Should you visit Nantes or Carcassonne?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Nantes or Carcassonne, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, 31 miles from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with almost 600,000 inhabitants within the Urban area. Together with Saint-Nazaire, a seaport located on the Loire estuary, Nantes forms the main metropolis of north-western France. The city has a unique architectural heritage with its magnificent Chateau des ducs de Bretagne - a Renaissance-style castle nestled in a fortress, a medieval quarter and one of the highest cathedrals of France. It has been transformed in the last 20 years probably more than any other city in France. It is not only a vibrant and young metropolis often rewarded for its top-quality of life, but a city where art has literally been integrated in all possible aspects, making it a true example of how artists can turn a city upside down.
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a hilltop town in southern France. Inhabited since the Neolithic period, Carcassonne is located in the Aude plain between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrenees. The Romans recognized its strategic importance and occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire and was later taken over in the fifth century by the Visigoths who founded the city. Its desirable location led successive rulers to expand its fortifications until the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. It is famous for its medieval citadel, La Cite, which has numerous watchtowers and double-walled fortifications. The first walls were built in Gallo-Roman times, with major additions made in the 13th and 14th centuries. With its position on a rocky hilltop, zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children's storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it's most people's idea of the perfect medieval castle. It attracts over four million visitors every year, peaking in high summer. Time your visit for late in the day (or even better in spring or fall) to truly appreciate the old town's medieval charm.
Which city is cheaper, Carcassonne or Nantes?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Nantes is €87, while the average daily cost in Carcassonne is €85. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Nantes and Carcassonne in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Nantes can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is €48, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around €96.
For a normal double-occupancy room in Carcassonne, €98 is the average cost for a hotel room. Also in Carcassonne, the typical price for a place to stay for one person is €49, such as in a hostel.
Food
In Nantes travelers spend around €22 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
While meal prices in Carcassonne can vary, the average travelers spends about €31 per day on food. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out, an average meal in Carcassonne should cost around €12 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Carcassonne is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
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Food
Meals for one day
Nantes €22
Carcassonne €31
Local Transportation
Nantes's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend €29 per person, per day on transportation in Nantes.
To get around in Carcassonne, the average visitor spends €5.71 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nantes
Also for Nantes, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Airport Transfer: from Nantes to Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE):
$50
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Nantes Private Transfer from Nantes city centre to Nantes Airport:
$75
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Low Cost Private Transfer From Nantes Atlantique Airport to Nantes City - One Way:
$78
Is it cheaper to fly into Nantes or Carcassonne?
Prices for flights to both Carcassonne and Nantes change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Nantes can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around €11 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
In Carcassonne, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €11 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Nantes
For Nantes, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Nantes Like a Local: Customized Private Tour:
$40
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Nantes Private Walking Tour:
$230
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Private 3-hour Walking Tour of Nantes with official tour guide:
$231
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Segway: "Inside the Historical Center of Nantes" - city tour Nantes - 1H00:
$37
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Segway: "Nantes's Patrimony" City tour Nantes - 1H30:
$56
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Segway: "The Great Escape" - city tour Nantes - 2H00:
$68
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Segway: "The Wide Angle" city tour Nantes - 2H30:
$81
Tours and Activities in Carcassonne
For Carcassonne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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2 Hour Private Guided Tour Carcassonne Medieval:
$101
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Carcassonne Sightseeing Tour:
$202
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Carcassonne walking tour:
$292
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$35
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2-Hour Private Walking Tour:
$285
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Castle and Ramparts Skip-the-Line Ticket:
$11
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Cité de Private Guided Tour:
$24
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Cité de Carcassonne Guided Walking tour. Private tour.:
$168
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Day tour : Lastours Castles & Cité de Carcassonne. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$184
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Day tour to Albi & Cordes sur Ciel. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$299
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Day tour to Mirepoix, Montségur, Foix. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$246
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Day tour to Narbonne, Gruissan, Lagrasse. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$246
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Nantes spend on average €5.14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Carcassonne spend on average €10 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Carcassonne
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Carcassonne:
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Half day wine tour. Shared tour from Carcassonne.:
$102
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Day to the Cité de Carcassonne and wine tasting. Shared tour from Carcassonne:
$184
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Wine Tours and Vineyard Adventures In The Languedoc:
$211
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Shared tour to Lastours, wine tasting, Minerve, Canal du Midi. From Carcassonne:
$246
When comparing the travel costs between Nantes and Carcassonne, we can see that Nantes is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
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