Visiting Paris with less than RM 4000??


I had several requests for posts on my travelling budget.
I know I have done this post for London previously and some of you requested for other places as well, and forgive me as I have been too slow in picking up my pace.
Panting.. breath catching here.

Today, I thought to write about cheap travels to Paris.
On the 13th of November 2014, we took an early morning easyjet to Paris.

I booked way early, in July so that I could secure the best deal.
I got a one way ticket from London Luton to Paris Charles de Gaulle for 2 adults and one infant for Euro 179.46.
This included 3 checked in luggages and choosing seats for the 3 of us.
Equals to RM 753.73 for all of us.
We actually prefered the Eurotrain from Victoria station, London straight to Paris, Gare du Nord but it cost more than double the price for each person.
As always, we would choose the best deal.
The flight took about 45 mins to 1 hour.
Easyjet despite being a budget airline, provides spacious seats for everyone.

We spent 5 days and 5 nights in Paris.
Gallerie Lafayette.

The morning of our arrival, Paris was so bright and sunny.
It was warm, way warmer than the gloomy London.

I have searched high and low for the most suitable hotel for us.
I spent weeks reading every reviews and I mean I really need the best accommodation offered for our price.
When travelling, I am not someone who just doesn't care where she will sleep at night.
I care very much.
I mean, I need an excellent bed for comfort after a long day out, a spacious room and bathroom with a bathtub to soak.
It doesn't have to be luxurious but not too shabby as well.
Choosing accommodation really depends on your preferences.
As always, I loved Agoda website. I mean I have compared booking.com and Agoda after suggested by my friend.
However, I still prefer Agoda.
I found the price to be the same on the exact same hotel.
Booking.com however has more listed hotels making them offering lower price but when I went through the lists, I found that the lower price room has lower grade.
Therefore, I prefer Agoda which selected its list of hotels.
Yes, I want a reasonably cheap price for a good hotel.
The hotel that I finally discover was Tim Opera Gare Saint Lazare Hotel.

It was a street with musical instruments shop.

It is located in the centre of Paris, very close to Gare Saint Lazare, within walking distance to Galerie Lafayette, Grand Palais Opera, Printemps and many more.

I love how Printemps exhibit the brands. Very excellent way of marketting.
You will find kids and parents lining up to watch the puppets show in the glasses.
Burberry puppets.
They moved according to the musics.
Very clever ways to market the mall.


Tim Hotel Opera from 13th November -18th November, 6 days 5 nights, for RM 2000.
RM 400 per night.
It was the best hotel for the rate in term of location, service and room.
The room was very big.
Paris is a small city which means per square feet value will be higher than most city and especially in Malaysia.
In KL on a good day you can get a 5 stars hotel's room for RM 200 plus and the room will be super spacious.
In Paris, you can pay RM 500-600 and will be squeezed in a small room.
That is why the research and review has to be done meticulously.
I was lucky that I made a good call choosing Tim Opera Hotel.
I chose it for the location, being near halal food, being in the centre where we could walk to everywhere.
The room was big with a double bed, large bathroom with a bathtub, completed with all utensils, kettles, iron and everything a 4 stars hotel should have.
The services were great as well.
Overall, we were very satisfied.

From the Charles de Gaulle airport, there was a designated bus that goes straight to the Grand Palais Opera.
It was called de Roissy bus.
It costs € 10 per person.
Which means €20 for the two of us.
Isabella could ride for free.
You can buy the ticket at a designated machine.
It is okay if you don't have cash since you can use Euro.
As soon as I reached the airport, I immediately withdrew €200.
Which equals to RM 900.
The bus ride took about an hour in Paris traffic but a taxi would cost more than €40.
Like I said, Tim Opera Hotel was just a short walk to Grand Palais Opera.

Transportation around Paris, we used train a couple of times only.
It was because Paris is a small city and everything is reachable to our hotel by walking.
It could be just a short walk or a very long walk.
But walking all over London was impossible as the city is huge.
So you get my meaning right?


Secondly, Paris metro is not a baby friendly or stroller friendly at all.
Forget about having lift, because they don't even have that many escalators.
They use stairs but that is not the only problem, some train stations have low platform which made the gap between the train and the ground way too big.
Even the gate for stroller at the entrance where you scan your pass wouldn't open and several times we had to use the normal individual gate to pass through.
It was a hassle with a stroller because even after you folded it, it still wouldn't fit.
Really, it pissed my husband off.

