Is France Expensive To Visit? Prices In France In 2025

Is France Expensive For Tourists?

Yes, France can be expensive to visit. Prices in France are slightly higher than average European prices, and costs can quickly add up.

To determine if France will be expensive for you, you’ll need to compare it to the cost of living in your home country.

If you’re from the US, UK, or northern Europe in general, French prices will be quite similar to what you’re used to. In fact, some things might even be cheaper!

However, France is not a cheap travel destination, so finding a cheap flight shouldn’t be the only factor you consider before traveling here

As you plan a trip to France, figuring out the budget should be the first step.

France Budget Breakdown

As you can see, the difference between 60€ and 360€ per day is quite significant especially if you’re traveling for a week in France or longer.

That’s because you can enjoy free activities, stay in a hostel, make your food from a supermarket, or treat yourself to a lavish holiday in France. 

Interestingly, 360€ a day is still a mid-range budget. It will only get you a nice hotel room, 3 meals a day, and one paid activity. 

I’ve traveled with girls who spent more than 400€ per day in France, but I assume if that’s your budget you don’t Google “Is France expensive to travel?”.

If you’re coming to France for shopping that will be an additional expense to budget for. 

Also, the cost of travel will be different if you’re going to French beach towns along Cote d’Azur in the summer or visiting cities like Nantes. 

Let’s dive deeper into French prices!

1. Accommodation Prices in France

Accommodation can easily be your single biggest expense when traveling to France. 

Even if you want to stay in a hostel, you’re looking at at least 35€ per night. Many hostels in Paris are about 50€ per night for a bed in a 12-person dorm!

When it comes to private rooms in hotels, the prices start at 60€ per night in the low season. However, most of those places are far from the city center, and not too well-rated.

If you want to stay in a well-rated hotel around the city center, you’re looking at at least 80-100€ per night.

If you share a room, the price per person decreases, and it is often cheaper to stay in a hotel room than get two beds in a dorm!

You’ll notice that the quality of accommodation increases as soon as you get to about 100€ per night category. 

You can find really nice boutique hotels and Airbnbs if you can budget 110-130€ per night for accommodation. 

Also, it is worth noting that prices are higher around popular events and holidays.

For example, accommodation prices increase in the summer for coastal destinations and in December if you’re visiting the best Christmas Markets in France.

If you can only get time off during that time (like most people) be sure to book your accommodation well in advance to get the most options and best prices. 

I book all my accommodation in France here!

2. Price of Tourist Attractions in France

Tourist attractions and activities in France range from free to expensive. 

To plan your France budget you’ll need to check what places are on your France bucket list.

You’ll be glad to know that you can see many popular landmarks for free! 

For example, seeing the Eiffel Tower is completely free unless you want to climb to the top of the tower.

Another cool thing is that many museums and landmarks in France, including the Louvre, are free for EU citizens under 26. That will save you a ton of money if you fit into the category!

Now, how much do attractions cost if you don’t fit the category?

It depends. Here are the prices of some popular tourist activities in France:

• Eiffel Tower 2nd Floor and Summit Ticket: 99,00€
• Louvre Museum: 22€
• Wine Tasting Tour in Saint Emilion: 50€
• Paris Cruise (without a meal): 20€
• Paris Disneyland 1-Day Ticket: 65-105€
• Strasbourg Cathedral Viewing Platform: 8€

As you can see, the prices vary, but many activities are quite reasonably priced! 

3. Cost Of Eating Out In France

Eating out in France can cost you anywhere from 15€ to 100€ per day.

I know, it is quite a range, but dining options in France offer quite a range!

Starting from getting a coffee or a matcha, it costs about the same in a chain like Starbucks or Colombus, and a local cafe. Expect to pay about 5€ – unless you go for an espresso, those are about 2€.

Brunch is a luxury in France. It is very popular, so you’ll find brunch places everywhere. An average brunch costs 25-30€.

Croissants and other pastries are about 2-3€, depending on the place where you get them.

A dish in a casual lunch spot, like poke bowls and wraps, will cost you 10-13€.

Fast food options, like kebabs and French tacos, are 8-10€ on average.

A sit-down dinner in most places in France costs 15-25€ per dish. Even as a vegan in France, you should expect to pay about 15€ per dish.

