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Paris has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities in Europe, and it can be. But many of its best experiences cost little or nothing: walking along the Seine, wandering neighborhoods like the Marais and Montmartre, picnicking in a park, and visiting churches and free museums. With smart timing and a few habits, a Paris trip can fit a much smaller budget than most Americans expect.
The cheapest time to visit Paris
Paris is a year-round city, but prices for flights and hotels follow the seasons.
- Cheapest: November to March. Outside Christmas and New Year's, winter is the low season. Flights from the US to Europe are usually at their cheapest from January to March, and hotels are easier to find. Days are short and gray, and it can be cold and damp, but museums and cafes are at their coziest.
- Shoulder season: April to May and September to October. Mild weather, long days and prices that are usually lower than in summer. This is a great balance of cost and comfort.
- Most expensive: June to August. Summer brings the warmest weather, the longest lines and the highest fares. August is a little different: many Parisians leave on vacation and some small shops and restaurants close, but tourist sites stay busy.
Our guide to the cheapest time to fly to Europe goes deeper on fares by month.
Cheap flights from the US to Paris
Most flights from the US land at Charles de Gaulle (CDG), with some at Orly (ORY). The biggest US gateways have the most nonstop flights and the most competition, which usually means better prices:
- New York to Paris
- Boston to Paris
- Washington, D.C. to Paris
- Chicago to Paris
- Los Angeles to Paris
- Miami to Paris
Each route page shows the cheapest months to fly and links to live fares. A few tips to pay less:
- Book ahead. For Europe, start looking about six months out and aim to book two to six months before you go, earlier for summer.
- Be flexible. Midweek departures are usually cheaper than Friday and Sunday flights.
- Consider an open-jaw trip. If you are combining cities, flying into one and home from another can save backtracking. Many travelers fly into London and home from Paris, with the train in between. See how to get from London to Paris, or plan the whole trip with the multi-city flight search.
- Check the total. Some low-cost transatlantic fares do not include a checked bag or seat selection.
Where to stay in Paris on a budget
Paris is divided into 20 numbered districts called arrondissements, spiraling out from the center. The most central ones (around the Louvre, Saint-Germain and the Eiffel Tower) are the most expensive. You can save by staying a little farther out, as long as you are close to a Metro station.
Good-value areas to look at
- The 10th and 11th arrondissements: lively, local neighborhoods near Canal Saint-Martin and Oberkampf, with lots of cafes, bars and good Metro links. The 10th is also handy for Gare du Nord and the Eurostar.
- The 12th, 13th and 14th: quieter, residential areas with more reasonable prices, near the Bastille, Bercy, Chinatown and Montparnasse.
- The 18th around Montmartre: charming hilltop streets near Sacré-Coeur, with a range of prices. Some streets near the big boulevards are busy at night, so read recent reviews.
- Just outside the city limits: towns like Saint-Denis, Montreuil, Levallois or Boulogne-Billancourt can be cheaper and are often only a short Metro or RER ride from the center.
Budget tips for lodging
- Paris hotel rooms are often small. A simple hotel or a well-reviewed hostel with private rooms can be good value.
- Book early for spring, summer and big events, when cheaper rooms go first.
- An apartment with a kitchen can save money on meals for longer stays, but check that the listing is legally registered and look at the cleaning fees.
- Remember the city tourist tax, which is usually charged per person per night on top of the room rate.
Compare prices in different neighborhoods on our page for cheap hotels in Paris.
Free things to do in Paris
Some of the best moments in Paris are free:
- Walk the Seine. The riverbanks between the Eiffel Tower and Ile Saint-Louis are a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the walk takes you past the Louvre, the Grand Palais and Notre-Dame.
- Notre-Dame Cathedral. After the 2019 fire and years of restoration, Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024, and entry to the cathedral is free. Expect lines; check the official site for opening times and any reservation system.
- Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre. The basilica is free to enter, and the steps in front of it have one of the best free views over Paris.
- City-run museums. The permanent collections of several museums run by the City of Paris are free, including the Petit Palais (fine arts, in a beautiful building with a garden cafe) and the Musée Carnavalet (the history of Paris, in the Marais).
- Free museum days. Some national museums offer free entry on certain days, such as the first Sunday of some months. Policies change and many now need a timed reservation, so check each museum's website before you go.
- Parks and gardens. The Luxembourg Gardens, the Tuileries, the Jardin des Plantes, the Buttes-Chaumont and the Palais-Royal gardens are all free.
