Have always heard how terribly expensive Paris is, and now will know first hand as I get set to tour the city in 5 days with my boyfriend. Can anyone provide any very rough info on a possible daily budget estimate in Euros for food? Maybe very light breakfast, light lunch and dinner at an average restaurant. Like what is the cost of a cup of coffee and a croissant? Thanks.

Interesting what you've heard. I've been traveling all over the world for 30+ years and made more than 100 trips to Paris and I've always found it to be one of the most reasonable cities in terms of value for money. That said, I'm not a luxury traveler, and it is true that if you're American you are going to feel the effects of the lousy exchange rate.

Without knowing your definition of "average restaurant," it's hard to say, but if you, for example, go to a neighborhood cafe for a coffee and croissant or tartine you will pay about 4-5 euro for breakfast, possibly less. For lunch you can pick up a crepe or sandwich or fruit and bread and cheese from a market for 5-10 euro. Dinner at an unassuming local place, if you order the plat du jour, could be as inexpensive as 12-15 euro for a simple three-course meal. If you plan carefully, you can eat well for 50 euro or less a day. Or you can spend more, of course.

From my trip in Nov 07...

At local cafe, sit down with paper...morning coffee (cafe creme) 4,40 euro...total with croissant and OJ: 9,60

Lunch at outdoor cafe, Place des Vosges...Bavette de veau with lots of veggies, 1/2 bottle Vittel, glass of red wine: 17,20.

Dinner at Chez Clement, St Germain area...Terrine maison, 1/2 bottle Vittel, chicken dinner, sorbet dessert, espresso coffee, glass of red wine: 41 euro

Lunch at Miss Manon in Marais area, sandwich shop with mostly takeout: ham and gruyere sandwich, diet coke, fruit crumble: 10 euro

Dinner in 7th arrondissement, small local restaurant Bistrot du 7ieme...ordered from 20 euro prix-fixe menu..Porc Terrine, veal escalope in mushroom and cream sauce, `1/2 bottle Vittel, 1/2 bottle red wine, espresso, Positano dessert: 35,30 euro.

So you can get breakfast under 10 euro, lunch in the 10-17 euro range, and dinner in the 20-25 euro range. Note that I added bottled water and wine to my sit down meals, which you could skip. I also rate eating higher on my list, so I don't mind paying a bit more. It can be done cheaper than how I did it.

On my trip last month, we had meals as cheap as 5E a person to as much as over 150E for two. You can find anything in any range if you do your research and know where to look, and also adjust what you're looking for in a meal. Sandwich only (our 5E lunch), omelette or crepe (our 20E dinner), 5 course fixed price, eating a la carte all have different price tags associated with them...add wine or cocktails and it goes up from there. In my eyes, "average" all depends on where you want to eat and what you're looking to eat.

I agree with amyb 100%. It's really easy to figure out what you are going to spend, since the menus are posted outside.

One time we paid 43E for two croque monsieurs with salad, one glass of wine, one bottled water, and two beers (total ripoff), and then had the same exact meal elsewhere for 21E.

We would just wander around, check out the menus, and decide what we wanted to spend.