# Paris Travel Budget: What a Day Really Costs at Three Levels (2026)

> A day in Paris costs about €120, €215 or €410 per person in 2026, built line by line from metro fares, non-EU museum prices, meals, hotel rates and tourist tax.

Source: https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-travel-budget/ · Paris Travel Guide · Published November 15, 2026 · Updated November 15, 2026 · Checked November 2026

## At a Glance

- A single Metro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 in 2026 and is valid anywhere in Île-de-France except the airports, including the RER C to Versailles.
- The Navigo Semaine costs €32.40 for all zones and runs Monday 0:00 to Sunday 24:00. It covers CDG and Orly, and the Navigo Découverte card it loads onto costs €5.
- The Paris Région <> Aéroports ticket costs €14 one way on the RER B to Charles de Gaulle or metro line 14 to Orly. Taxis charge a flat €56 from CDG to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank.
- Since January 2026, visitors from outside the European Economic Area pay €32 at the Louvre, €22 at the Sainte-Chapelle and €35 for the Versailles Passport in high season.
- The Eiffel Tower costs €14.80 by stairs to the 2nd floor and €36.70 by lift to the summit in 2026. The tower's own 2027 grid, from January 11, 2027, raises them to €15.20 and €37.70.
- Paris tourist tax in 2026 is €3.25 per adult per night in a 2-star hotel, €5.53 in a 3-star, €8.45 in a 4-star, €11.70 in a 5-star and €15.93 in a palace. Under-18s pay nothing.
- Hotels in Paris averaged €239 per room per night in 2025, and €223 in the first half of 2026, according to industry trackers. March and December peaks topped €350 in a sample of hotels.
- Notre-Dame cathedral, the Sacré-Cœur basilica, Père Lachaise cemetery and the permanent collections of most City of Paris museums, including the Petit Palais and Carnavalet, are free.
- The Louvre is free for everyone on the first Friday of each month after 6:00 p.m., except July and August. The Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon are free on the first Sunday from November to March.
- Non-EU residents aged 16 or over can claim back VAT on purchases over €100.01 in one store, validated at a PABLO kiosk before leaving the EU.

A day in Paris costs about €120 per person on a budget, €215 at mid-range and €410 at a comfortable level in 2026, with two people sharing a room, and the bed is 40 to 50 percent of each number. The rest is metro fares that are cheaper than most visitors expect, museum tickets that became sharply more expensive for non-Europeans in January 2026, and food that costs what you decide it costs.

Most answers to this question give one round figure, often "€100 a day" or "€200 a day," with no list of what it buys. Those figures predate three 2026 changes that move the total: the Louvre at €32 for visitors from outside the European Economic Area, the single metro ticket at €2.55, and a tourist tax that now adds €8.45 per adult per night in a 4-star hotel. They also skip the decisions that matter more than the level you pick: whether the Navigo Semaine pays off for your dates, whether you take the €14 train or the €56 taxi from Charles de Gaulle, and how many of your days are built around free museums.

Every figure below is a line item: a fare, an entry price, a tax rate or a range observed across menus. Each level is then added up day by day for a 3-day and a 5-day trip. Prices, fares and tax rates below were checked against official websites in November 2026.

## A Daily Budget Is Three Numbers, Not One

A Paris day splits into three costs that behave differently.

**The fixed cost** is the bed and the tourist tax. It is paid every night whether you leave the room or not, and it scales with the level of hotel you choose. It is the only line that changes by season and by arrondissement.

**The moving cost** is transport and sights. A day at Versailles costs €35 in entry plus €5.10 in train fares. A day in the Marais with the free Musée Carnavalet costs four metro rides.

**The elastic cost** is food. A bakery lunch and a bistro lunch sit 500 meters apart and differ by €15 to €20 per person. Food is where a budget traveler and a comfortable traveler diverge most, and where the city lets you switch level from one meal to the next.

Pick the hotel level first, because it is fixed for the whole trip. Plan paid sights by day. Treat food as the adjustable line. The Paris on a budget guide goes deeper on the cheapest version of each line.

## The Three Levels, Defined

Every total on this page is per person, with two adults sharing a double room. A solo traveler pays the whole room. Children under 18 enter national museums free and pay no tourist tax.

**Budget.** A bed in a hostel dorm or half of a basic 2-star double. Breakfast from a bakery. Lunch from a bakery or a market. Dinner at a crêpe stand, a falafel counter or a bouillon. One paid sight a day at most, chosen on purpose. Metro everywhere, RER B from the airport.

**Mid-range.** Half of a 3-star double in a central arrondissement. Breakfast at a café counter or terrace. A bistro lunch formule. A sit-down dinner with a glass or two of wine. One or two paid sights a day. Metro, RER B from the airport.

**Comfortable.** Half of a 4-star double in a central arrondissement. Breakfast at a café or the hotel. A long lunch. A good dinner with a bottle of wine. Two paid sights most days. Metro plus a daily allowance for taxis, and a flat-fare taxi from the airport.

