How much does it cost to travel to France?
You should plan to spend around $258 (€233) per day on your vacation in France. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $47 (€43) on meals
- $33 (€30) on local transportation
- $335 (€303) on hotels
A one week trip to France for two people costs, on average, $3,610 (€3,268). 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 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 France expensive to visit?
France is a moderately priced destination to visit. It's about average with most other countries for travel costs. The prices for food, accommodation, and transportation are all fairly reasonable.
Within Europe, which is known to be an expensive region, France is moderately priced compared to the other countries. The overall cost of travel here is comparable to Monaco or Liechtenstein.
For more details, see Is France Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to France?
The average France trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these France travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
€303
($335)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
€30
($33)
|
|
Food 2
|
€43
($47)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
€31
($34)
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
€9 -
28
($10 - 31)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
€10 -
29
($11 - 32)
|
Accommodation Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in France is $167 (€152). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in France is $335 (€303). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in France? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Local Transportation Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in France is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $33 (€30) per person, per day, on local transportation in France.
-
Local Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$33
€30
Typical prices for Local Transportation in France are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Local Transportation prices in France, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Food Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in France can vary, the average cost of food in France is $47 (€43) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in France should cost around $19 (€17) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in France is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$47
€43
Typical prices for Food in France are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Food prices in France, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Cheese
€13
-
Dinner
€57
-
Dinner for 2
€37
-
Dinner for 2
€47
-
Dinner on River Cruise
€86
-
Breakfast for 2
€30
-
Cookie
€1.00
-
Coffee
€2.80
Entertainment Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in France typically cost an average of $34 (€31) 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.
$34
€31
Typical prices for Entertainment in France are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Entertainment prices in France, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Lunch for 2
€45
-
Catacombs (2)
€23
-
Winery Tour (for 2)
€20
-
Admission to Pantheon
€5.00
-
Castle Entrance Fee
€5.50
-
Louvre Entry for Two
€18
Tips and Handouts Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a trip. Well, you've just got to deal with it! The average price for a scam, robbery, or mishap in France is $121 (€109), as reported by travelers.
-
Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps1
$121
€109
Alcohol Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $21 (€19) on alcoholic beverages in France per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$21
€19
Typical prices for Alcohol in France are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Alcohol prices in France, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Wine
€14
-
Bottle of Wine
€15
-
Drinks for 2
€6.80
-
Beer
€2.60
-
Sangria
€5.00
Water Budget in France
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $3.30 (€2.99) on bottled water in France per day. The public water in France is considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$3.30
€2.99
Last Updated: Jun 18, 2024
France on a Budget
Lille, France
France remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The reasons are obvious. From the bustling city of Paris to the French Riviera beaches, and French Alps, this beautiful country has so much to offer. Be sure and explore the castles in the Loire Valley and sip some wine in the countryside. Some people choose to visit one or two highlights in the region before continuing on to the rest of their European tour. Others spend a month or more in this country, soaking up everything it has to offer, from its small towns to its world renowned cuisine.
Because of its popularity, the price of travel in France can be high, but there are some great tricks to help you save money. If you're on a particularly tight budget, couchsurfing or staying in hostels can be an excellent way to save money. Particularly in the larger cities you'll find plenty of budget accommodation options. Many hosts speak English and they're often eager and willing to show you around. You can also save a lot of money by shopping at local markets and picking up local produce and cheese or bread. This will help you enjoy a great picnic of local specialties without the high cost of eating out. Dinner in particular can be quite expensive at restaurants. Consider eating a nice meal out at lunch and preparing your own dinner. Many restaurants has specials at lunch and you can enjoy a three course meal for a fraction of the cost that you would pay at dinner time. French food is acclaimed the world over with good reason. Taste the fresh cheeses and fruits. Settle down to a rich meal with a glass of wine, and don't miss the decadent desserts. If you plan ahead you can experience it all for far less money than you would expect.
Both transportation and hotels in the area can be expensive. It's best to book ahead at by at least several weeks. Prices go up with time and you may find yourself paying almost twice as much for train tickets on the day of your trip. While this doesn't allow you the flexibility you may desire, it is generally well worth the money savings.
Top Tourist Attractions
Some of the highlights of France are listed here. But of course, we can't cover everything at once, so make sure you check out the listing on the various city pages, too. Paris, Lyon, Marseille, wine country, and the many chateaux of the countryside are among the top attractions here.
Pont du Gard This structure was built around 19 BC and is representative of Roman architecture. It was
originally designed to carry water between Nimes and Uzes.
Eiffel Tower Probably the most famous French sight, the Eiffel Tower was originally built in 1889 for the Universal Exhibition in commemoration of the centennial of the French Revolution. Today it sees thousands of visitors every day, many of which make a
trip to the top for the views overlooking Paris.
Prehistoric Megaliths The Carnac Stones are an arrangement of large granite rocks dating back possibly as far as 4000 BC. While the meaning is not known today, it is thought that they may be religious in nature or relate to the astronomical calendar. You can
visit them in Brittany.
Popular Foods
France is famous for its food. In fact, the cuisine is almost one of the main tourist attractions in of itself! A few of the most famous dishes are listed below. Or, for more information (and to make you hungry), check out this
guide to what to eat in France. And of course, this just covers the food. We haven't even started talking about the wine yet!
Cassoulet: This slow cooked French style stew is similar to a casserole. It is usually made with a meat and white bean sauce which have cooked long enough that the flavors have intertwined. It's a popular dinner dish, but it can also be found on occasion in restaurants during lunch time.
Boudin blanc: This is a type of white pork sausage usually made with liver and heart parts and softened with milk. The sausages are usually prepared by either sauteing or grilling them.
Andouillette: This is a smaller version of andouille sausage made with pork, onions and seasoning. It often has a very smoky and spicy flavor. While many forms of andouille sausage is found around the world, true andouillette is rarely found outside of France.
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.
France is pretty expensive, but there are tons of hostels which made it a great country for backpacking. Outside of Paris the hostels were pretty affordable as well.