Paris has a reputation for draining wallets, but most of what makes it worth visiting — walking the river, sitting in parks, wandering free museums on the right days — costs nothing. The trick is knowing which expenses are worth paying for and which are tourist markup you can skip entirely.
- National museums are free for EU residents under 26, and many are free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month
- A baguette sandwich from a boulangerie costs a third of a sit-down café lunch and is often better
- Weekly and monthly transit passes (Navigo) beat single tickets fast if you're staying more than a few days
- Hours
- N/A
- Price
- A frugal day can run €40–60; a comfortable one €100–150
- Tip
- Picnic by the Seine or in a park at least once — it's the single best value-for-experience move in the city.
Nearby
- L Louvre free evenings · museum offer
- S Seine riverbanks · free activity
- L Local markets · shopping