Should you visit Paris or Le Mans?
Should I visit Paris or Le Mans? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into 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."
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, on the Sarthe River. Le Mans is found about 80 kilometers north of Tours, and south of Alencon. To many of course, Le Mans is famous only for a 24 hour racing event once a year. If you are not interested in cars and car racing, it is best to avoid visiting Le Mans in the middle of June. However, Le Mans also has a fantastic old town and is well worth the visit. Known as the Cite Plantagenet, this is where in 1129 Geoffrey Plantagenet married Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England and gave birth to Henry II.
Which city is cheaper, Le Mans 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 Le Mans is €66. 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 Paris and Le Mans in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about €242 in Paris For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Double occupancy rooms typically run around €60 in Le Mans For nicer amenities and a premiere location, you can expect to pay a bit more.
Local Transportation
To get around in Paris, the average visitor spends €17 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.
To get around in Le Mans, the average visitor spends €24 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.
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:
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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
Is it cheaper to fly into Paris or Le Mans?
Prices for flights to both Le Mans 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 in Paris costs travelers about €31 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The average traveler spends about €22 per day in Le Mans for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
-
Food
Meals for one day
Paris €31
Le Mans €22
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
In Paris, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €62 per person, per day.
In Le Mans, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €12 per person, per day.
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
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Paris, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €19.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Le Mans, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is €9.60.
Typical Alcohol prices in Paris
Some typical examples of the costs for nightlife and alcohol in Paris are as follows:
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
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paris and Le Mans, we can see that Paris is more expensive. And not only is Le Mans much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Le Mans would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Le Mans 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 Le Mans.
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