why is everything so expensive in Paris?

Question

i am shocked at the price of things here. i think the little cafes double their price becuase of the amount of tourists. if i go and buy 2 beers it works out at about $15.70 euros. or i bought acouple diet cokes and it came back as 14.50 i was shell shocked, i mean how do people in Paris live here unless your mega rich. im in London alot and that is meant to be really expensive but Paris is way worse!!

Answer 1

The problem is not really Paris but the euro which is too strong, I understand that comparing to American prices it's too much ... But if you take a train to Geneva, you'll see prices there are 30% higher than in Paris ...In Geneva, the cheapest at a restaurant is a pizza which costs 25 euros per person and I don't go to touristic places.



In Paris, 33cl Coke at a brasserie cost an average of 5 euros, a cup of coffee about 2,50 euros.



I understand what you say as I experienced the same situation in Geneva a month ago.



@ Reinaldo & Zafir : in Paris, prices are the same at touristic and non touristic places. I live 2' walk from Trocadero and for professional reasons have lunch at different areas of Paris, sometimes popular and not touristic at all and even there, a little bottle of mineral water costs between 4 and 5 euros and a coffee about 2 euros ... If I have the same coffee at the bar, it's cheaper but I won't leave my table just to save 1 euro. Prices are higher or lower depending on the restaurant level and if it's a fashionable place, independently of quality, prices are always high. A Coke cost exactly the same it doesn't matter if it's diet or not ... Coke or Sprite cost the same as mineral water, sparkling or not ... And this is also valid in the outskirts of Paris. Drinks cost expensive in general as they try to earn money on this as restaurants try to have cheaper prices on food to attract clients ... A 3 dishes menu for 15 euros, then you spend 15 euros more in drinks. Even at Mc Donald's, a little bottle of mineral water, 25cl, costs 2 euros ! How much is it in the USA? The difference is due to the high value of the Euro ... and if you go to Switzerland, food cost 30% more expensive than in Paris.

Answer 2

Well, if you go and buy little things like that close to the major tourist sites, YES, they will charge a lot for those things. That's the way it is and has been for a long time now. And I wouldn't be surprised if similar happens in the US in touristy areas. It's all about the location. I paid €17 for 3 coffees on the Champs Elysees, sitting outside, which covered our lunch (simple but very tasty), drinks and coffees in a small café down a small side street far away from the main tourist sites.



My suggest is to go away from the main tourist drag, find a supermarket and buy your bottled drinks there, prices will be very different, and you can of course take photographs of the price and the product and if you think you're being overcharged there, you can raise a stink and go about consumer rights, but honestly I doubt you would be.



Oh, and another thing: if you sit outside, they charge a little more.

Answer 3

I guess you have heard of a place called Disney World - 47 million visitors this year. I don't hear too many complaints about the really high prices.. Actual today's prices - Hamburger $8.59 - hot dog

$6.59 add a cookie for $2 more., coffee $3 - $5. These prices are at outdoor kiosks - Much higher in sit down places.This is the same situation in the touristy areas of Paris. Do you think the citizens of Orlando or Paris pay these prices? Go have breakfast at any boulangerie or visit Monoprix or other similar places and the prices are not that far out of line



Thank you TIN for very good answer.

Answer 4

It's costing you so much because you're buying drinks in tourist cafes. Try to find a local cafe, a little off the tourist track maybe in a side street, where you see the locals drinking. Prices will be much cheaper.



The other thing you need to know about French cafes is that, if you sit at a table for a drink it will be twice the price of having that drink at the bar. That includes coffee, not just soft drink and beer, and you'll see lots of locals doing this. You also need to be aware of what you're buying. Diet Coke is not popular in France, so will be more expensive. And, if you're asking for imported beer, that will be dearer too.

Answer 5

The paris economy is different to the london 1 so things will be priced accordingly, i bet if you chose a cafe down a side street the prices wouldnt be as high, its not tourist season now is it so dotn understand why prices would go up.

Answer 6

on the subject of low fee eating places all grew to become into pronounced pass to a turkish Kebab you will consume for 5 or 6 euro Strasbourg Saint Denis is the metro station the place there are the main inexpensive kebabs in Paris. in any different case pass to a food market and purchase stuff to make your own sandwiches it's going to be way cheeaper there are a number of food market chains chief value (the fees are undemanding) there is Liddl very low fee and ED, be careful groceries owned via Arab adult adult males fee nicely over the opportunities if the grocery diesn't seem to belong to a series this is probably a ripp off. One final factor never EVER TIP IN FRANCE provider IS coated AND IS CRAP besides while in comparison with WHAT YOU GET overseas SO NO TIP.

Answer 7

From my experience, tourist cafés make newcomers pay a lot more because you're not used to the area or how much everything is. You're getting ripped off unfortunately. Try to find something away from all the tourists and it will be a lot cheaper!