Save money on the apt. You're not going to remember that much about sleeping. You will remember what you did, tasted and saw.

Let me echo venturegirl on this, you are only going to be in Paris for a week. There's not need to plan a trip outside of Paris. There is so much to do right in the city, unless you want to go to Versailles.

Use the search button right here on Fodors and put in Paris Apartments. It's a good place to start.

You're going to have a great time in Paris take a deep breath and figure things out in Euros. xe.com is a good place to convert.

Thank you so much to everyone. I agree, I thought the apartment was very expensive, but also thought that was normal in Paris. Overall, we have a 15,000 (in Euros) budget for 2 weeks in Europe, not including airfare. Therefor, if we spend a week in Paris, our budget should run around 7,500 Euros. Out of that budget, what percentage would you recommend allocating for food/activities? For the apartment?

have you priced this out for London? That can be expensive.
if you took 2 hotel rooms at $200/day (and that is very available) it would free up a lot of money.
The advice about soft drinks is right on--EXPENSIVE!!
Hopefully your time will largely match a Navigo pass for each.
I think the children will have free admission to museums?
You want nice not lavish dinners--there are wonderful prix fixe menus for 30E many places, so maybe a couple of splurges for those.
Know the custom--if you stop at a café and stand at the counter to have a coffee and croissant it is much less than sitting at a table.

We're staying with family in London. We've been there several times before, and while London is expensive, we won't be eating out a lot and we not have to pay for hotels.

So, how many Euros should I budget, pp per day for food and activities?

Ah, good.

I actually find London about the same or even a bit cheaper than Paris. Mostly because so many of the museums are free. Hotels do cost more in London for the same quality - but you're staying w/ family so London should end up MUCH cheaper than Paris.

Your budget is quite generous -- but the first thing you need to do is book your apartment. Unless you go VERY up market, you should find a terrific place for $2500-$3000/€1800-€2200. And nice, moderately priced apartments are all over for less than $2000/€1500.

Well, if you want a "nice" meal every evening, 50E/person per day would cover it. Coffee and croissant for breakfast, ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, and dinner.
If you average that out--and don't eat a "nice" meal every night it is more than adequate.
Since you say meals are an enjoyable part of your trip, I'd look for a less expensive apartment and use that extra money on food.
The 50E/day is our usual budget.

<< So, how many Euros should I budget, pp per day for food and activities? >>

Well...I've already given my recommendation, above. It all depends on how you view the "nice but not super lavish" meals and how many time you will be eating dinner out.

Your $3,000 get you E75 per day per person and with the "nice" meals that will leave very little for other food and sightseeing. If you want to eat dinner on the cheap or eat in the apartment most nights then you may be able to get by with E75.

If you can increase that amount to E100 or a bit more that will allow you those nice meals plus stopping during the day to buy a crepe from a street stand, an ice cream, or even let your children have a couple of soft drinks rather than drinking water.

Don't fixate on the $3000. Your whole budget is generous -- ESPECIALLY since you are not paying for accommodations in London. Find the apartment first . . . only then will you know what you have to spend on other things.

I personally think you are currently planning too much for rooms and too little for 'stuff'.

Thank you. I don't consider London to be a part of the vacation though- the London fund is separate. We were hoping to go to Italy after Paris. I hope that is still doable, although for 20,000 USD, or ~15,000 Euros, I think we should be fine. I'm still trying to plan my budget, although I think I might just go with the flow on how much we spend on food/activities, and just plan on spending 400E per day for the whole group.

OK - the target keeps moving. You have thrown around so many numbers. Paris - then Paris and London, 'oh not London - that's separate. Its Paris an Italy.' I know you were asking re a budget for a week in Paris - but the whole trip will come out of some pocket so why all the subdividing? I think that just confuses things.

You have a finite pot of $$$/€€€. Start subtracting the set costs - like book your accommodations, train tix/internal flights and that tells you what you have to spend.

Sorry- I only mentioned London because that's where the transportation costs come in.

I, too am very confused. All I want is how much it costs for Paris pp per day. I think I've settled on 100E pp per day.

Sorry for so much confusion! I'm new at budgeting.

It depends on what you mean by "nice" dinner. If you mean basic sit down casuale dinner that's one amount. If you mean upscale dinner that is a whole other thing - and I would allow at least 100 euros per person just for dinner. If you are renting an apt and doing breakfast and snacks - and possibly a dinner or two there it's a whole different story.

So - which is it?

A meal similar to what you would spend 90-130 USD for 4 in NYC or San Francisco.

That is my 30E prix fixe meal in Paris. And it includes the tip!!
There are myriad places to eat well at that level-=or less.
I also wonder if your transportation cost from London isn't high--if you buy the tickets at the right time they could be cheaper.

<< A meal similar to what you would spend 90-130 USD for 4 in NYC or San Francisco. >>

Thanks for clarifying your meals. Unfortunately, I would say that is very low end pricing for NYC. Even in the suburbs, where I live, it's low end for a "nice but not lavish" dinner.

That's E23 per person ($130). Yes you can get dinners for that amount. There are many restaurants in Paris that offer E15 to E25 prix fixe for a 3 course meal (starter, main, dessert). Drinks would be extra. Again, steer away from the soft drinks which cost a fortune.

You can get North African, Asian, crepes, pizza/pasta as a change from traditional food. Many of these eateries are inexpensive.

Just walk around your neighborhood and look at the menus and blackboards on display outside the restaurants.

Thanks. I think I need to clarify more so on the meals. I want to sample a variety of Parisian cuisine, so one night we might go somewhere really cheap, the other somewhere more expensive.

Usually, we spend ~$130 on a night @ a restaraunt. We live in a town similar to Aspen, CO. How would that equate in Paris terms?

Overall, budget isn't too much of an issue. I just want an approximate amount so I know what to expect.

There isn't any such thing as Parisian cuisine, really. Paris is an amalgam of all the cuisines of the many different regions of France. I can't think of a single dish I would call "Parisian," though maybe there are some.

Is the $130 (and you REALLY need to start thinking in euros, not dollars) for one person or two or...?

>>Is the $130 (and you REALLY need to start thinking in euros, not dollars) for one person or two or...?<<

I think she is talking about the family of 4 . . .