One personn shuold definitely be able to eat for $100 per day as long as you stick to modest places.

Just beware of 2 things:

Soft drinks are very small and very expensive - 3 to 5 euros for a tiny 8 oz can. So drink water or wine.

While wine (house wine) and beer are cheap hard liquor and mixed drinks tend to be very expensive - so look carefully before you order.

First, I'd rethink the Paris Pass. It might be a good deal for you. But quite often the prices of the individual items included that YOU will actually use will be less than the price of the pass.

I eat in Paris for far less than the amount you indicate. On that budget I don't believe you'll need to seek out cheap restaurants. On my more modest budget I find places I like anywhere I happen to be. Check out the prices on menus posted outside restaurants and I think you'll find you'll have a good range of options.

Do not get the Paris Pass as it's very over priced - you will not get your money's worth, especially at $260 for a week!

If you're going to a lot of museums you might buy the museum pass but I would check the museum web sites and compare the entry prices with the museum pass prices.

For transportation you can buy books of 10 tickets (called a carnet), single tickets (a bit more expensive than buying 10 at a time), or if you'll be using a lot of public transportation the Navigo Decouverte.

From the Latin Quarter you can walk to many/most sights so probably a carnet would work best for you. That's what I buy for a week and often don't use all the tickets.

So let's say you now have about $900 for food and drinks for a week. That will be more than enough. It will allow you to swill wine in the cafes, stop for lots of ice creams, and have some good meals without worrying about cheap restaurants all the time.

Have fun!

10 metro tickets at one time = E12.70. They can be used on buses as well. Very cheap.

Also avoid the Paris Visit pass.

Cafés and boulangeries offer delicious baguette sandwiches. Have one for lunch and you can splurge a little on dinner.

OMG!!!! thank you ALL soooo much for your great suggestions! I will not buy the Paris pass...I actually thought it was quite expensive! See that's why places like Fodors.com are so great...one can always count on you guys... I feel more relaxed now.... I am planing now on buying the 10 tickets metro, wine instead of other drinks and baguette sandwiches for lunch!!! You are awesome! Thanks so much!

Great advice so far, if you eat out at lunchtime it's cheaper and often the menu du jour or plat du jour is more reasonable. Sushi is surprisingly cheap in Paris if that's something you like. Falafels on Rue Rosier, crepes at Breizh Cafe in the Marais are also reasonable.

Hi tic,

If you have enough for a splurge meal, go out for Lunch instead of dinner - much cheaper.

Whew, I am glad you heeded the advice re paris pass its the first thing I saw on your post and though "noooooo".
The Paris Museum pass is 69 euros for 6 days ( and that includes a visit to Versailles, which alone is an 18 euro value) ... so much cheaper.. I find I walk to many sites and only use one , or one and half carnets a week, so thats transport costs of about 20 euros a week. RER to Versailles is 7 euros return. So we are totalling out at less then 100 euros for a week, throw in a boat cruise, about 11-14 euros you are still coming in wayy under 260 dollars!
PS if you go on the Vedettes Pont Neuf website you can get the cruise on a discount ..

Tica: Are you really tica? In Uruguay we call Ticos to the natives of Costa Rica...
To the point: Don't worry; with at least 70 euros per day you can have excellent meals.
Last september we had a nice lunch at Brasserie Lipp fon some 25 euro per person, with really good roasted chicken and a sublime vanilla millefeuille; and a full lunch at rue Lepic in Montmartre for some 20 euros; good and tasty.
Believe you will enjoy your stay.

@welltraveledbrit and @ ira, so should I just have lunch out eat dinner at the hotel and sit at night with a bottle of wine for people watch?... what is it cheaper? to buy the bottle or just house wine?
@justineparis I was actually thinking about the museum pass alone...lot cheaper...thanks
@jelopez33 yes! I am from Costa Rica...pura vida!!! he he... now I think I have the chance to spend more for lunch... Thank you... I mean : gracias...

SO glad you got the message about the Paris Pass. Like Justine, I just read your post and went WHOAAAA!!! Don't do that!! Anyway, you avoided it - good for you, and now you have more money to play with. You'll be fine on that budget! And if you have time to wander into some of the outer arrondissements after seeing the main sights, you can eat very well for just a few euros. Have a great trip!

StCirq... I am glad too I talked about the Paris Pass... phew!!
Thanks, I am very excited about my very first trip to Europe
Viri

tica how I save money on food /meals in Paris. First off , never eat hotel breakfasts, they are usually not included, and over priced. Walk out and find a cafe, I can find a simple breakfast for 5-7 euros easily. I supplement it with perhaps a yogurt or fruit I have picked up at a grocers , I tend to get hotel rooms with mini fridges so I stock it with some snacks.
Lunch can be your large meal if you want to try a nicer sit down restaurant, often the lunch menu is just as good as the dinner menu, but cheaper. More often though we are touring about so I just grab a sandwich , quiche or pizza slice from a bakery, or a ham and cheese crepe from a street side crepe cart, lunch can easily be under 6-10 euros with a soda or juice.If I eat a few cheap lunches then I can afford a nicer dinner out..

Picnics are very popular, people pick stuff up and just find a nice bench or a park to eat in.. two people can get enough cheese, meat and a baquette for lunch for under 10 euros, so thats less then 5 euros each for a lunch. You can find some wine or beer at most stores to enjoy with your lunch. Being drunk in public is a no no, but a discreet drink is usually just fine, We have never had a problem with this.

When out , order the pitcher of house wine, usually always cheaper then a cola or juice and usually fairly decent.

When you eat at a cafe or restaurant do not order bottled water( can be up to 5 euros!!) , you do not need to , they will bring you "un carafe d'eau" , some tap water, it is safe, tasty and free, I drink it all the time.

justineparis thank you so much for the idea of the picnic, I am packing a small lunch bag (black) so I can carry my sandwich with me since I am planning on doing a lot of walking! I am planning on having a couple of nice dinners just to have the experience... thanks again for your help!
Viri

Along with the many good ideas so far I'd suggest looking around for some of the small Asian traiteurs for a change of pace. Lots of variety, fairly flavorful and at least as healthy as anything you'll find in the tourist areas. And, rather than a sandwich, you can have a full meal for around 7-8 euros. For us the bonus was the ability to get in and out relatively quickly compared to the traditional restaurants that always seemed to take an hour or two out of the day.

RogerM that is a great idea, where can I find those? anywhere?
Thanks!
Viri

I love eating from supermarkets and more so at the covered markets. You'll find so much variety and interesting things to try in their deli's and the covered markets are just as much a destination as any other site in the cities. They usually have various lunch counters, too. Being prepared ahead of time is probably going to be your best money-saving tip. I spend so much money by waiting until I'm ravenously hungry and then falling into some horrid tourist-trap restaurant that's closest to whatever museum I just exited from. Be prepared either with food in your backpack or search (ahead of time) for an eatery near each of your destinations.

Thanks pdx, I actually just cancelled my hotel room today and rented a studio instead ... I am also saving about $300 just by doing that and I have all I need to cook, so I guess I will be having dinners every night now that I can afford it... YAY... thank u all for the great tips!
Viri

You'll love staying in an apartment instead of a hotel. I recommend you find your neighborhood charcuterie (deli) for prepared dishes and salads to accompany your cooking. They aren't cheap but are wonderful accompaniments for your sandwiches or meat dishes. Or meals in themselves. A roast chicken plus side dishes will keep you in delicious dinners for days.