7 Reasons You Might Overspend in Paris (Don’t!)

Top 5 Budget Blunders Tourists Make in Paris

So without further ado, here is for you the list of the 5 most common budget drains in Paris. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can make the most of your budget and enjoy the city to its fullest.

#1 Choosing Taxis and Ubers Over the Metro

➔ Read my Metro Guide here to make a smart choice on ticketing

The Paris Metro is one of the most efficient and extensive public transportation systems in the world. It covers the entire city, making it easy to reach all major attractions quickly and affordably.

On top of it, it is a safe way to get around, not matter the time, night and day. Once you give it a try, you’ll find the Metro system is surprisingly easy to navigate.

Also interesting ➔ 6 Reasons Tourists Getting Fined on the Paris Metro

A single metro ticket costs just €2.50 and is not only valid for rides in Paris, you can even travel to Versailles or Disneyland with it. For the same price!

Since 2024, you can even use an app to purchase and validate your tickets. Simply download the IDF Mobilités App on iPhone or Android, add the cart to your wallet, and then validate it when entering the metro station.

Pick the ticket you wish to purchase, pay and use it right away. Week tickets and month tickets are under “packages”.

Taxis and Ubers: Convenient but Costly

While taxis and Ubers might seem convenient, especially for first-time visitors, they can quickly add up.

But, if you do want to take a taxi and still save money, download the Apps G7, Uber, and Bolt and compare prices—you’ll be surprised!

It often helps to walk a few steps away from train stations, sights, and restaurants to get a better price.

#2 Splurging on Dinners Instead of Affordable Lunches

Parisians know the value of a good lunch deal. Many restaurants offer prix fixe menus during lunch hours, providing a three-course meal for a fraction of the dinner price.

You can enjoy high-quality French cuisine for around €15-€25, whereas dinner prices at the same establishments can easily double. And these places are not hard to find, they are the rule, not the exception.

But it’s getting better: this does not only apply to your friendly neighborhood brasserie, but also to Michelin Star, fine dining and gastronomic restaurants.

The menus are a bit reduced during lunchtime to accommodate the shorter timeframe people have to sit down. But if you want to get a great deal and an insight to French haute cuisine: Lunch time is your best bet.

#3 Buying Attraction Tickets from Third-Party Sites

Also read ➔ 5 Paris Sights to Book in Advance – and 5 NOT to

It’s so easy to buy tickets from Get Your Guide, Viator, and similar sites. One click, and you’re set, with tickets, reminders, directions, and contact details right on the app.

Don’t get me wrong. I, personally, use Get Your Guide, Viator or Tiqets a lot for booking walking tours, cooking classes or guided visits during my travels. It was always a great experience with good customer service and many options.

And sometimes, third-party sites are your only option for Eiffel Tower or Louvre tickets when official sites are sold out.

But for a simple entrance ticket? You’ll often be overcharged.

If you can plan ahead, always check the official sites first for attraction tickets. If they’re sold out there, 3rd party sites are a good and safe alternative.

#4 Staying Near the Eiffel Tower (and with a View)

Also read: ➔ The best Arrondissement to stay in Paris (Top 3 + Hotel Tips)

It’s a very common misunderstand among Paris visitors, that the Eiffel Tower is in the center of Paris. Hence, many want a “central hotel with view of the Eiffel Tower”.

Just, the Eiffel Tower is not in the center of Paris. It is not even a very good location, just an expensive one with not much else to do.

The Eiffel Tower lies in between the 3 most expensive arrondissements in Paris: the 7th, the 8th and the 16th.

The 16th is a rich upper-class residential neighborhood. The 8th is where you find most palaces and luxury boutiques, and the 7th is split between upper-class residences, museums and government and military buildings. And this reflects a lot on hotel prices.

So if you are dreaming of visiting the Parisian flair with busy cafés, iconic streets and an overall cinematic vibe, the Eiffel Tower is not it.

You will spend a fortune on your room and then head over all day to the really lovely areas to stay in Paris: The Marais, the Quartier Latin, Montmartre, or Saint-Germain.

#5 Purchasing the Paris Visite Pass

➔ Read my Metro Guide here to make a smart choice on ticketing

A pass for unlimited Metro use for up to 5 days, that even includes the train to Versailles and Disneyland? That sounds like a really convenient thing to get.

Just that – and I am sorry to say it – it is absolutely over the top expansive, and I cannot imagine a single scenario where this pass could become profitable.

The 3-Day Paris Visite Pass for all zones and airports costs 62.30. This includes Versailles and Disneyland.

Even if you’d buy 3 normal day passes plus 2 trips to the airport, you’d pay €62. There is not much of a different, but no one who visits Paris uses the Metro that excessively, that 3 day passes would be worth it anyway.

#6 Dining on the Champs-Élysées or Near the Eiffel Tower

Restaurants and cafés on the Champs-Élysées or near the Eiffel Tower are notorious for their high prices and often for mediocre food.

Most of the restaurants and cafés in these areas are tourist traps, capitalizing more on their iconic locations than on their cuisine.

Don’t get me wrong. You do find good, even excellent restaurants there. But the view and the location come with a price tag. You eat better for less basically anywhere else in Paris.

If you would rather not eat next to fellow tourists, you don’t need to venture much off the beaten bath

To experience authentic Parisian dining, head into less touristy neighborhoods. Areas like Le Marais, Quartier Latin, and Canal Saint-Martin are filled with charming cafés and bistros offering delicious meals at reasonable prices.

#7 Ignoring Free and Low-Cost Attractions

Also read ➔ 59+ Free & Fun Things to do in Paris

Paris is an expensive city, but not everything amazing eats a hole in your budget. There is an abundance of free things to do in Paris, and they are typically just as worthwhile as paid attractions. Free does not mean subpar in Paris.

Consider visiting Père Lachaise Cemetery, Jardin du Luxembourg, or strolling along the Canal Saint-Martin. The Belleville Quartier is another fantastic spot to explore.

Additionally, Paris offers plenty of free museums, with the Musée Carnavalet being a standout.

Don’t overlook these options just because they’re free—they can provide some of the most enriching experiences in the city.

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Paris can be a surprisingly affordable city if you know where to look and how to avoid common tourist traps.

By making smart choices about transportation, dining, accommodations, and attractions, you can enjoy everything this beautiful city has to offer without overspending too much.

Remember, the charm of Paris lies not just in its famous landmarks, but also in its hidden gems and local experiences.