The per-day line items, used in every table below:

| Line | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed, per person (half a double) | €55 | €85 | €150 |
| Tourist tax, per adult per night | €3.25 (2-star) | €5.53 (3-star) | €8.45 (4-star) |
| Food and drink | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| City transport | €10.20 (4 rides) | €10.20 (4 rides) | €25 (metro plus taxis) |
| Paid sights | €0 to €35 | €16 to €48 | €22 to €48 |

The bed figures are midpoints of the ranges in the hotel section below. They are estimates of what a typical traveler pays, not published prices.

## Getting Around: The Cheapest Line on the Budget

Paris public transport is flat-fare and cheap by the standards of London or New York. The traps are the airport ticket, the passes that sound useful and are not, and the end of paper tickets. Full details are in the Paris metro guide.

### The Single Ticket at €2.55

The Metro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 in 2026, or €1.30 at the reduced rate for children aged 4 to 9. It is valid for one journey, with connections, anywhere in Île-de-France except the airports. That includes the RER C to Versailles, the RER to Disneyland and the train to Saint-Denis. The Bus-Tram ticket costs €2.05.

Paper tickets and the carnet of ten are gone. The ticket now lives on a €2 Navigo Easy card or on a phone through the Île-de-France Mobilités app. The card is anonymous and needs no photo, but two people cannot share it on the same trip.

Four rides a day at €2.55 is €10.20. That is the transport line used for the budget and mid-range levels on this page.

### The Navigo Jour at €12.30

The Navigo Jour gives unlimited travel on every mode in Île-de-France for one calendar day, for €12.30. It does not cover the airports. It loads onto the Navigo Easy card. It pays off at five rides, so it is worth it only on a heavy day: a morning museum, a lunch across town, an afternoon in Montmartre, an evening river walk and the ride home.

### The Navigo Semaine at €32.40

The Navigo Semaine costs €32.40 for all zones. It runs from Monday 0:00 to Sunday 24:00, every week, whatever day you buy it. It covers every mode of transport except Orlyval, including the RER B to Charles de Gaulle and metro line 14 to Orly. It is sold from the Friday before the week starts.

The pass loads onto a Navigo Découverte card, which costs €5 and needs a passport photo stuck on the card. The combined first-week cost is €37.40.

The arithmetic: €37.40 equals 14.7 single tickets. But two airport trips at €14 each already cost €28. So a traveler who arrives and leaves inside the same Monday-to-Sunday week, and rides four times or more in between, saves money with the pass. A traveler who arrives on Thursday and leaves on Monday crosses two weeks and should not buy it. The Navigo Easy vs Navigo week guide works through the common date patterns.

### Paris Visite: Usually Poor Value

The Paris Visite pass costs €30.60 for one day, €45.40 for two, €63.80 for three and €78 for five. It includes the airports and small discounts at some sights. For one day, it costs €18.30 more than a Navigo Jour. For five days, it costs €40.60 more than a Navigo Semaine on its card. It makes sense only when the dates straddle a Monday and both airport trips fall inside the pass window.

### From the Airport: €14 or €56

The Paris Région <> Aéroports ticket costs €14 one way, €7 reduced. It covers the RER B from Charles de Gaulle to any station in Paris, and metro line 14 or Orlyval from Orly. The RER B takes 25 to 35 minutes to Gare du Nord. Line 14 takes about 20 to 25 minutes from Orly to Châtelet. The Roissybus and Orlybus no longer run.

Taxis charge regulated flat fares to and from Paris: €56 between Charles de Gaulle and the Right Bank, €65 between Charles de Gaulle and the Left Bank, €45 between Orly and the Right Bank and €36 between Orly and the Left Bank. The fare is per car, not per person, so two travelers pay €28 to €32.50 each from CDG. Booking a taxi by phone or app adds €4 for an immediate pickup and €7 for an advance booking. Use the official taxi rank only. The drivers who approach travelers inside the terminal are not licensed, and they quote whatever they like. The CDG to Paris guide and the Orly guide compare every option, and the taxi and Uber guide covers fares inside the city.

The comfortable level on this page uses the taxi. The two other levels use the train.

## Sights: What Paid Entry Costs Non-EU Visitors in 2026

In January 2026, several national sites introduced higher prices for visitors from outside the European Economic Area: the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The rule applies by nationality or residence. Visitors from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and most of Asia pay the higher price. Under-18s still enter free regardless of nationality. EEA residents under 26 enter national museums free. The non-EU ticket price guide lists every site and its exemptions.

### Musée du Louvre

The Louvre is the single largest sight line for most visitors. It costs €32 for non-EEA visitors and €22 for EEA residents since January 14, 2026. It sits in the 1st arrondissement and is closed on Tuesday. It opens late, to 9:00 p.m., on Wednesday and Friday. Entry is free for everyone on the first Friday of the month after 6:00 p.m., except in July and August, and on July 14. A timed slot is booked at [ticket.louvre.fr](https://www.ticket.louvre.fr), and booking is strongly recommended even for free entry. The limitation: the free first-Friday evening is crowded, and three hours is not enough for a first visit. The Louvre tickets guide covers slots and entrances.

### Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie

The Sainte-Chapelle costs €22 for non-EEA visitors and €16 for EEA residents since January 12, 2026. A combined ticket with the Conciergerie costs €30 and €23. Both sit on the Île de la Cité in the 1st. A timed slot is required. The combined ticket saves €8 or more against buying both separately, and the two buildings are a three-minute walk apart. The Sainte-Chapelle tickets guide has the slot rules.

### Musée d'Orsay

The Musée d'Orsay, in the 7th arrondissement, lists a full-price ticket at €16 when booked online. It is closed on Monday. It is free on the first Sunday of each month, by timed reservation only. Thursday evening entry from 6:00 p.m. costs less. Orsay is the best-value major museum in the city for a non-European visitor in 2026, at half the Louvre's price. The Orsay tickets guide has the details.

### Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower, also in the 7th, sells four adult tickets in 2026: €14.80 by stairs to the 2nd floor, €23.50 by lift to the 2nd floor, €28 by stairs to the 2nd floor and lift to the summit, and €36.70 by lift to the summit. The tower's own grid for 2027, from January 11, 2027, raises the stairs ticket to €15.20 and the summit-by-lift ticket to €37.70. The tower has no non-EU surcharge. Buy only at [toureiffel.paris](https://www.toureiffel.paris). The stairs ticket is the budget traveler's best paid view in Paris, at less than half the price of the summit lift. The Eiffel Tower tickets guide compares the four options.

### Château de Versailles

The Versailles Passport, the standard ticket for the palace, the Trianon estate and the gardens, costs €35 in high season and €25 in low season for non-EEA visitors since January 14, 2026. EEA residents pay €32 and €22. The palace is closed on Monday. The train is the cheap part: the RER C from central Paris accepts the ordinary €2.55 ticket, so the round trip costs €5.10. The Versailles tickets guide and the Versailles day trip guide cover seasons, slots and the garden fountain shows.

### Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon

Both are run by the Centre des monuments nationaux, with seasonal prices and no EEA split in 2026. The Arc de Triomphe, on the place Charles-de-Gaulle at the top of the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement, costs €16 from October 1 to March 31 and €22 from April 1 to September 30, with the low-season price on Wednesdays in high season. The Panthéon, in the 5th arrondissement, costs €13 in low season and €16 in high season. Both are free on the first Sunday of the month from November to March.

### The Paris Museum Pass

The Paris Museum Pass covers the Louvre, Orsay, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon and Versailles, but not the Eiffel Tower. Its 2026 prices on parismuseumpass.fr are €85, €105 and €125 for 2, 4 and 6 days. Some pages still show €70, €90 and €110, the old grid. The 5-day mid-range plan below includes €127 of covered entries, and the comfortable plan €143. At those prices, a 4-day pass would save money only if those visits fall inside 96 consecutive hours. A pass holder still needs a timed slot at the Louvre and the Sainte-Chapelle. The Museum Pass guide runs the calculation with the 2026 non-EU prices.

## Food and Drink, Line by Line

Food prices are not regulated, but they must be displayed. Cafés and restaurants are required to post their prices both inside and outside, so the menu at the door is the price you pay. Prices include service by law. The ranges below are observed across bakeries, cafés and bistros in central arrondissements in 2026. The [Paris food guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-food-guide/) and the cheap eats guide name specific places.

### Breakfast

An espresso standing at the counter costs about €1.20 to €2.50. The same coffee at a table inside costs more, and on the terrace more again. The counter, the dining room and the terrace are three different prices for the same cup, and the difference is posted. A croissant at a bakery costs about €1.20 to €1.60, a plain baguette about €1.10 to €1.40. A budget breakfast of counter coffee and a croissant is under €4. A café breakfast formule with coffee, juice and a tartine or viennoiserie runs about €10 to €15 at mid-range. Compare the hotel's breakfast price with a café nearby before adding it to the booking.

### Lunch

Lunch is where Paris is cheapest relative to its reputation. Bakeries sell a lunch formule of sandwich, drink and pastry for about €8 to €12. Bistros and brasseries post a weekday lunch formule, typically two courses for about €18 to €25 and three courses for about €22 to €32. That formule is often the same kitchen as dinner for 30 to 40 percent less. The comfortable level on this page allows €45 for lunch: a three-course bistro lunch with a glass of wine, or a set lunch at a restaurant with a serious chef. The Michelin lunch guide explains why lunch is the cheapest way into a starred kitchen.

### Dinner

Budget dinners cost €12 to €20: a crêpe and cider, a falafel in the Marais or a full meal at a bouillon, the old working-class canteens where a main course costs about the price of a cocktail elsewhere. The bouillon guide lists the current ones. A mid-range dinner at a neighborhood bistro, with two courses and a glass of wine, costs €35 to €45 per person. A comfortable dinner with three courses and a shared bottle runs €80 to €110 per person. Dinner service starts around 7:30 p.m., and many bistros close on Sunday and in August. The Paris in August guide lists what stays open.

