Paris on $50/Day: Where Our Students Eat (And You Should Too)

The myth: You can't eat well in Paris on a budget. The truth: You can, if you know where to go. We've taken student groups to Paris 6 times, and we've learned the secrets locals use.

The Budget Breakdown

Here's what a realistic $50/day food budget looks like in Paris:

• Breakfast: €3–5 (café au lait + croissant)
• Lunch: €8–12 (sandwich, salad, or bistro)
• Dinner: €15–20 (casual restaurant or bistro)
• Snacks/coffee: €5–10

Where to Eat (Not Tourist Traps)

Breakfast: Parisians Don't Eat Big Breakfasts

A croissant and coffee from any local boulangerie will run you €3–4. Skip the tourist cafés on the Champs-Élysées.

Recommendations: Any boulangerie in your neighborhood. They're everywhere. Quality is consistent, prices are fair.

Lunch: The Best Deals

Lunch is cheaper than dinner in Paris. A three-course lunch menu (formule) at a casual bistro runs €12–15. Dinner? €25–40 for the same bistro.

Where to find them: Look for "Formule du midi" signs. Search Google Maps for "bistro" + your arrondissement, skip anything with 4.5+ stars and photos of tourists.

Dinner: Authentic & Affordable

You don't need Michelin stars. Here's what we tell our students:

• Brasseries: Casual, good food, €15–20 per person
• Wine bars (bars à vin): Small plates, wine, €15–25
• Ethnic food: Thai, Indian, Vietnamese in the 5th and 13th arrondissements are cheap and delicious (€10–15)
• Markets + picnics: Buy fromMarché Bastille or Marché Belleville, picnic in a park. €5–10 per person

Money-Saving Tips

1. Eat lunch, not dinner. Lunch menus are 30–40% cheaper than dinner at the same restaurant.
2. Skip the 1st arrondissement. Prices triple near Louvre and Notre-Dame. Go to the 5th, 6th, or 11th.
3. Buy groceries. Monoprix or Carrefour for sandwiches, cheese, fruit. €5–8 for a full meal.
4. Water is free. Order tap water (eau du robinet) or bring a reusable bottle.
5. Skip "welcome" restaurants. If someone on the street is calling you in, it's a tourist trap.

Our Student Group Favorite (Real Story)

Last summer, a group of 10 students discovered a small wine bar near République with €15 dinner menus. Pasta, wine, salad, dessert. They went back 3 times. Total for the week? €200 on food. That's less than €30/person/day.

Bottom Line

Paris is expensive—if you eat where tourists eat. But if you eat like Parisians, it's doable on $50/day. Walk the neighborhoods, look for lunch menus, skip the famous restaurants.

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