The Cheapest Way to Do Paris Nobody Is Talking About

Think a week in Paris has to cost a fortune? We asked our community for their best money-saving tips, received more than 200 answers, and turned the most repeated ones into a budget week in Paris: same city, same seven days, a private room with a private bathroom and real meals. No hostels. Using the prices from when we filmed, it came to about €2,120 per person, roughly half of our earlier estimate of around €4,205 for a typical week.

Flights and hotels

Flights are where you save the most. Use points if you have them, book 8 to 12 months ahead, set Google price alerts and book directly with the airline. Hotels are cheapest in February and November, and August can surprise you. Stay outside the 1st to 9th arrondissements, in the 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th or part of the 17th, and you will pay less and eat where locals eat. A one- or two-star hotel or an apartment with a kitchen keeps costs down, though air conditioning and an elevator are not guaranteed.

Food, transport and sights

  • Eat your big meal at lunch with the formule midi: the same kitchen for much less than dinner.
  • Try bouillons, ethnic restaurants and ready meals from the market, and buy wine at a wine shop.
  • From CDG, the RER B was €14 per person, while a taxi was €55 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank. For four people, the taxi wins.
  • Walk, use the metro with a Navigo card, and download Bonjour RATP or Citymapper.
  • Buy tickets directly from official sites and choose passes only if they fit your plan.

Free Paris and smart shopping

Some of the best things are free: the Carnavalet Museum, the Petit Palais, the Tuileries, Palais Royal, the covered passages, Notre-Dame, Saint-Sulpice and a picnic on the banks of the Seine. For shopping, skip the Champs-Élysées and try flea markets, local markets and Monoprix, and claim your VAT refund on bigger purchases.

For more ideas, see our best things to do in Paris page and our 125 best restaurants in Paris guide. Our Paris Guide Bundle brings it all together for your trip.