and safe to drink from. To ensure your water is safe, bring a LifeStraw reusable bottle. You’ll reduce your reliance on single-use plastic, save money, and always have clean water.
21. Eat away from the tourist centers – There are so many world-class restaurants in Paris that if you stick to eating close to where the tourists are, 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, Monmarte, Le Marias, 5th, and 13th.
22. 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 underutilized 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.
23. Find discounts on food via La Fourchette – Find good and cheap food on websites like La Fourchette. La Fourchette (The Fork) offers discounts 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.
24. 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.
25. 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).
Paris is an expensive city, and visiting there 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, you can find big savings that will make any trip to Paris fun, affordable, and memorable.
Get Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Paris!
For more in-depth information, check out my guidebook to Paris written for budget travelers like yourself! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel and save money in one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on- and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, and bars, and much more! Click here to learn more and get started!
Book Your Trip to Paris: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines, because they search websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory out there. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. Some of my favorite places to stay in Paris are:
If you’re looking for more places to stay, here for my favorite hostels in Paris. If you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of the city!
Here’s a list of my favorite hostels in Paris in case you want more options than what is listed here!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it, as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the best companies to save money with?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel! I list all the ones I use — and I think they will help you too!
Looking for more information on visiting Paris?
Check out my in-depth destination guide to Paris with more tips on what to see and do, ways to save, and much, much more!
Katie
Fantastic advice! I love Paris, and you’re right: despite it’s reputation, it is possible to travel there on a budget. I didn’t know about the Museum Pass, which sounds like a great idea. Though if you’re an EU citizen and under 25, lots of places will give you free entry or at least a discount, so taking your passport around with you is a must. I didn’t know how extensive this scheme was until last time I was there. I visited the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay and Sainte Chapelle, and was pleasantly surprised at all three! Too bad I turn 25 next birthday… 🙁
Sherilyn
Walk up the Eiffel Tower! It’s much cheaper than the elevator and the lines are SO much shorter. It’s not too strenuous of a climb and it’s completely enclosed so it’s not scary to people who are afraid of heights!
Alan
Great tips Matt as usual.
One thing I have learned (the expensive way) on my many trips to Paris, is that there is an unwritten price scale when sitting at a sidewalk restaurant/cafe.
If you sit closest to the sidewalk you will be charged a certain price (read high) for your beer. Sit at the back of the sidewalk tables and you will be charged less. Sit inside and you will be charged even less.
A friend and I found this out when we sat at the front at a restaurant on Place Republique. We were charged 27 euros for a couple of pints of beer, ouch!
Happy trails.
Kim
Looking at hostels in paris, they seem to cost the same as hotels if you want a private room (which I would need). As a solo traveller its disappointing because they charge you for the amount of beds in the room :/
NomadicMatt
Many hostels offer single bed rooms that are cheaper than double beds. However, in general, a private room at a hostel is never as good a deal as Airbnb.
Erik
If you visit Notre Dame cathedral on Sunday around midday you might be lucky to enter for free because usually are church services. I was lucky to have this opportunity this year in March.
Ani
Hey Matt,
These are some great tips. There are also some hidden places in Paris that are free to visit/explore. The Promenade Plantee, Belleville, and the abandoned railway were our favourite spots.
Couchsurfing is definitely the best way of exploring a city and saving money at the same time – we have made some great friends couchsurfing in different cities across the world.
Zoe
These are awesome tips. I stayed in Paris for 6 weeks as part of an exchange trip to learn French – luckily my accommodation was free, but Paris is by no means cheap. I wish I had known these tips then!
Danielle
Great advice. I wanted to add another piece to the comment that many museums are free for those under 25 from the E.U. This also works for anyone under 25 with a long-term visa! So if you’re studying or teaching abroad, you can save a little money by showing your visa!
Tiana
2 things!
1. You can also get free admission to the Louvre on Friday nights all year-round if you’re under-26!
2. As far as Airbnb goes, a friend and I rented a studio for $43/night in Paris. Granted it was cramped quarters, but your own place for ~$21 a night? Can’t beat it. Definitely check out Airbnb!
Joanna
Ahhh Paris ! I was there recently and found at the airport that Air France has a bus for 7.50 Euros that will take you to Gare de L’est or Gare de Montparnasse. You can jump on the metro or bus from either of these places. One of my favorite places in Paris is the Grand Mosquee de Paris and it’s tea room in the 5th arrondissement. It’s a donation.
Damon and Jo
Don’t waste your money buying drinks in Paris clubs! Buy a bottle of cheap wine from a grocery store, and sit along the Seine with the Parisians. Something interesting almost always happens.
Julie
Great article— If really want to visit the museums, arrive early. On our last visit to Paris, the lines to get into the Orsay were so long, we decided we didn’t have time to stay and wait! Fortunately, for us, we had been before, but we were really looking forward to a return visit. It is an awesome museum!
M. James
It seems pretty unrealistic to allot a very limited amount of money for your planned vacation to a city like Paris. Who doesn’t want to go to Paris? Everyone I know who went there have only great stories to tell about their vacation. Everyone knows it’s an expensive city to visit and yet it does not discourage us to hope that someday we’ll get to visit Paris. Even I, who is in a tight budget, cannot bring myself to take it off my bucket list. Reading this article only made me want to go to Paris more than ever. So thanks for keeping my dream alive and for the beautiful pictures! There’s no stronger motivator than pictures so I love travel blogs that has lots of imageries.
NomadicMatt
Hopefully this motivates you to go! 🙂
Gaby
I found the best money saving item was the Paris pass. I got you into most of the attractions as well as metro passes for the amount of days that you buy the pass for (we bought a 6 day). We also rented an apartment and stay there it was only €80 a night! That was one of the best money saving tips! We also traveled in non-peak season which saves a ton on flight costs
Linda Chandler
Been to Paris for five days as part of a three week vacation to France – Alsace for two weeks and Reims for two days then Paris for five. Going in March 2016 for a month this time. Enjoy the great tips. I shop if there is something I really love. Last time we bought a huge painting home for our livingroom. They took it off the stretcher and rolled the canvas and we bought a tube for it. Came home in great shape. We always claim our tax at the airport so any tax we paid we get it back before we leave Paris at the airport. You just take your receipts to the indicated window and they give you money….cannot beat that. We always shop for groceries and not at the Grand Epicerie as it is very expensive..the best deals are at G. Detou…Grand Epicerie is good though for small bottles to take home as gifts if you do that sort of thing. There are lots of free things to do in Paris to save cash.: Eglise St. Severin on rue des Pretres St. Severin, Luxembourg Gardens, Jardin des Serres a’Auteuil nearRoland Garros Tennis Stadiums, Par des Buttes – Chaumont on Rue Botzaris – take a picnic and the Buttes-Chaumont Metro. Also consider Musee Carnavalet which sprawls over two historic mansions -rue des Francs-Bourgeois everything from the neolithic to the french revolution – take the St. Paul Metro
Mike Besani
I always wanted to go to Paris but just like many average earners, money is a big problem for me to accomplish my Paris dream! You shared very insightful ideas on how to save money and I really appreciate you work.
Maureen
Hi Matt, Thanks for the great tips. My husband and I want to take your walking tour. Will you be offering one in July?
April Luchtefeld
email the hotel directly that you might want to stay in and ask for the best price they can give you- ask for free breakfast jic they would give that to you. Cheaper than booking.com etc of the h