### Wine and Water

A glass of house wine at a bistro costs about €5 to €9, and a bottle on a restaurant list starts around €25 to €35. A bottle from a wine shop costs €6 to €12 for a picnic on the Seine banks. Tap water is free in every restaurant: ask for *une carafe d'eau*. Restaurants must offer free drinking water on request. A bottle of mineral water on the table adds €5 to €8. The tap water guide covers fountains for refilling bottles during the day.

### The Food Line per Level

| Meal | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | €4 | €10 | €20 |
| Lunch | €10 | €22 | €45 |
| Dinner (with wine at mid and comfortable) | €15 | €38 | €90 |
| Coffee, snack, drink | €3 | €5 | €15 |
| **Total** | **€32** | **€75** | **€170** |

## Where You Sleep: Rate Ranges by Season and Arrondissement

Paris hotels averaged €239 per room per night in 2025, according to the consultancy In Extenso, roughly 41 percent above 2019. Market Beat figures for the first half of 2026 put the average in central Paris at €223. These are averages across every category, from 1-star to palace, so they hide the range that matters to a traveler.

### Rates by Level

No official body publishes room rates by star level. Hotels.com and Booking prices compiled by Combien-coute.net in November 2026 give a 2026 average night of €111 in a 2-star, €114 in a 3-star and €214 in a 4-star, across the whole city. The ranges below sit above those averages for the 3-star and 4-star levels, because they assume a standard double room in a central or well-connected arrondissement, outside peak weeks. They stay inside the 2026 city-wide average of €223 to €239 for all categories. The bed figures used on this page are their midpoints:

| Level | Room type | Typical range per room per night | Per person, two sharing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hostel dorm bed (per bed) | €40 to €70 | €40 to €70 |
| Budget | 2-star double | €90 to €140 | €45 to €70 |
| Mid-range | 3-star double | €130 to €220 | €65 to €110 |
| Comfortable | 4-star double | €230 to €380 | €115 to €190 |

The budget level on this page uses €55 per person, the mid-range level €85 and the comfortable level €150. Fashion weeks, trade fairs and December can add 50 percent or more. A solo traveler should double them.

### Rates by Season

Hotel prices in Paris follow events more than weather. In a sample of hotels tracked by CoStar, the average rate reached €371.87 in December 2025 and €351.64 in March 2026, well above the annual average. Fashion weeks, major trade fairs at Porte de Versailles, big concerts and the end-of-year holidays push rates up for specific weeks. August is calmer for business travel, and MKG measured a Paris average of €189.59 in August 2026, although August also brings closed bistros. The [best time to visit Paris guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/best-time-to-visit-paris/) has the event calendar.

### Rates by Arrondissement

The same category costs more in the 1st, 6th, 7th and 8th arrondissements, near the Louvre, Saint-Germain and the Eiffel Tower. It costs less in the 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 18th and 19th, which are 10 to 25 minutes by metro from the center. A cheaper arrondissement on a direct metro line, such as line 1, 4 or 14, often beats a more expensive one with two changes. The [where to stay guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/where-to-stay-in-paris/) compares all 20, and the budget hotels guide covers the low end.

## The Tourist Tax, by Star Level

The Paris *taxe de séjour* is charged per adult per night and added to the hotel bill, usually at checkout. In 2026 it includes a municipal share, a departmental share, a regional share and a surcharge for Île-de-France Mobilités, which has been the largest part since 2025.

| Category | Per adult per night in 2026 | Two adults, four nights |
|---|---|---|
| 1-star | €2.60 | €20.80 |
| 2-star | €3.25 | €26.00 |
| 3-star | €5.53 | €44.24 |
| 4-star | €8.45 | €67.60 |
| 5-star | €11.70 | €93.60 |
| Palace | €15.93 | €127.44 |
| Unclassified rental | 5% of the nightly price per person, capped at €15.93 | Varies |

Travelers under 18 pay nothing. On a short-term rental, the 5 percent rule can produce a higher tax than a 4-star hotel for a large apartment. A booking site showing a total "without taxes" leaves this line out. The tourist tax guide covers exemptions and how rentals collect it.

## What Costs Nothing

A budget day in Paris can include several of the city's major sights at zero cost. This is the main reason the budget level works at about €120 a day. The free things to do guide and the free museums guide list every option with hours.

### Churches and Cemeteries

Notre-Dame de Paris, in the 4th arrondissement, is free to enter. A free timed reservation is optional and opens two to three days ahead, and it shortens the wait from April to October. Ticket resellers selling paid "skip-the-line" entry to the cathedral are charging for something free. The Sacré-Cœur basilica in Montmartre, in the 18th arrondissement, is free. Saint-Sulpice and Saint-Eustache are free. Père Lachaise cemetery, in the 20th arrondissement, is free and takes a full morning.

