The cost to spend two weeks in Paris?

Question

I am staying with my friend and her family. So I won't have to pay for room and board or food. I want bring enough though to be able to eat out a few times, visit museums, buy gifts. With your suggestion keep in mind I am a poor college student. I was thinking $500, is that ridiculously low?

Answer 1

It's very expensive there.  The Euro is worth more than the dollar.  Meaning for every $1.00 that you have, it will cost you about $1.50 to spend.  That amounts to only about $341.00 .   If you go to England it will cost you $2.00 for every $1.00 (You can thank President Bush for this).

And why are you assuming that after someone gives you a free room that they want to or should pay for your food,  just to watch you shop?  You'll just burn your bridges while you're there.

You'd better ask before you go, to have a firm understanding.  Or, they may not say anything and get pissed afterwards saying you were a smooch!

If you or your parents don't have enough to cover the cost of your food, maybe you shouldn't  go.   Ask yourself, "would you like to pick up the cost of someones food"?

Answer 2

$500 for 2 weeks does seem a bit low, but considering you won't have to pay for room and board and the majority of your food then you should be fine.

If you expect to do shopping while there though, you might want to take a bit more.

I would say you need to take about $700 at the least.

Also, the museums there aren't expensive to get into so you'll be fine on that part.

Answer 3

How are you  planning to get there?  Our trip this past summer cost about $4000 for two.

Answer 4

When we went there last year... my parents won two  plane tickets and hotel stay. My brothers and my plane ticket cost $650 each. If your under the age of 18 you get in free to all the museums and stuff.

Answer 5

maybe $500.00 dollars is good but try 6-7 hundred trust me

Answer 6

I took $1,000 and spent it all in two weeks and a half. Souvenirs are expensive, food and drinks are also expensive. You won't find anything to eat under 6 euros. I had to buy soft drinks for 3 euros! Hahhaa that is like 5 dollars!

I advice you to go to the supermarket and buy bottled water and carry bottles with you everywhere, in case you get thirsty. Also bring with you those kool-aid little packets if you don't like plain water. Buy microwave food there and just limit yourself to eating out during the weekends. Go to a boulangerie, that is a must! Their desserts are a bite of heaven! Haha, umm, what else, there is a flea market called MARCHE AUX PUCES that is relatively cheap for souvenirs, but don't go there alone.

Have fun and if you can get more money it'd be awesome but don't stop going, Paris is wonderful!

Answer 7

It's plenty since you don't have to pay for room and board. I am from Paris so I know the prices and the family you are staying with probably know how to avoid tourist traps.

It is very easy to have a 3-course lunch for 10 € and remember that in restaurants, service is included so you don't need to tip. If you want to go for a nice dinner once in a while it shouldn't cost you more than 20-25 € for a really nice meal. Going out for drinks is quite expensive (in Paris only but elsewhere it's cheap) but you don't have to buy more than one drink to stay in the place the whole evening. The following site lists clubs, restaurants, bars, etc that will cost you under 10 €: http://www.panamo.fr/ and this one lists cheap restaurants: http://www.restos-pas-chers.fr/

Also, you can have lunch (nothing fancy but a full meal nevertheless) under the Madeleine church in Paris on weekdays from noon to 2:00 pm for 8 €. Waiters/waitresses are volunteers so they don't get paid and the money goes to feed the poor. You can also have a fair trade coffee for 60 cents there.

College students and people under 26 get discounts on so many services. Even full fares to museums and monuments are so much cheaper in Paris than in American cities. Also, museums are free every first Sunday of the month and the Louvre is free for anyone under 26 on Fridays after 6:00 pm. Check other monuments and sites' websites to know more about their fares and find out when it is cheapest to go.

500 € is the equivalent of 340 €, which is 24 € a day. It is not much money if you intend to go shopping for clothes or plan on taking trips outside Paris but for going out, visiting sites and bringing back a couple of small souvenirs, it should be enough. Just do what you can afford, there is a lot you can do for free or cheap. Enjoy your stay in France!

:-)

PS: will you be staying in Paris or Tours? There is also so much to do and see around Tours (the Loire Valley Castles, Chinon, Fontevraud abbey...)

Edit: OK, then if you spend one week in Tours and one week in Paris it should be even cheaper. I don't know when you are going and if you have already purchased your train tickets or not, but I advise you to book about one month ahead online in order to get the best deals. It can be as low as 45 euros round trip. 500 euros as pocket money is definitely a tight budget but if you cannot spend more, trust me you can still enjoy Paris and Tours on a budget.

To comment on what nandini said below, do not buy bottled water every day. Just refill your bottle at public fountains, they are everywhere in Paris. The water is very good : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_fou...

Answer 8

thats not enough especially with the declining value of the dollar.

paris is a very expensive city so if your going all the way there then I suggest a minimum of $2000 if you want to have a good time.