Paris has a reputation as a wallet-crusher, but you can do it on €80/day. The trick is eating like a local, using free museum days, walking instead of taxiing, and staying in the outer arrondissements. Here's the complete budget Paris playbook.
Daily budget: Dorm €30–45, bakery breakfast €3, lunch formule €15, market-picnic dinner €10, metro €8, one attraction €0–29. Total: €70–110/day.
🏨 Where to Stay Cheap
Skip the 1st–8th arrondissements (tourist-priced). Stay in the 18th (Montmartre), 19th, 20th (Belleville), or 11th — dorms €30–45, real neighborhoods, good metro links. Popular hostels: Generator, St Christopher's, Les Piaules, MIJE (Marais).
🥐 Eat Like a Local
- Breakfast: Boulangerie croissant €1.20 + espresso at the bar €1.50
- Lunch: The formule (2 courses) €14–18, or a bakery sandwich €5
- Dinner: Market picnic — baguette, cheese, charcuterie, wine for €12 for two
- Treat: Falafel in the Marais (L'As du Fallafel) €7, crêpe from a stand €4
🎨 Free & Cheap Attractions
- First Sunday of the month: Louvre, Orsay, and many museums FREE (book timed slot)
- Under 26 + EU resident: National museums always free
- Always free: Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame exterior, Père Lachaise, Montmartre, Seine walks, Luxembourg Gardens
- Cheap views: Galeries Lafayette rooftop (free), Sacré-Cœur steps (free) vs Eiffel summit (€29)
🚇 Getting Around
The metro is €2.50/ride, but a Navigo Day pass (€12) or carnet of tickets saves money. Central Paris is compact — walking between sights is often faster and free. Vélib' bike share is cheap for short hops.
📅 Sample Budget Day (€78)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | €35 |
| Bakery breakfast | €3 |
| Lunch formule | €15 |
| Market picnic dinner | €8 |
| Navigo Day metro pass | €12 |
| Musée d'Orsay entry | €0 (first Sunday) or €16 |
| Coffee at the bar | €3 |
| Total | €76–92 |
💡 Skip-the-line tip: For the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Catacombs, pre-book timed tickets — they sell out and the queues waste hours. See our tickets guide →