### City of Paris Museums

The permanent collections of most of the City of Paris museums are free every day, for everyone. They include the Petit Palais in the 8th, opposite the Grand Palais, the Musée Carnavalet, the museum of the history of Paris in the 3rd arrondissement, the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris in the 16th, the Maison de Victor Hugo on the place des Vosges, the Musée Cognacq-Jay, the Musée de la Vie romantique and the Musée Cernuschi. The exceptions are the Catacombs, the Crypte archéologique under the Notre-Dame square and the Palais Galliera, which charge entry. Temporary exhibitions are paid everywhere.

### Free Days at Paid Museums

The Louvre is free for everyone on the first Friday evening of the month after 6:00 p.m., except July and August. Orsay is free on the first Sunday of the month by timed reservation. The Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon are free on the first Sunday from November to March. Versailles is free on the first Sunday from December to March, according to the palace. All of these days are crowded, and the free slots at Orsay and the Louvre go fast.

### Parks, Riverbanks and Views

Every public park in Paris is free: the Jardin du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement, the Jardin des Tuileries between the Louvre and Concorde, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the 19th arrondissement. The pedestrian Seine banks between the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower are free. The steps of the Sacré-Cœur give a view over the whole city at no cost. The [parks and gardens guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-parks-gardens/) covers hours and the best ones for a picnic.

## Where Travelers Overspend

Most budget overruns in Paris come from a few specific places, and all of them are avoidable.

### The Airport Taxi from the Wrong Person

The flat fare from Charles de Gaulle is €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank, posted at the official rank. Men who approach arriving travelers inside the terminal, offering a "taxi" or a "private car," are not licensed taxis, and their prices are not regulated. Walk past them to the marked rank outside. For two people, the RER B at €14 each saves €28 to €37 against the taxi. For a family of four with luggage, the €56 taxi is cheaper than four €14 tickets plus a cab from Gare du Nord. The scams guide covers the terminal touts and the other common tricks.

### Resellers' "Skip-the-Line" Tickets

Third-party ticket sites sell "skip-the-line" or "priority" entry to sights that either cost less on their official site or cost nothing. Notre-Dame cathedral is free. The Louvre sells timed tickets at €32 on its own site, and a reseller's "priority access" uses the same entrance and the same security line. The Eiffel Tower sells its own tickets at €14.80 to €36.70. A reseller ticket often costs €10 to €30 more and adds a meeting point. Buy at the official site. A guided tour is a different product and can be worth paying for, but the guide does not skip security.

### Terrace Coffee on the Champs-Élysées

An espresso on the terrace of a café on the Champs-Élysées, in the 8th, or facing the Eiffel Tower costs several times the counter price two streets away. That is a price for the chair and the view, and it is posted outside. Paying it once is fine. Paying it for every coffee and lunch of a trip is the overspend. The Champs-Élysées guide lists what is worth doing on the avenue.

### Small Daily Leaks

Bottled water at every meal adds €5 to €8 when the carafe is free. The Paris Visite pass costs €18.30 more than a Navigo Jour for one day. Card terminals that offer to charge in your home currency apply a worse rate than your own card: choose euros.

## Cards, Cash, Tipping and the VAT Refund

### Card or Cash

Cards work almost everywhere, and contactless payments without a PIN are usually capped at €50. Keep €20 to €40 in cash for flea markets and small stalls. Withdraw from a bank ATM, not an exchange machine, and refuse any offer to convert into your home currency.

### Tipping

French law requires displayed restaurant and café prices to include service, and menus carry the words *service compris*. A tip is a small extra, never a percentage obligation. Leave €1 to €2 at a café, round up or leave a few euros at dinner, and up to about 5 to 10 percent for exceptional service. A tip prompt on a card terminal can be set to zero. The tipping guide covers taxis, hotels and guides.

### The VAT Refund

Visitors who live outside the European Union and are 16 or older can recover VAT on goods bought in France and taken home in their luggage. The minimum is €100.01 of purchases in the same store, made over three days at most. Not every store offers the refund, so ask at the till and bring your passport. The tax-free form must be validated at a PABLO kiosk at the airport, before check-in, and no later than the end of the third month after the month of purchase. The refund is smaller than the 20 percent VAT rate, because refund operators deduct a fee. The VAT refund guide walks through the kiosks at CDG and Orly.

## Three Days, Day by Day

The plan: arrive at Charles de Gaulle on day 1 and see the Île de la Cité, spend day 2 at the Louvre and the Tuileries, spend day 3 at the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre, fly home on the morning of day 4. Three nights. All figures are per person, two sharing a room, using the line items above. Sight prices are the non-EEA prices. The [3-day itinerary](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-3-days-itinerary/) gives the route in full.

Budget sees Notre-Dame free on day 1, the Louvre on day 2 and the Eiffel Tower by stairs on day 3. Mid-range adds the Sainte-Chapelle and Orsay and takes the lift to the 2nd floor. Comfortable takes the same route with a flat-fare taxi from the airport, taxis in town and the lift to the summit.