You’ll have to decide how many meals you want to eat outside to get an idea of how much you should budget for food in France.

Don’t be embarrassed to skip the drinks if you’re on a budget. One of my favorite things about France is that you get free tap water in every restaurant!

Also, one of the biggest Paris mistakes for your budget is walking into a restaurant close to tourist attractions without checking reviews.

Going Out For Drinks

I separated the cost of eating out and going out for drinks, as some of you might not be big drinkers.

Alcohol is fairly expensive in French bars and restaurants. 

Tap beer is the cheapest alcohol option, and you can often find it for happy hour prices. The cheapest tap bear is about 5€ for 0,5L and more artisanal options are closer to 9€.

A glass of wine will cost you anywhere from 6-10€. 

On average, you can expect to pay around 11-15€ for a cocktail like a mojito or a negroni in a cocktail bar.

4. Supermarket Prices in France

If you want to save money on food or have a picnic, head to one of many French supermarkets.

Food prices in France are generally comparable to average European prices. 

However, it’s hard to note exact prices as they vary significantly as not all supermarkets are priced the same and prices change regularly.

My favorite supermarkets in France are Lidl, Auchan, and Carrefour. Monoprix and Casino are generally more expensive, but they might be your only option in the city center.

To get an idea of prices, you can get a box of pasta and a jar of sauce for about 4-5€. 

If you want some protein with that, you’ll have to add another 3-5€ for vegan meat substitute.

I like having breakfast in my accommodation. A bag of cereals and a carton of oat milk will cost you about 5€ and you can have it for 3-4 days.

5. Getting Around France 

The cost of getting around will depend on how many places you visit, so I can just give you a general overview of public transportation prices in France.

With 1 week in France, you can explore 2 to 5 different cities, and the cost of transportation will depend on how many you add to your itinerary.

You don’t need to rent a car in France, as you can easily get around by public transport.

Cost of public transport in France

Every larger city has a reliable and affordable public transport system. 

One ticket for the metro or tram in France will cost you 1,8-2,5€ – different cities have different prices.

Public transport is the most expensive in Paris, but you can get a 24-hour ticket or another “bundle ticket” if you’ll need to use transport often.

For example, when I visited Marseille I stayed far from the city center so I needed to take the metro multiple times a day. 

You don’t even need to use public transport in many places, especially if you stay close to the city center.

Cost of trains and buses in France

If you’re going on day trips around France or a longer tour around the country, you’ll need to use buses or trains. 

The most important thing you need to know about prices is that they increase closer to the departure date.

You’ll pay a different price for the same service depending on when you book your ticket – just like airplane tickets. 

Also, train travel in France is usually more expensive than buses. 

Buses in France are surprisingly not the most popular way to get around, but you’ll want to check them out if you’re on a budget.

There are different types of trains in France – TGV, Intercity, and TER. You can see the prices on the official SNCF website.

TGV is a fast, long-distance train you’ll take if you’re traveling from Paris to Bordeaux. These are usually the most expensive, and 

Intercity is a long-distance train, but for shorter distances, like Bordeaux to Toulouse. 

Finally, you have TER trains. These are regional trains, and the most affordable out of the three.

If you’re on a budget, check the prices of buses for the routes covered by Intercity and TER trains. Travel times are similar, but bus prices can be significantly cheaper.

6. Cost of Renting A Car in France

If you prefer the freedom of having a personal vehicle or you’re on a road trip around France, you can also rent a car!

The prices for renting a car can vary significantly. For example, I rented a car in Bordeaux for €30 per day and another for €50 per day.

Generally, the longer you rent a car, the lower the daily rate will be.

Given how unpredictable car rental prices can be, I always use comparison sites like Rental Cars to find the best deals.

These sites are always cheaper than renting directly and often include perks like a free second driver.

I’ve never had any issues, nor have the vendors treated me differently for not booking directly with them.

🚗 Find a rental car in France here!

7. Shopping In France

France is also a shopping destination with people queuing in front of designer stores to buy luxury goods.

Honestly, it is not really my thing, so I can’t tell you much about prices. However, people say it is cheaper to buy designer bags here than in the US. 

If you’re on the hunt for some goodies, book an appointment at the store—otherwise, you might end up waiting in line for an hour.