Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - How much spending money for a week in Paris and a week in Rome?

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How much spending money for a week in Paris and a week in Rome?

We're going to Europe in the beginning of January. We're spending one week in Paris and one week in Rome (maybe with a day trip to Florence out of Rome - by train). I've heard from everyone that Paris is very expensive. We are having one nice dinner in Paris (Jules Verne) and one nice dinner in Rome (La Terazza @ Hotel Eden). Not including hotel and airfare (just spending money) how much is safe so take for spending money (with maybe just a little shopping along the way)? Thanks!

Aileen I don't see how any one can answer this for you, we all have different spending habits. You are planning two lovely and very expensive dinners; does that mean you want to stick to bread and cheese for the other meals, or you want to eat quite well in neighborhood cafes? I'm not at all trying to sound sarcastic, I just don't know your preferences. You needn't worry about exactly how much to bring with you because most places take credit cards, and there are atms everywhere. Just make sure you have sufficient credit line and cash in your checking account. ATMs abroad don't generally allow access to funds in savings accounts. Credit card transactions tend to give the best exchange rate, so use them as much as you can, except for simple stores like tabacs or news stands. I'll do euro/dollar estimates on what I might spend if I'm not on a very tight budget. For simple lunches like salads, quiche,pasta, soup, pizza,or sandwich, you can get by for $10-25 pp depending on where, if you have a glass or wine or a coffee and dessert, etc. Stand-up snack bars are the least expensive options as are pizza places of course. For moderate dinners in Paris and Rome there is a very wide range, but I'd budget $40-75pp with some wine. Yes, of course you can spend less than that on dinner but you can also spend much more. I have files on Paris and Rome; if you'd like to see them, email me. Also, if you go to the Restaurant Rants and Raves section elsewhere on this Fodor's website, you can get some idea on restaurants and how people felt about the prices.

Divide your annual income by 52. That would make for generous spending money for a week. Everything else put on credit card, including your fancy dinners. In other words, take any amount you feel like taking.

You could probably survive on $75 a day between you but that would be a basic standard of living i.e. staying in cheap hotels/hostels, eating bread and cheese from supermarkets or special lunchtime set menus, the occasional beer as well as entrance to the odd nmuseum. Ideally you should quadruple this amount as an absolute minimum to be comfortable (i.e. $300 a day).

I stay in five star hotels and eat at the finest restaurants, and I don't know why you would need more than 25 euro a day "spending money". Credit cards, Aileen. Don't leave home without them.

When the Emir of Kuwait goes to Paris, he probably has to spend $10,000,000 per day. (or was that the figure 25 years ago?) Consider using ATM's so you don't have to carry too much cash. If you use letters for your PIN code, remember what the numbers are in case they don't have letters on the buttons. You can also use credit cards, Visa being more accepted in France compared to American Express or Master Card. Guessing on your spending habits, $100/day for eating, public transport, and spending (not hotel) should be plenty. Budget travellers could do on much less.

I guess I don't understand what spending money is. If you disount airfare and hotel bill. We usually get breakfast in the hotel, included on special offers, so all that is left is lunch..a crepe on the street with a drink..maybe $3.00 each ..some museums are free, some up to $8 or so dollars..lots of things free..just walking and looking doesn't cost a cent! Dinner depends on your priorities..we often spend 100.00 but have been know to spend a lot less or a lot more! we are not into buying things to bring home that people look at and throw in a closet never to appear again. Neither do we expect our friends or family to bring us "stuff". How can anyone answer your question? For us excluding hotel I'd guess $150.00 a day, MAX!