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

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Should you visit Paris or Chartres?

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

Should I visit Paris or Chartres? 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."

Chartres

Chartres is a city in north-central France southwest of Paris. It is famed for its massive Cathedrale Notre-Dame. The well-preserved Gothic cathedral, completed in 1220, features 2 towering spires, Romanesque sculptures and elaborate rose windows. The cathedral is unique in that it has two very different steeples – one Gothic, the other Romanesque. Follow them to check out the cathedral's dazzling blue stained-glass windows and its collection of relics, including the Sainte Voile (Holy Veil) said to have been worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus, which have lured pilgrims since the Middle Ages. The nearby Centre International du Vitrail has workshops and exhibits on stained-glass art. Chartres also had a carefully preserved old city, which is adjacent to the cathedral with staircases and steep streets lined with half-timbered medieval houses leading downhill to the narrow western channel of the Eure River, romantically spanned by footbridges.

Which city is cheaper, Chartres 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 Chartres is €93. 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 Chartres in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Paris €121
    Chartres €47
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Paris €242
    Chartres €94

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Paris €17
    Chartres €21
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:

  • Private transfer from Paris to London. Professional drivers, Mercedes cars!: $1,687
  • Transfer from Paris to Geneva or from Geneva to Paris: $1,431
  • Paris To Geneva - Private Vehicule Transfer Express: $1,431
  • Private Transfer from Paris to Bayeux - Up to 7 people: $1,227
  • Private Transfer from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel - Up to 7 people: $1,219
  • Private Transfer from Paris to Caen - Up to 7 people: $1,204
  • Intimate Guided Normandy Tour from Paris with Hotel Transfers: $1,106
  • Private Transfer from Paris to Honfleur - Up to 7 people: $1,025
  • Paris Private Round-trip Transfer: Paris City to Castle Castelnaud-la-Chapelle: $1,023
  • Private transfer Paris to Amsterdam - 1 to 3 people: $877
  • Private Transfer from Paris City Center to Mont-Saint-Michel: $717
  • Private transfer between Paris and London: $710

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Chartres

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

  • Private Transfer: Chartres to Paris-Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG): $355
  • Private Transfer from Chartres Cathedral to Paris City Center: $138

Is it cheaper to fly into Paris or Chartres?

Prices for flights to both Chartres 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
    Chartres €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
    Chartres €18
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

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Paris €19
    Chartres €9.67
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

About these numbers

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paris and Chartres, we can see that Paris is more expensive. And not only is Chartres much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Chartres would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Chartres 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 Chartres.

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Paris vs. Chartres Travel Comparison

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