### The 3-Day Table

| Day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1: bed and tax | €58.25 | €90.53 | €158.45 |
| Day 1: food | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| Day 1: transport | €19.10 (airport €14, 2 rides) | €19.10 | €48 (half taxi €28, city €20) |
| Day 1: sights | €0 | €22 (Sainte-Chapelle) | €22 (Sainte-Chapelle) |
| **Day 1 total** | **€109** | **€207** | **€398** |
| Day 2: bed and tax | €58.25 | €90.53 | €158.45 |
| Day 2: food | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| Day 2: transport | €10.20 | €10.20 | €25 |
| Day 2: sights | €32 (Louvre) | €48 (Louvre, Orsay) | €48 (Louvre, Orsay) |
| **Day 2 total** | **€132** | **€224** | **€401** |
| Day 3: bed and tax | €58.25 | €90.53 | €158.45 |
| Day 3: food | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| Day 3: transport | €10.20 | €10.20 | €25 |
| Day 3: sights | €14.80 (Eiffel stairs) | €23.50 (Eiffel lift, 2nd) | €36.70 (Eiffel summit) |
| **Day 3 total** | **€115** | **€199** | **€390** |
| Departure morning | €18 (airport €14, breakfast) | €24 | €48 (half taxi, breakfast) |
| **3-day total per person** | **€375** | **€654** | **€1,238** |
| **Average per day** | **€125** | **€218** | **€413** |

Totals are rounded to the nearest euro. Over three days, the bed and tax are 47 percent of the budget total, 42 percent of the mid-range total and 38 percent of the comfortable total.

For three days, the Navigo Semaine does not pay off at any level unless the arrival and departure fall in the same Monday-to-Sunday week. The budget transport line is €53.50 with single tickets, against €37.40 for the pass on its card. That saves €16 if the dates fit, and nothing if they do not.

## Five Days, Day by Day

The 5-day plan keeps days 1 to 3 and adds Versailles on day 4 and the Marais and Père Lachaise on day 5, with a flight home on the morning of day 6. Five nights. Versailles is priced at the high-season non-EEA Passport, €35, because most travelers come between spring and early fall. In low season the Passport costs €25, which takes €10 off every level. The 5-day itinerary gives the route.

Day 4 is the same at every level: two €2.55 RER C tickets and the €35 Passport. Versailles is closed on Monday, so day 4 cannot be a Monday. Day 5 is free at the budget level, with the Musée Carnavalet, the Maison de Victor Hugo and Père Lachaise. Mid-range adds the Arc de Triomphe at €22, and comfortable adds the Panthéon at €16.

### The 5-Day Table

| Day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 3 (from the 3-day table, without departure) | €357 | €630 | €1,190 |
| Day 4: bed and tax | €58.25 | €90.53 | €158.45 |
| Day 4: food | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| Day 4: transport | €10.20 (2 RER C, 2 metro) | €10.20 | €25 |
| Day 4: sights | €35 (Versailles Passport) | €35 | €35 |
| **Day 4 total** | **€135** | **€211** | **€388** |
| Day 5: bed and tax | €58.25 | €90.53 | €158.45 |
| Day 5: food | €32 | €75 | €170 |
| Day 5: transport | €10.20 | €10.20 | €25 |
| Day 5: sights | €0 (Carnavalet, Victor Hugo, Père Lachaise) | €22 (Arc de Triomphe) | €38 (Arc de Triomphe, Panthéon) |
| **Day 5 total** | **€100** | **€198** | **€391** |
| Departure morning | €18 | €24 | €48 |
| **5-day total per person** | **€611** | **€1,062** | **€2,018** |
| **Average per day** | **€122** | **€212** | **€404** |

Over five days, the paid sights add up to €81.80 at the budget level, €150.50 at mid-range and €179.70 at the comfortable level.

### Where the 5-Day Budget Can Shrink

**The Navigo Semaine.** If the whole trip falls inside one Monday-to-Sunday week, the budget and mid-range transport line drops from €73.90 in single tickets and airport fares to €37.40 for the pass and card. That saves €36.50 per person. Arriving on a Tuesday and leaving on a Sunday morning fits. Arriving on a Thursday does not.

**Low season and free Sundays.** Between October and March, the Versailles Passport drops to €25 and the Arc de Triomphe to €16, which takes about €16 off the mid-range total. A first Sunday between November and March makes the Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon free.

## By Situation

### You Are Traveling Solo on a Budget

The bed is the line that hurts most: a solo traveler pays the whole room. A hostel dorm bed at €40 to €70 keeps the budget level near €125 a day. A private 2-star room at €90 to €140 pushes it to about €160 to €210. Build two days around the free City of Paris museums, Notre-Dame and the parks, and pay for one sight a day at most. Use a €2 Navigo Easy card and single tickets. The solo travel guide covers where to stay and eat alone.

### You Are a Couple Spending Mid-Range for Five Days

Plan on about €2,125 for two, before flights. Book the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle slots on their official sites early. If the dates fall in one Monday-to-Sunday week, the Navigo Semaine saves €73 for two. Make lunch the big meal on museum days.

