How Much Does a 5 Day Trip to Paris Cost? (2024 prices and data)
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With world-famous monuments, beautiful architecture, and delicious cuisine, there’s an undeniable allure that attracts people to the City of Lights. But Paris isn’t just the most visited city in Europe, it also happens to be one of the most expensive.
If you’re hoping to travel to Paris sometime this year, then it’s important to calculate how much your vacation will cost. We’ve estimated that a 5 day trip to Paris cost for two people in May is approximately $2,163 without airfare (or $432 per day for two people). With airfare that cost goes up to $4,697. But that’s just an average, so let’s dive into the specifics in more detail.
Heading to Paris? Don’t miss our Paris Travel Guide, it has everything you need to plan the perfect trip!
How Much Does a 5 Day Trip to Paris Cost (2024 prices)
The exact cost of a trip to Paris will depend on multiple factors, including when you go and how long you plan to stay. But to help with estimates, we will be looking at the costs of a 5-day trip from May 19 to May 23 (five days and four nights) for two people. Remember that this is right before peak season, so these costs will be a bit cheaper than if you go during the summer.
When calculating costs, we will be looking at airfare, accommodation, food, transportation, and activity prices. We’ll also share the costs in both Euros and Dollars, using the exchange rate of €1 = $1.10.
We also want to note that costs in Paris should rise significantly during the 2024 summer Olympics.
Airfare Costs: San Francisco to Paris
One of the biggest cost factors to consider when planning a trip to Paris is airfare. Thankfully, Charles de Gaulle (the main airport in Paris) is a huge connection hub, which means you might be able to find good deals coming from the States.
To give you an estimate of how much you might spend, let’s look at some sample dates – May 19 to 23, 2024. We found direct flights for approximately $3,000 (€2,700) a person. This is quite expensive, but if you’re willing to have a stopover, you can save some money on airfare.
For example, flights with Aer Lingus with a stopover in Dublin was $1,267 (€1,140) a person.
Total flight cost: €1,140 per person, or €2,280 for two people.
Hotel Costs
Paris is a huge city, so you’ll have lots of options when it comes to accommodation. Depending on your travel style and budget, you can splurge on a 5-star luxury hotel, book a single bed in a hostel, or everything in between!
Of course, you can expect to pay more if you’re centrally located to the main sights, like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre. If you stay further outside the city, you can find cheaper lodging and be in a more local neighborhood, which is great if you want to see things off the beaten track!
For our example dates, May 19th to the 23rd, here’s an estimate of how much the nightly rate is at the following seven hotels.
- Jules & Jim: €330 per night (total for four nights: €1,650)
- St Paul Rive Gauche: €330 per night (total for four nights: €1,650)
- Hotel Bourgogne et Montana: €271 per night (total for four nights: €1,084)
- Mama Shelter Paris West: €278 per night (total for four nights: €1,112)
- Hotel Londres Eiffel: €480 per night (total for four nights: €1,920)
- Grand Hotel Chicago: €166 per night (total for four nights: €664)
For the rest of the cost calculation in this article, we will use the Hotel Bourgongne et Montana. It’s well-rated, has a reasonable nightly rate, and most importantly, it’s close to Paris’ most popular sights.
Total hotel cost: €1,084 or $1,192 for four nights
Looking for a place to stay?
Where to Stay in Paris For Your First Time: a Simple Guide
The Best Paris Hotels for Families of Four (or Five!)
Transportation
Unless you plan on walking miles and miles each day, you’ll likely need some form of transportation to get around Paris. As a large European city, Paris has excellent public transportation that can help you navigate the labyrinth of streets and Arrondissements (Parisian neighborhoods).
The Metro is the fastest and most efficient, with 14 different lines winding through Paris. The city is zoned, so it’s cheaper to travel within zones 1-3 and more expensive to get further outside the center in zones 4 or 5. You can also take the regional train (RER), bus, tram, or Montmartre funicular using the same T+ Ticket system for one-way journeys.
If you plan on using public transportation for several trips or days, then you’re better off with the Paris Visite card. This grants you unlimited rides for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days. Discounts are given for multiple-day passes, but for 1-day tickets, you’ll pay € 13.55 for zones 1-3 and € 28.50 for zones 1-5. You can also choose a weekly Passe Navigo card, which, depending on the zone in which you’re traveling, will cost anywhere from €26.10 to €30.
One thing to note: The weekly Passe Navigo card is cheaper than purchasing a 5-day Paris Visite. However, it’s only valid if you use it from Friday to the next Thursday (you can’t purchase the ticket midweek for an entire week).
A 5 day trip gives you at least 3 full days to explore and we have all 3 days covered with this itinerary!
To and From CDG Transportation Costs
If you’re arriving at CDG Airport, you can easily make your way into the city center by taxi, shuttle, bus, or regional train.
We highly recommend the RER B Train, which costs only €11.40 and takes 40 minutes. If you are traveling with multiple people or don’t want to fuss with heavy bags on the train, it might be worth taking a taxi, as fares are between €53 and €58 for the trip. The bus is the cheapest option (€1.90 per ticket) although it has the longest duration (70 to 80 minutes).
For a calculated cost estimate, let’s assume you take the regional train from the airport and purchase the 5-day Paris Visite card (not the Passe Navigo card).
