How to Spend a Week in Paris for under $1000 (Excluding Lodging)
Traveling to Paris doesn’t have to drain your wallet. With accommodation already covered, a budget of $600-1000 for a week is more than enough to enjoy the city’s food, culture, and atmosphere.
Paris is often called expensive, but daily life there is affordable if you know where to look.
1. Transportation
Paris is easy to navigate without spending much. A single metro or RER ride within the city now costs €2.50, while buses and trams are €2.
Paper booklets of ten tickets have been phased out, so the best option is to use a Navigo Easy card. It costs €2 to buy and lets you load rides or passes directly onto it.
If you plan to travel frequently, the Navigo Liberté+ plan offers a better deal. Each metro or RER ride drops to €1.99, and buses or trams cost €1.60. Once you reach €12 in a single day, the system stops charging you, so any extra trips are free.
For a full week stay, the Navigo Weekly Pass is often the most convenient. At €31.60, it gives unlimited travel from Monday to Sunday on metro, RER, bus, and tram networks.
The city is compact, and many attractions are close enough to walk between. Bikes through the Vélib system are everywhere – a three-day pass costs about €20.
For sightseeing with a twist, the Batobus on the Seine is another good choice. A 48-hour ticket is around €20 and doubles as both transport and river cruise.
2. Eating Well Without Overspending
Boulangeries are your best friend. A baguette sandwich costs €5-7 and pastries such as croissants or pains au chocolat go for about €1.30-1.40.
Coffee in a neighborhood café ranges from €1-2 for an espresso, or €3-4 in a specialty shop. Eating like this makes daily meals affordable while still giving you quality you won’t find elsewhere.
If you want a sit-down meal, many restaurants offer a formule or prix fixe lunch with two or three courses for under €30. At dinner, prices rise, so it makes sense to eat out at midday and cook or picnic in the evening.
Cooking is easy thanks to supermarkets like Monoprix, Franprix, and Intermarché, where you’ll find fresh bread, cheese, and produce. Markets such as Place du Marché Saint-Honoré (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) are also excellent for shopping.
Paris has apps that save money too. Too Good To Go lets you pick up leftover meals from restaurants and bakeries for a fraction of the price. The Fork offers discounts on restaurants.
Frozen food store Picard is another local favorite, with quality ready-meals like salmon pasta, couscous chicken, garlic shrimp pasta, and gnocchi for €6-7 that can easily be split between two people. Locals suggest seasoning them a little at home with salt, lemon, or garlic.
Affordable restaurant choices include the Bouillon restaurants for traditional French food, Le 17.45 for charcuterie boards and raclette, and Chez Alain Miam Miam (Le Marais) for famous sandwiches.
Merci Jerome near the Arc de Triomphe has a pain au chocolat with almond paste that’s highly recommended.
For drinks, a glass of wine is usually €5-7, cheaper than beer, which is hard to find below €5 a pint.
3. Picnics and Street Food
Some of the best Paris experiences cost little. Buy a baguette, cheese, fruit, and a bottle of wine, and head to the Seine or one of the city’s parks. Parc Monceau, Jardin du Luxembourg, and the Buttes Chaumont are awesome.
In the Luxembourg you can’t sit on the grass, but chairs are provided for free and perfect for people-watching. Along the Seine at sunset, a picnic becomes a highlight of the trip.
Street snacks like a Nutella crepe or shared ice cream make for a pleasant experience without straining your budget. Legendary Berthillon ice creams on Île Saint-Louis offers over 60 flavors – expect long lines, but they move quickly.
4. Coffee Shops Worth a Stop
Coffee lovers typically love Paris. Terres de Café has several branches, especially in the Marais, and is considered one of the best. Beans on Fire in Montmartre is another favorite. Noir has multiple locations and offers excellent brews.
Beyond specialty shops, many cafés serve simple espresso for just €1-2, making it affordable to stop multiple times a day.
5. Museums and Free Culture
Museum entry usually ranges from €12-16. The big names like the Louvre and Versailles require advance booking and higher costs, but plenty of alternatives are cheaper or even free.
L’Orangerie and Musée d’Orsay are often praised as more enjoyable than the Louvre. Other great free/affordable options include the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, and Palais Galliera.
City-run museums are free, including the Carnavalet (history of Paris), Petit Palais, and Musée d’Art Moderne. The first Sunday of each month, some national museums are free for everyone, though reservations may be required.
Free art exhibitions are also common. The glass-roofed Grand Palais worth visiting just for the architecture.
If you prefer contemporary art, look up local galleries, which often have free exhibitions and occasional opening nights.
6. Walks and Scenic Spots
Walking is one of the best and cheapest ways to see Paris. The Petite Ceinture, an old railway line turned into a green walkway, is peaceful and surprising.
The canal Saint-Martin walk from République to Stalingrad or Pantin is another great route, with stops for Miznon’s pita sandwiches or ice cream at Sucre Glace.
Père Lachaise Cemetery is a favorite walk for both history and atmosphere.
Views of the Eiffel Tower are easy without paying for entry. Line 6 of the metro gives a striking view as it crosses near Bir Hakeim. The Eiffel Tower light show can be admired from Avenue du Président-Wilson near the Palais de Tokyo.
For another stunning perspective, you can also head up to the terrace at Galeries Lafayette.
You can take free architectural walks as well. The Second Empire neighborhoods include rue de Rivoli, the Opéra district, boulevard Haussmann, and the Champs-Élysées.
For modern contrasts, see La Défense, Beaubourg, or La Motte-Piquet Grenelle. Montmartre’s old streets and Sacré-Cœur are always worth wandering.
7. Movies and Entertainment
Paris cinemas usually charge around €12. Look for VOSTF (version originale sous-titrée français) to see English-language films with French subtitles. Notable cinemas include Le Champo, Le Lucernaire, Le Louxor, and the Grand Rex.
For nightlife on a budget, Supersonic (Bastille area) hosts free live bands. Many theatres offer discounted morning performances. Classic venues like Le Louxor double as both beautiful buildings and cultural stops.
8. Practical Tips
Book tickets in advance for major museums and monuments to avoid sold-out days.
Refill your water bottle at public fountains instead of buying bottled water. When hungry near tourist attractions, walk a few blocks until you hear mostly French spoken – the prices drop and quality improves.
Breakfast is inexpensive and delicious in bakeries. Try chouquettes, chausson aux pommes, pain suisse, or brioche with pralines alongside the classic croissant and pain au chocolat.
Thrift shopping is better value than boutique vintage stores. Shops like Emmaus and Kilo offer unique finds at affordable prices.
And finally, remember that you don’t need to tip in France unless the service is exceptional.