### You Are a Family of Four

Children under 18 enter the Louvre, Orsay, the Sainte-Chapelle, Versailles, the Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon free, and pay no tourist tax. The Eiffel Tower charges reduced prices for children and youths, and under-4s ride free. From Charles de Gaulle, the €56 or €65 flat-fare taxi costs about the same as four full-price airport tickets and saves a metro transfer with luggage. Children aged 4 to 9 pay €1.30 per metro ride. The [Paris with kids guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-with-kids/) covers the rest.

### You Have One Day in Paris

A single day with the airport at both ends costs about €85 to €105 per person on a budget, without a hotel: €28 in airport tickets, €10.20 in metro rides, €32 in food and either the Eiffel Tower stairs at €14.80 or the Louvre at €32. Leave luggage at the station or the airport. The 1-day itinerary has a route that fits the trains.

## What It Actually Costs

The figures below are the full cost of a single day per person, two sharing, with the line items behind them. What is included: the bed, the tourist tax, city transport, three meals and drinks, and the paid sights of a typical day. What is not included: flights, airport transfers on days that have them, travel insurance, shopping, shows, guided tours, temporary exhibitions and the cloakroom at restaurants that charge for it.

| Line | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable | What it buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | €55 | €85 | €150 | Half a central 2-star, 3-star or 4-star double |
| Tourist tax | €3.25 | €5.53 | €8.45 | Per adult per night, added at checkout |
| Breakfast | €4 | €10 | €20 | Counter, café formule, café or hotel |
| Lunch | €10 | €22 | €45 | Bakery formule, bistro formule, long lunch |
| Dinner | €15 | €38 | €90 | Bouillon or crêpe, bistro with wine, three courses with bottle |
| Coffee and drinks | €3 | €5 | €15 | Counter espresso, terrace coffee, aperitif |
| Transport | €10.20 | €10.20 | €25 | Four €2.55 rides, or metro plus taxis |
| One major sight | €14.80 to €35 | €22 to €48 | €36.70 to €48 | Eiffel stairs to two museums |
| **Typical day** | **about €115 to €135** | **about €200 to €225** | **about €390 to €400** | |

The room rate in the week of travel, the number of paid sights and the choice of lunch or dinner as the big meal decide where a day lands. Shows and cabarets are a separate line, priced in the [cabaret guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-cabaret-shows/).

## What Other Guides Get Wrong

1. **They quote one daily figure.** "€100 a day" or "€200 a day" without a list of what it covers is not a budget. A Paris day ranges from about €120 to over €400 per person, and 40 to 50 percent of that is the room. A budget is useful only when it names the room level, the transport choice and the paid sights.

2. **They use pre-2026 museum prices.** Many guides still list the Louvre at €22, the Sainte-Chapelle at €16 and Versailles at the old flat rate. Since January 2026, a visitor from outside the European Economic Area pays €32, €22 and up to €35. On a five-day trip, the difference is more than €25 per person.

3. **They still mention the carnet and the €2.15 ticket.** Paper tickets and the carnet of ten are gone. The single ticket is €2.55 in 2026 and lives on a €2 Navigo Easy card or a phone. The Roissybus and Orlybus no longer run, so the airport options are the €14 train ticket or the flat-fare taxi.

4. **They recommend the Navigo week pass to everyone.** The Navigo Semaine runs Monday to Sunday only. Bought for a Thursday-to-Monday trip, it covers four days of one week and none of the next. It pays off only when the trip sits inside one calendar week, and then mostly because it includes the airport train.

5. **They leave out the tourist tax.** At €8.45 per adult per night in a 4-star hotel, the tax adds €67.60 for two people over four nights. It is often charged at checkout, outside the price shown at booking.

6. **They tell North Americans to tip 15 to 20 percent.** Service is included in French menu prices by law. A few euros for good service is generous. A terminal tip prompt can be set to zero.

## Detailed Guides

- Paris on a Budget: which free sights, cheap meals and transport choices take the budget level below €100 a day.
- Tipping in Paris: exact amounts for cafés, restaurants, taxis, hotels and guides, and why 20 percent is wrong.
- VAT Refund in Paris: the €100.01 threshold, which stores offer détaxe and how the PABLO kiosks work at CDG and Orly.
- Paris Scams to Avoid: the bracelet, petition, shell game and fake-taxi tricks, where they happen and how to say no.
- Is Paris Safe for Tourists?: which areas and night transport need attention, and which fears are overstated.
- Pickpockets in Paris: the metro lines, stations and sights where theft concentrates, and how the teams work.
- Paris Etiquette: bonjour, queues, dress and the habits that change how a visitor is treated.
- Public Toilets in Paris: where the free sanisettes are and when a café toilet requires a purchase.
- Tap Water in Paris: why the free carafe is safe and where the drinking fountains are.
- SIM and eSIM in Paris: what a week of data costs from local and travel providers.
- Paris for Solo Travelers: where to stay alone, eating at the counter and meeting people.
- Pharmacies and Doctors in Paris: night pharmacies, what a doctor's visit costs and the emergency numbers.
- Entering France in 2026: what the EES biometric check means at the border and when ETIAS applies.

