Should you visit Paris or Mont-Saint-Michel?
Should I visit Paris or Mont-Saint-Michel? 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."
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is an island community in Normandy, France. It is located about a half of a mile (or one kilometer) off of the country's northwest coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches. The population of the island, at last count, was just under 50 people. The island has been a strategic fortifications since ancient times and since the 8th century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it was named. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, houses for fishermen and farmers. One of France's most recognizable landmarks, visited by more than 3 million people each year, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Over 60 buildings within the commune are protected in France as historical monuments.
Which city is cheaper, Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel is €125. 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 Mont-Saint-Michel 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.
Mont-Saint-Michel's average price for two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room is €112. A typical place to stay for one person, per day is €56.
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 €35 per day in Mont-Saint-Michel 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.
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Food
Meals for one day
Paris €31
Mont-Saint-Michel €35
Typical Food prices in Paris
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Paris:
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Ice Cream
€8.00
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Breakfast
€7.00
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Breakfast for 2
€30
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Dinner on River Cruise
€86
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Dinner
€57
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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:
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Authentic Dinner at Parisian's Home:
$41
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Paris en Scene Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise:
$49
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3-course Dinner Cruise with Panorama on Seine River:
$49
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Italian Dinner Cruise on the River Seine:
$57
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Paris River Seine Lunch or Dinner Cruise:
$60
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Special Dinner in French Cuisine near Notre Dame:
$61
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Italian dinner on the river Seine:
$61
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Seine River Cruise with French Dinner on Champs-Elysees Avenue:
$61
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Paris Food Tour: Bustronome Gourmet Tour of Paris:
$61
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Choux cooking class for kids in Paris:
$62
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Romantic Cruise with 3-course Dinner on Seine River:
$63
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Capitaine Fracasse Boat 3-Course Dinner Cruise:
$67
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.
The average price of local transportation around Mont-Saint-Michel is €56 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Paris
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Paris are as follows:
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Metro
€6.40
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Train from Airport
€9.00
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Metro tickets
€6.80
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Train
€20
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Paris
Also for Paris, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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AIRPORT TRANSFER - ROISSY CDG or ORLY:
$131
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Airfield Of Lognes - Private Round Trip Transfer Express:
$403
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Airport Transfer:
$108
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Airport Transfer to Paris:
$75
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Arrival Private Transfer Paris Train Station or City to Disneyland Paris Minivan:
$58
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Arrival Private Transfer from Beauvais Airport (BVA) to Paris in Comfortable Minivan:
$104
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Arrival Private Transfer from Paris Train Station to Paris City by Minivan:
$43
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Arrival Private Transfers from Paris Railway Stations to Paris Airport CDG:
$93
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Arrival Private Transfers from Paris Railway Stations to Paris Airport CDG:
$95
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Arrival Private Transfers from Paris Railway Stations to Paris Hotels:
$61
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Arrival Private Transfers from Paris Railway Stations to Paris Hotels:
$68
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Beauvais Airport to Disneyland Paris Shared Transfer:
$41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mont-Saint-Michel
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Mont-Saint-Michel:
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Private Transfer: Mont Saint-Michel to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG):
$1,096
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Private Transfer from Mont Saint-Michel to Rennes - Up to 7 People:
$297
Is it cheaper to fly into Paris or Mont-Saint-Michel?
Prices for flights to both Mont-Saint-Michel 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.
Entertainment
In Paris, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average €62 per person, per day.
Mont-Saint-Michel's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around €24 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Paris
For Paris, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Louvre Entry for Two
€18
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Admission to Pantheon
€5.00
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Catacombs (2)
€23
Tours and Activities in Paris
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Paris.
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Paris Criminal Past, audioguided walking tour:
$0.98
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Marais HiddenTreasures, audioguided walking tour:
$0.98
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Secret Montmartre, smartphone audioguided tour:
$0.98
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Trendy Marais, smartphone audioguided walking tour:
$0.98
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Test Day tour:
$1.00
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BEST OF ROYAL DAYS & LIFE : 3 audioguided tours:
$1.85
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BEST OF PARIS : 3 smartphone audioguided tours:
$1.85
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Legends of Paris Night Free Walking Tour in Spanish:
$3.72
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Visit the Eiffel Tower at your own pace Self-guided audio tour:
$4.96
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Flâneurs of Belleville: Explore the art of city walking on an audio walking tour:
$5.00
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One Hour Père Lachaise Cemetery Self-guided Audio Tour by VoiceMap:
$5.43
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Marais: Explore this historic neighbourhood on a kid-friendly audio walking tour:
$5.49
Tours and Activities in Mont-Saint-Michel
Here are a few actual costs in Mont-Saint-Michel for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Private 3-hour Walking Tour of Mt St. Michel with official tour guide:
$249
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Private Mont Saint-Michel Family Walking Tour:
$391
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Private Walking Tour of Mont-St-Michel and Surroundings:
$217
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.
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Mont-Saint-Michel may vary from person to person, on average a person spends €6.29 per day on alcoholic beverages.
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:
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Paris Pub Crawl with Free Club Entry and Free Shots:
$18
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New Pub Crawl:
$19
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Wine Tasting with Professional Sommelier:
$29
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Introductory French Cheese and Wine Tasting:
$29
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Wine Tasting at the Cellars of Bercy Village:
$36
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Pub Crawl in Latin Quarter:
$37
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French Wine Experience with Wine Tasting:
$37
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Guided Visit and Wine Tasting in a Royal Wine Cellar in Paris:
$40
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Guided tour and wine tasting in a historic cellar in the center of Paris:
$41
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Cheese and Wine Tasting in the Latin Quarter with Chef Alex:
$47
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Organic wine tasting in Paris:
$56
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Wine Shopping & Wine Tasting Class in the 5th:
$61
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel, we can see that Paris is more expensive. And not only is Mont-Saint-Michel much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mont-Saint-Michel would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mont-Saint-Michel 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 Mont-Saint-Michel.
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