A Travel Price Comparison for France Paris vs. Carcassonne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Paris or Carcassonne?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Paris or Carcassonne? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Paris

Paris is a dream destination for many people. It's location on the river Seine contributes to its stunning beauty and you can spend many days wandering through its wonderfully diverse neighborhoods. It's known as a city of culture, fashion, food and fun. There is never a shortage of entertainment and activities around town and a highlight of many people's trips to Paris is to explore the city at night, when it truly comes to life. It is not hard to see why this city has received the nickname as the "City of Lights."

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 Paris?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Paris is €184, 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. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Paris and Carcassonne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Paris €121
    Carcassonne €49
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Paris €242
    Carcassonne €98

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Paris €17
    Carcassonne €5.71
Typical Local Transportation prices in Paris

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Paris are as follows:


  • Metro
    €6.40
  • Train from Airport
    €9.00
  • Metro tickets
    €6.80
  • Train
    €20

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paris

Also for Paris, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Your private transfer from Disneyland to Paris: $53
  • Versailles Guided Tour Including Priority Access & Hotel Transfer from Paris: $159
  • VIP Airport Transfer between Orly Airport & Paris Hotel: $90
  • Ultra - Private Transfer from Paris to Giverny to visit Claude Monet's Garden: $9.57
  • Ultra - Paris Airport Transfer from City Centre to Charles de Gaulle Airport CDG: $94
  • Transfert from Paris To Airport Roissy Charles De Gaulle: $120
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Paris City to Paris Orly Airport: $44
  • Transfer in private vehicle from Paris City to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: $46
  • Transfer from Paris to Geneva or from Geneva to Paris: $1,431
  • Transfer from Paris to Beauvais Airport: $112
  • Transfer from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris - ROUND TRIP: $189
  • Transfer from Paris (any hotel) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: $96

Is it cheaper to fly into Paris or Carcassonne?

Prices for flights to both Carcassonne and Paris 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Paris €31
    Carcassonne €31
Typical Food prices in Paris

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Paris:


  • Ice Cream
    €8.00
  • Breakfast
    €7.00
  • Breakfast for 2
    €30
  • Dinner on River Cruise
    €86
  • Dinner
    €57
  • Cheese
    €13

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Paris

For Paris, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Paris en Scene Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise: $49
  • Paris River Seine Lunch or Dinner Cruise: $60
  • Italian dinner on the river Seine: $61
  • Seine River Cruise with French Dinner on Champs-Elysees Avenue: $61
  • Seine River Cruise & Dinner on Champs Elysées Avenue: $62
  • Choux cooking class for kids in Paris: $62
  • Capitaine Fracasse Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise: $67
  • Paris Small-Group Gourmet Food Tour With Optional Lunch and Wine Tasting: $75
  • Bistro Parisien Dinner and Seine River Sightseeing Cruise Combination: $75
  • NO DIET CLUB - Unique Bike and Food tour in Paris !: $75
  • Romantic Cruise with 3-course Dinner on Seine River: $76
  • Fondue Cooking Party - Winter is Coming: $78

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Paris €62
    Carcassonne €11
Typical Entertainment prices in Paris

For Paris, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • Louvre Entry for Two
    €18
  • Admission to Pantheon
    €5.00
  • Catacombs (2)
    €23

Tours and Activities in Paris

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Paris.

  • 1 Day Private Walking Tour Of Montmartre, Latin Quarter, Champs Élysées: $180
  • 1 Day in Eiffel Tower, Cruise, City Tour, and Louvre: $139
  • 1 Hour Real time Virtual Tour in Paris: $150
  • 1 hour Sainte Chapelle- skip the line access - English or Español: $51
  • 14-day Taste of Europe Tour: France, Italy, Monaco,Switzerland,Germany and more.: $1,565
  • 15+ Top Sights Paris Tour with Fun Guide: $52
  • 180° Paris by Night Tour: Exclusively for You & Your Group: $54
  • 1:30 hours tour of Louvre museum: $261
  • 1st Day in Paris Discovery Private Tour: 'How-to' Orientation & Sightseeing Fun!: $63
  • 2 Hours Paris city center walking tour: $16
  • 2 Hours Photoshoot tours at the Eiffel tower, Trocadero, Champs de Mars and more: $423
  • 2-Day Loire Valley Castles Tour from Paris: $521

Tours and Activities in Carcassonne

For Carcassonne, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • 2 Hour Private Guided Tour Carcassonne Medieval: $101
  • Carcassonne Sightseeing Tour: $202
  • Carcassonne walking tour: $292
  • 2-Hour Private Walking Tour: $285
  • Cité de Carcassonne Guided Walking tour. Private tour.: $168
  • Day tour : Lastours Castles & Cité de Carcassonne. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $184
  • Day tour to Albi & Cordes sur Ciel. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $299
  • Day tour to Mirepoix, Montségur, Foix. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $246
  • Day tour to Narbonne, Gruissan, Lagrasse. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $246
  • Day tour:Cucugnan, Quéribus & Peyrepertuse castles. Shared tour from Carcassonne: $246
  • From Sète: Private Tour of the Fortifications at Carcassonne: $1,021
  • Half day tour to Lastours. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $116

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Paris €19
    Carcassonne €10
Typical Alcohol prices in Paris

Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Paris are as follows:


  • Wine
    €14

Sample the Local Flavors in Paris

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Paris:

  • Pub Crawl in Latin Quarter: $37
  • Guided Visit and Wine Tasting in a Royal Wine Cellar in Paris: $40
  • Guided tour and wine tasting in a historic cellar in the center of Paris: $41
  • Cheese and Wine Tasting in the Latin Quarter with Chef Alex: $47
  • Organic wine tasting in Paris: $56
  • Wine Tasting In Paris: $83
  • Paris Art of Pairing Cheese and Wine Tasting in a Cheese Cellar: $87
  • Paris Wine Tasting Session with Expert Sommelier: $89
  • Walk & Wine Tour in the Latin Quarter: $97
  • Paris Wine Tasting plus Cheese & Cured Meat Lunch with an Expert Sommelier Guide: $97
  • Paris Evening Wine Tour and Tasting: $112
  • Montmartre Hill Sweet & Savory French Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour: $112

Sample the Local Flavors in Carcassonne

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Carcassonne:

  • Half day wine tour. Shared tour from Carcassonne.: $102
  • Day to the Cité de Carcassonne and wine tasting. Shared tour from Carcassonne: $184
  • Wine Tours and Vineyard Adventures In The Languedoc: $211
  • Shared tour to Lastours, wine tasting, Minerve, Canal du Midi. From Carcassonne: $246

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paris and Carcassonne, we can see that Paris is more expensive. And not only is Carcassonne much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Carcassonne would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Carcassonne and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Paris would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Paris than you might in Carcassonne.

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Paris vs. Carcassonne Travel Comparison

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