## Where to Go Next

The budget level rests on free days, which the free museums guide lays out museum by museum. The biggest single decision on transport is whether a Navigo week pass fits your dates. The bed line is set by the arrondissement you choose, and the [where to stay guide](https://www.paristravelguide.org/where-to-stay-in-paris/) compares all 20 by price and metro access. For the days themselves, the [3-day itinerary](https://www.paristravelguide.org/paris-3-days-itinerary/) uses the same route as the tables above, and the non-EU ticket price guide keeps every 2026 entry price in one place.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How much does a trip to Paris cost per day in 2026?

Per person, sharing a double room, about €110 to €140 a day on a tight budget, €195 to €230 at mid-range and €385 to €420 at a comfortable level, all including the bed, the tourist tax, metro, meals and one or two paid sights. The bed is the largest line at every level: about 40 to 50 percent of the daily total. A solo traveler pays the full room price, which adds €55 to €150 a day depending on the level. Days with a big paid sight, such as Versailles at €35 or the Louvre at €32, run €30 to €50 above days built around free museums and parks.

### How much money do I need for 5 days in Paris?

Built from 2026 prices, five nights in Paris cost about €610 per person on a budget, €1,060 at mid-range and €2,020 at a comfortable level, with two people sharing a room. That covers the hotel, tourist tax, airport transfers, metro, three meals a day and a paid sight most days: the Louvre, the Sainte-Chapelle, the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and the Arc de Triomphe. It does not cover the flight, shopping or a show. If the five days fall inside one Monday-to-Sunday week, a €32.40 Navigo Semaine, plus the €5 card, replaces about €74 of single tickets and airport fares.

### Is Paris more expensive in 2026 than before?

For non-European visitors, yes, in specific places. Since January 2026 the Louvre charges €32 instead of €22 to visitors from outside the European Economic Area, the Sainte-Chapelle €22 instead of €16, and the Versailles Passport €35 in high season. The single metro ticket rose to €2.55 on January 1, 2026, and the Paris tourist tax has carried an Île-de-France Mobilités surcharge since 2025, so a 4-star night now adds €8.45 per adult. Food prices have moved less: an espresso at a counter is still around €1.20 to €2.50 and a bakery baguette around €1.10 to €1.40.

### Is the Navigo week pass worth it for tourists?

It is worth it when your stay covers most of one calendar week, Monday to Sunday, and you use the airport train at both ends. The pass costs €32.40 plus €5 for the Navigo Découverte card and a passport photo. Two airport trips alone cost €28 with single tickets, so four metro rides on top make the pass cheaper. It is not worth it for a Thursday-to-Monday stay, because the pass resets every Monday. For short stays, a €2 Navigo Easy card loaded with €2.55 single tickets, or the €12.30 Navigo Jour on heavy days, costs less.

### How much is the Paris tourist tax per night?

In 2026, per adult per night: €2.60 in a 1-star hotel, €3.25 in a 2-star, €5.53 in a 3-star, €8.45 in a 4-star, €11.70 in a 5-star and €15.93 in a palace. Unclassified furnished rentals pay 5 percent of the nightly price per person, capped at €15.93. The amounts include the departmental and regional shares and the Île-de-France Mobilités surcharge, which is the largest part. Travelers under 18 are exempt. Hotels usually add the tax at checkout, so a booking price shown without it is not the final price. Four nights in a 4-star for two adults add €67.60.

### Should I bring cash to Paris or use a card?

A card covers almost everything: metro machines, museums, cafés, bakeries, taxis and most market stalls. Contactless payment is standard, and payments without a PIN are usually capped at €50 per transaction. Carry €20 to €40 in cash for small market stalls, flea-market dealers and the occasional café with a card minimum. When a card terminal or an ATM offers to charge you in dollars or your home currency, refuse and pay in euros: the conversion rate the machine offers is set by the merchant's bank and is usually worse than your own card's rate. Use bank ATMs rather than standalone currency-exchange machines.

### How much should I tip in Paris?

Far less than in North America. French law requires restaurant and café prices to include service, and menus carry the words service compris. Nobody expects 15 or 20 percent. For good table service, round up or leave €1 to €2 at a café and a few euros at dinner, up to about 5 to 10 percent for an exceptional meal. In a taxi, rounding up the fare is common and optional. Hotel porters usually get €1 to €2 per bag. When a card terminal prompts for a tip, choosing zero is normal. The tipping guide covers guides, housekeeping and hairdressers.

### How much does food cost in Paris per day?

About €30 to €35 a day on a budget: a counter espresso and croissant for under €4, a bakery sandwich formule for €8 to €12 at lunch and a crêpe, falafel or bouillon dinner for €12 to €20. About €70 to €80 at mid-range: café breakfast, a bistro lunch formule at €18 to €30 and a dinner with a glass of wine at €35 to €45. A comfortable day with a long lunch, a good dinner and a bottle of wine runs €150 to €200. Tap water in a carafe is free in every restaurant on request, which saves €5 to €8 a meal against bottled water.