Ah, Paris – there’s a reason it’s on everyone’s bucket list! We know travel budgeting is one of the most important factors when deciding on a travel destination. In efforts of transparency to help you travel more and to know what to expect when you do, we’re breaking down our total trip expenses so you can know how much you need to budget for your Parisian vacation. Cost is based on our five-day trip to Paris in the off-season in February of 2022.
OUR TRAVEL STYLE
We quote the Trooper song too often – “we’re here for a good time, not a long time, so have a good time.”
We’re not budget/hostel/backpacker style adventures, nor are we super luxury travelers…yet! We travel with a budget that’s somewhat in between and is often considered “affordable luxury.” Our whole life goal is to work hard and travel as much as possible, and our personal budgets reflect that.
SPLURGES & SAVES
We’ll almost always splurge on fast transportation, and time is of the essence! If there’s a quicker train or a speedier car ride, we’ll take it 90% of the time.
We prefer to stay in 4-star hotels or Airbnb Plus properties. Nothing is more critical to ensuring a good trip than getting good sleep. We’re light sleepers who tend to sleep hot and insist on having high-powered AC in the rooms. Therefore, we stay in places with a few more amenities than most 3-star properties offer in Europe. If the price is right and the view is tempting enough, we’ll sometimes splurge on a room with a view. We’re suckers for a balcony!
We typically don’t pay for live performances. While we love music, we’re not tempted to spend on concerts, plays, or live productions.
We appreciate a good meal, but we’re not foodies! We prefer a simple lunch and casual dinner at a bistro over Michel-star-studded menus and restaurants where people flock to see-and-be-seen.
We save money by not spending on drinking or going out. We occasionally might have a happy-hour cocktail or an inexpensive glass of wine with dinner. Still, we never go to clubs or party scenes.
We save hundreds of dollars on every trip by selecting pet sitters through our favorite program of all time, Trusted Housesitters. With this service, you pay a one-time fee once a year and get access to unlimited, free, caring sitters for your pets! Our cat and dog have made so many new friends as they can stay comfortably at home. On top of that, we’ve saved hundreds of dollars over the past five years by avoiding kennel fees. How does this work? You don’t pay the sitter, but they stay at your house and take care of your pets for free. We made a video about how it works if you’re interested in learning more!
PARIS SPENDING BREAKDOWN
Everything noted is the total price for two people over five days.
- $820 – 2 direct flights from DFW to CDG
- $950 – 3 Nights in a luxe room at a 4-star hotel in the city’s center
- $320 – Museum tickets & two-parks-one-day passes to Disneyland per person
- $120 – Transport (Airport parking, Uber & Metro tickets)
- $200 – Covid Tests & Vax certifications in France (was required at the time)
- $440 – Food & drinks
Total Spend: 5-Day trip to Paris for Two = $2,850
The cost breaks down to about $285 per person per day.
If we had taken fewer Ubers, walked further, not gone to Disneyland, ordered less dessert, and stayed in a more basic room, we could have saved about $600. But as we both work full-time jobs and side gigs – we consider our time just as much of a commodity as money.
WHAT WAS WORTH THE SPLURGE?
Our Luxury Room in K+K Hotel Cayre
- 4-Star luxury in the heart of the city
- Book the hotel room, Signature Eiffel Tower with Terrace, for the iconic Parisian moments you’re after. The spacious balcony looks at the street, Parisian rooftops, and of course, the Eiffel Tower.
- The hotel is central and within walking distance of almost everything in Paris.
- Bonus points – the staff was very kind and friendly!