Total transportation cost estimate: €11.40 x 2 (to and from the airport) + €44.45 (5-day Paris Visite card) = €67.25 or $73.95 per person, with your total coming to €134.50 or $147.90
Food Cost in Paris per Day
French food is some of the most famous (and most delicious) in all of Europe! Therefore, it’s crucial that you budget for all the flaky croissants and tasty meals you’ll have during your stay.
In general, you should set aside around €50 a person or €100 for two people per day. But keep in mind this will mostly cover lunch, dinner, and a light breakfast. Breakfast in Paris is really good, but it’s usually just a pastry or a coffee and juice, so it’s generally an inexpensive meal.
For example, here are some sample prices for restaurants in Paris:
- Breizh Cafe: €50 dinner for two
- Bistrot Rougemont: €70 dinner for two
- Kozy Bosquet: €40 breakfast for two
Total food cost for two people: €500 or $550 (€50 per person, per day for five days)
Mouth watering yet? Check out these amazing Latin Quarter restaurants.
Activities
There is no shortage of fun things to do in Paris. Whether you’re into art, history, architecture, or food, you’ll have no problem finding activities to fill your schedule.
Unfortunately, things can be quite expensive. This can really add up if you’re planning a couple of different activities each day. Of course, you can always mix in a few free activities, like visiting the Jardins du Luxembourg, the Basilique du Sacré Coeur, or the Père Lachaise Cemetery. But there are some big sights that we can wholeheartedly recommend paying for if you can.
Here are some example prices for popular activities in Paris:
- Eiffel Tower with lift to top: €30 per person
- Seine river cruise: €16 per person
- Musee d’Orsay: €16 per person
- Louvre Tickets: €17 per person
- Wine tasting: €40 per person
- Rent a boat on the Canal Saint Martin: Starting at €40 per hour
For this calculation, let’s assume you do one activity for each day of your visit (five days total). With that in mind, you’ll likely be spending around €20 a person per day.
Total activity cost for two people: €200 or $220 (€20 per person, per day for five days)
Check out our Activities Database for more options!
Day Trip
There’s a lot to see and do in Paris, and you could easily spend your entire 5-day trip without ever leaving the city center. But if you’ve come a long way, it’s reasonable to want to take a day trip to see something else around France.
While there are many awesome places that you can reach within a day, the most popular day trip is to the Palace of Versailles. This UNESCO-designed site is actually comprised of two main sights – the palace and the Estate of Trianon. You can buy tickets to either one or purchase the passport ticket to the entire site for €24 per person.
Keep in mind that you’ll also need to pay for transportation to and from Versailles, which is about an hour’s train ride away. You can use your public transportation ticket (which includes rides on the regional trains), but you’ll need to make sure you have zone 4 coverage.
Total cost for a day trip to Versailles: €48 or $53 for two people
How Much Does a 5 Day Trip to Paris Cost?
Now, let’s take all the cost estimates from the categories above to see how much a 5-day trip to Paris might cost you.
| Item | Cost for Two People for 5 Days |
| Airfare | $2,534 |
| Hotel | $1,192 |
| Transportation | $148 |
| Food | $550 |
| Activities | $220 |
| Day Trip | $53 |
| Total Cost for Trip To Paris | $4,697 |
As we’ve discussed, this number will change depending on how many activities you do, the type of hotel you stay in, and where you are flying from in the United States.
If you’re already planning a trip to London, you can make Paris a day trip instead!
How to Cut Costs on Your Trip to Paris without Sacrificing Fun
If you’re hoping to have a more budget-friendly vacation, then there are a few ways that you can save money.
Travel in the Shoulder Season
Prices increase with demand, so visiting Paris during the shoulder season can save you big on airfare and accommodation. We also prefer to travel during this time because there are fewer crowds and the weather is sill pleasantly warm!
Book With Points
Looking for ways to spend those hard-earned points? Using loyalty points to book accommodation or air miles to pay for your flight can save you thousands off your trip to Paris! If you don’t have any points accumulated, there are some great sign-up bonuses for credit cards, which come with enough miles to pay for a significant chunk of your vacation.
To learn how to book with points and step-by-step guidance on getting a free hotel stay, check out our sister site BookedWithPoints.com for details.
Book Your Travel Early
The best travel deals can be found if you book your trip far in advance – usually about six months out. Although you might be able to score some last-minute deals, this can be a little risky, as things can either be cheaper or much more expensive! On top of that, you’ll get your first pick of hotels before they sell out!
Stay a Bit Further Out
Most people want to stay in central Paris, which means hotels can be significantly more expensive compared to the ones further outside. And while it’s a huge perk to be able to walk to the main sights and attractions, you can save by staying somewhere else and taking the Metro or bus.
Rein in Food Costs
French food is delicious, but its reputation for being fancy and expensive is real! But you don’t have to spend hundreds of Euros for each meal, as there are some amazing restaurants and cafes that are affordable. For example, you can find crepe stands, sandwich shops, and pizza joints where you can eat very well for very cheap!
Use Our Free Guide
Bad planning can also cost you a lot of money (as well as a lot of time and effort!). We certainly don’t want that to happen to you, which is why we put together a free one-day walking tour download. It features all the beautiful sights, restaurants, and history tidbits for you to know while walking around Paris!
Free Download!
1 DAY IN PARIS ITINERARY
If you have limited time in the City of Light, don’t miss out. Our one-day itinerary takes you to great spots on an easy walking tour of Paris.
Download it to your phone and take it on the go.