In London there were some old stations where you have to open the gate by yourself, no scanning machine.
The gates usually were not locked but if they were, there would be an underground officer close by to just open for you. Even before you notice them, they would have noticed you with the stroller. That was how efficient London Underground staffs were.
They were very helpful and attentive.

Therefore, in Paris, we walked to the Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, Montmatre, Sacre de Coehr, Notre Dame and everywhere.

Luckily, it was manageable and it provided us the best view of Paris.

But if you wish to get a ticket pass,I would recommend Mobilis.
It costed me €6.80 per person. Way cheaper than London.
You can use it limitless for a day.
With Mobilis you can choose smaller zone such as Zone 1-2. I chose 1-2 because believe me if you wish to only see main attractions in the centre, these 2 zones are all that you need.
With bigger zones, you will be charged more.
If you buy Paris Travelcard, you will have to pay extra as it covers until Zone 3.
It costs €10.80 per day which means more than €4 extra.
Paris Visite Card costs way more as you can visit so many museums for free.

As for me, with 5 days in Paris, I wouldn't be able to enter all the free museums well enough to cover the cost that I paid. I mean it is cheaper than buying each ticket per entrance but like I said, I am not interested in museums.
I prefer to just stroll around, enjoying the beauty that Paris offers.
Everything was free.

Trust me, eventhough you don't get to entre the Notre Dame or Moulin Rogue, you will have a thousand photos to take home.
Everytime you turn your head, there was only beauty to feast.

I prefer to spend my money on food.
Paris is trully a city rich with gourmet.
Everything tastes great here.
There were cafes everywhere, nutella crepes, waffles Owh my god, even as I write this, brings back all the delicious memories.
The bakeries, pastries were excellent.
We had lunch at a cafe once.
Ate Margharitas pizza with chocolate milkshake and it was the softest and crispiest pizza we have ever tasted.
Suddenly my husband became a fan of pizza.
Just stroll around and don't forget to stop for hot chocolate drink.
€2.20=RM 9.90
The vintage bakery.
1 croissant equal to €1.30=RM 5.90.

If you convert everything, it is expensive hehehe.
But then you shouldn't miss what Paris can offer.

A nutella crepe costed € 3.50=RM 16

In Paris, I spent way less than in London because we didn't do any shopping except for souvenirs.
We however, spent more on food.

One time lunch costed €25=RM 113.0
One delicious beef falafel with fries costed €7.50= RM 34.
Times that for 2 persons.
Crazy right??

As always, we headed to the nearest supermarket to grab some fruits for Isabella, yougurts, chocolate puddings, juice, baby's food, fresh milk and baguette from the bakeries.
Everyday, we would come home with a fresh baguette to eat with Paris special butter.
That was Isabella and my favourite breakfast or supper.
The freshly homemade butter and the warm baguette. hmmm. Tasty.

Which means, no breakfast spent outside.
However groceries in Paris costed way more than London.
The first time we entered, we came out with €16 products.
RM 72 for 5 days of breakfast and snacks.

Everyday we used €25 for our food.
€25x 5 days =€125=RM 562.50
Mobilis €6.20x2 persons x 2 days=€24.8= RM 117
Souvenirs €23= RM 103.50.

You can get the best deal souvenirs from the African guys walking around with Eiffel Tower. If you are clever enough to bargain, you will get so many free keychains.
That was what happened to us.
When the guy persuaded me to buy, I just listened to the price and scoffed it off, not interested and about to walk away.
Then, my husband would come and started bargaining.
He can strike an excellent bargain.
He would always come out a winner.
The guy would walk away with a sour face and said,' You are very bad. This is no good to me'.
I would get the huge Eiffel Tower miniatures I was aiming for half the price they asked plus 10 free Eiffel Towers keychains.

Hotels RM 2000
De Roissy bus RM 90.

Airport shuttle on the last day €18 x 2 persons =€36=RM 162.

Total of everything from easyjet to hotel and expenses are RM 3800 which was more than the total cost for London as we stayed in hotel for Paris while we rented a room through airbnb in London.

As always, I have paid the hotel and flight way before my trip.
So we only used RM 1035 during my 5 days in Paris slightly less than London.

So, when my sister in law asked me if it will be enough to bring RM 4k to Bali? I'd say, it is enough to take her to Paris even.

Okay guys, hope this will help:)

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