- Père Lachaise Cemetery. Free to visit, with the graves of Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison among many others.
- Window-shop the covered passages. The 19th-century glass-roofed arcades near the Grands Boulevards, like Passage des Panoramas and Galerie Vivienne, are free to wander.
Cheap things to do and when to pay
You will probably want to pay for a few big sights, such as the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Eiffel Tower or the Palace of Versailles. To get the most for your money:
- Book timed tickets ahead. Many top sites sell timed entry online, and walking up can mean long lines or sold-out slots. You can book tickets and skip-the-line entry on Tiqets.
- Do the math on the Paris Museum Pass. It covers many museums and monuments for a set number of days. It pays off if you plan to visit several paid sites in a short time, but not if you only want one or two.
- Climb instead of riding. At the Eiffel Tower, taking the stairs to the second floor is usually cheaper than the elevator. For a high view without the tower, the Arc de Triomphe rooftop or the free view from Sacré-Coeur are good alternatives.
- Take the bus as a sightseeing tour. Regular city buses cross some of the most famous parts of Paris for the price of a normal ticket.
For more ideas, see our list of things to do in Paris.
Eating in Paris for less
- Bakeries are your friend. A fresh baguette, a croissant or a sandwich from a boulangerie is one of the cheapest good meals in the city.
- Picnic. Pick up bread, cheese, fruit and wine at a market or supermarket and eat by the Seine or in a park. Parisians do it too.
- Eat your big meal at lunch. Many restaurants offer a fixed-price lunch menu (the "formule" or "menu du jour") that is much cheaper than ordering the same food at dinner.
- Ask for tap water. Ask for "une carafe d'eau" and you get free tap water instead of paying for a bottle.
- Stand at the bar. In many cafes, a coffee at the counter costs less than the same coffee at a table.
- Tipping is modest. Service is included in French restaurant prices, so a big American-style tip is not expected. Rounding up or leaving a little extra for good service is common.
Getting around Paris cheaply
Paris is compact and very walkable, and its public transport is excellent.
- Metro, RER and buses cover the whole city. Tickets and passes are sold at stations and on the official transit app, and you can load them on a Navigo Easy card or your phone. Fares and ticket types have changed in recent years, so check the current options before you go.
- A weekly pass (the Navigo Découverte) can be good value if you are staying a full week from Monday to Sunday and using transit a lot, but it needs a small photo and runs on a fixed calendar week.
- Walk. Many of the main sights are a pleasant walk from each other, and walking is the best way to discover the city.
- Bike share. The Vélib' bike share system has stations all over the city, and Paris has added many bike lanes.
From the airport to the city
From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B train runs to central Paris and is usually the cheapest way in. There are also airport buses. From Orly, take the Orlyval shuttle and RER, the tram, or the bus. Taxis from both airports charge a flat fare to central Paris, which can make sense for a group. If you land late or have a lot of luggage, a pre-booked private transfer from Kiwitaxi means someone will be waiting with your name.
A sample budget-friendly day in Paris
- Start with a croissant and coffee at the counter of a neighborhood cafe.
- Walk along the Seine to Notre-Dame and the Ile de la Cité.
- Cross into the Marais for the free Musée Carnavalet and the Place des Vosges.
- Have a fixed-price lunch, or a falafel or sandwich to go.
- Spend the afternoon at the one paid museum you care about most, booked ahead.
- Picnic in a park or by the river, then walk up to Sacré-Coeur for the sunset view.
Paris fits nicely into a longer trip too. Our 10-day Europe itinerary shows how to combine it with other cities.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cheapest month to go to Paris?
- January to March, outside school holidays, is usually the cheapest time for flights and hotels. November is also good value. Summer is the most expensive season.
- Can you visit Paris on a budget?
- Yes. Many top experiences are free, including Notre-Dame, Sacré-Coeur, the parks, the Seine and several city-run museums. Staying outside the central tourist districts, eating picnics and fixed-price lunches, and using the Metro keep costs down.
- Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?
- It is worth it if you plan to visit several paid museums and monuments within a few days. If you only want to see one or two sights, buying individual tickets is usually cheaper.
- What is the cheapest way from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris?
- The RER B train is usually the cheapest way from Charles de Gaulle to central Paris. Airport buses are another option, and taxis charge a flat fare that can make sense for groups.