How much does it cost to travel to Caen?
You should plan to spend around $133 (€123) per day on your vacation in Caen. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $43 (€40) on meals
- $38 (€35) on local transportation
- $131 (€121) on hotels
A one week trip to Caen for two people costs, on average, $1,864 (€1,721). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Caen has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Caen expensive to visit?
Prices in Caen are reasonable and comparable to your average travel destination. Hotels, food, and sightseeing are generally within normal price ranges.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, Caen is a moderately priced destination compared to other places. The overall cost of travel here is fair for the region and comparable to Peniche or Frankfurt.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Caen Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Caen?
The average Caen trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Caen travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
€121
($131)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
€35
($38)
|
|
Food 2
|
€40
($43)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
€19
($21)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
€8 -
25
($9 - 27)
|
Accommodation Budget in Caen
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Caen is $66 (€61). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Caen is $131 (€121). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Caen? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Caen
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Caen is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $38 (€35) per person, per day, on local transportation in Caen.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$38
€35
How much does it cost to go to Caen? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Caen will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Food Budget in Caen
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Caen can vary, the average cost of food in Caen is $43 (€40) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Caen should cost around $17 (€16) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Caen is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$43
€40
Entertainment Budget in Caen
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Caen typically cost an average of $21 (€19) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$21
€19
Alcohol Budget in Caen
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $18 (€17) on alcoholic beverages in Caen per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$18
€17
Caen On a Budget
Caen, France
Caen is a city in France on the coast in the Calvados department of Lower Normandy. Caen is known for its historical buildings built during the reign of William the Conqueror, who was buried there. The town was destroyed almost completely in 1944 during WWII and it is a remarkable achievement that Caen has kept so many of its historical monuments given the terrible battle that besieged the town following the Normandy beach landings. After the war the town passed through 15 years of reconstruction, and continued to improve afterwards. In recent years the town has made further significant efforts and Caen now has an attractive, carefully restored, historic center. The city has also preserved the memory of its past by erecting a memorial and a museum dedicated to peace, the Memorial de Caen. The city is often considered the archetype of Normandy.
Sights
The Chateau Ducal is a great place to start your visit. This castle was built by William the Conqueror to house and protect his residential palace. The castle was destroyed in the war but the massive and impressive ramparts remain. These provide great views of the city and are a popular place to relax as well as to visit the Towers which remain. From the ramparts you also have excellent views of the fourteenth century church of St Pierre, parts of which survived the war and some of which has been reconstructed.
Down below the ramparts the main town lies in between the superb Abbaye aux Hommes on one side and the impressive Abbaye aux Dames on the other. The Abbaye Aux Hommes is a really beautiful building and incorporates the Abbey of St Etienne where much of the town sought shelter during the 1944 bombings. Miraculously the church suffered little damage. Some of the abbey buildings are now used as Caen Town Hall.
The Chateau de Benouville (designed by renowned architect Claude Ledoux) is an important neo-classical style castle built close to Caen in the 18th century.
Neighborhoods
The main neighborhood of interest is the city center, where you will find both the modern city as well as what remains of the old town. Between the Abbaye aux Hommes and the ramparts is the Rue St Pierre, a lively pedestrian street of attractive buildings and good shops that crosses the heart of Caen. Rue Ecuyere and Rue St Saveur and other streets nearby are also worth a stroll. Also in the centre you can explore the 'old' Vaugueux Quarter, affectionately known as little Monmartre. There are also many parks and gardens in and near the center of Caen, including the nicely maintained Jardin des Plants next to Place Blot.
Activities
The Musee des Beaux Arts and the Musee de Normandie are situated inside the ramparts. The Musee des Beaux Arts has an excellent display of Italian, French, and Flemish paintings and the Musee de Normandie houses displays showing the history and development of Normandy.
On the edge of the town center, the Caen Memorial is quite a recent addition to the town and is a very impressive museum that explains the history of war in the region during the 20th century. Exhibits and displays help explain both world wars including the Normandy landings and the battle for Normandy as well as the Nazi genocide and the Cold War.
In the summer Caen's pleasure port, which is close to the Abbaye aux Dames, is a lively place with lots of cafes and restaurants. Caen has a market every Friday that takes place along the Fosses St Julien near the Ducal Castle. There is also a Sunday market in the Place Courtonne.
Food and Dining
Caen's main specialty dishes are those of the Normandy region such as Agneau de pre-sale (meadow salted lamb), Teurgoule (rice pudding with milk and cinnamon), and A la Normandie/Vallee d'Aguge (poultry of Normandy). A few restaurants to watch for include: Abracadabra, if you're in the mood for Pizza; A Contre Sens, for something with a little modern twist; and Le Bistro 102, if you want to try some of the local cuisine.
Transportation
Caen does have a small airport that accepts regional flights and has regular flights in and out of Lyon, but the closest international airport is in Paris. Caen once boasted an extensive rail and tram network, but much of it was destroyed and now only the electrified line of Paris-Cherbourg, Caen-Le Mans and Caen-Rennes remain with minimal services. Caen is well connected by motorways, so driving there is possible, and it is a port city on the English Channel so ferries are also possible from some destinations. Caen has a recently built, controversial guided bus system and a very efficient network of city buses.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.