Bottom Line: Is Nice Expensive to Visit in 2023?
After Paris, I would argue that the second most iconic French destination is Nice. Perched on the beautiful Cote d’Azur and surrounded by stunning vistas, it’s no surprise that so many people vacation here every year. And if you’re planning a trip to this dreamy city for the first time, you might be asking: Is Nice expensive to visit? Can you travel to Nice on a budget?
As someone who loves this city dearly and visited this seaside town more than once, I’ve got answers and will tell you what you can expect!
Table of Contents
- Is Nice France Expensive to Visit? (2023)
- How Expensive Is Nice France?
- How Much Is Accommodation in Nice France?
- Are Nice Tourist Attractions Expensive?
- How Expensive Is Food in Nice France?
- How Much Does Nice Public Transport Cost?
- Is Nice Expensive: FAQ
- Wrap-Up: Is Nice Expensive to Visit? (2023)
Is Nice France Expensive to Visit? (2023)
Nice is known around the world as being the most iconic destination in the South of France, and it’s no surprise that it’s become one of the top tourist destinations in Europe.
With its vibrant, yet easygoing culture, colorful architecture, delicious regional foods, and gorgeous beaches, Nice is a paradise on Earth. Not to mention, the weather is pretty much as good as it gets in Europe since they have relatively pleasant temperatures year-round.
As such, you’d likely assume that Nice is pretty expensive to visit right? I mean it makes sense considering this area is a highly sought-after beach getaway for wealthy leaders (*ahem Russian oligarchs*), celebrities, and tourists everywhere.
The truth is that it honestly depends. Sure it can be a really expensive place to visit if you’re rollin’ in the dough and spending money left and right. But, you can also comfortably budget travel here.
For me, I found that some aspects of my trip to Nice were a bit more expensive than what I expected while others were surprisingly affordable. And I’d like to think I represent the average traveler.
Yes, I tend to travel on the budget side, but I am more than happy to splurge on incredible experiences like paragliding or staying at the Fairmont in Monte Carlo — remember you only live once 😅.
Anyways, my general belief is that Nice is a slightly more expensive destination than your average place.
Is Nice More Expensive Than Paris?
Nice is definitely less expensive than Paris. In fact, just about any city in Europe or around the World, save for Zurich and Hong Kong, is going to be less expensive than Paris according to the US News and World Report.
And as validation, today (May 2023), I paid $80 USD per night for a *hostel* in Paris. My bank account is literally trembling knowing that I paid like a third of that for my amazing hostel in Stockholm…
That said, I am visiting Paris for the Roland Garros Tennis Tournament, so I know prices are a little inflated, but still.
Everything in Paris is just always ridiculously expensive, and it’s just one of the many hard truths you have to deal with when visiting the City of Love and Light…and the city of draining your bank account lol 🫠
Anyways, the gist is that while Paris is always fun to visit, it’s very expensive.
So, you can take solace in knowing you have the option of traveling through Nice without doing too much damage — at least I hope it’s not too much damage! 😅
How Expensive Is Nice France?
You may be wondering how expensive Nice France is, especially if you haven’t been to Paris! To give you a rough idea, here are some general comparisons with other cities I’ve traveled to.
Compared to places in Eastern Europe, such as Zagreb, Ljubljana, and Zakopane, you can expect to pay about 2x more for everything in Nice.
Meanwhile, when looking at nearby places in Western Europe, such as Biarritz, Barcelona, Bilbao, or Toulouse, Nice is about 25% more expensive. It’s noticeable when you’re looking at your total budget, but not to the point that you have to watch every meal you eat.
And if you’re contrasting Nice with anywhere in the Scandinavian region, like Stockholm, Helsinki, Oslo, or Copenhagen, you can rejoice! From my travel experiences, the Scandinavian region is one of the most expensive areas you can visit.
Literally, I made the error of not checking housing prices prior to booking transportation into Oslo. When I did look, I realized I couldn’t afford to even stay in a hostel.
Thus, I opted to do some good ole couchsurfing, which wasn’t bad. But, yah — the Scandinavian region is notoriously expensive, so you’ll likely spend much less in Nice.
Now you might be thinking, “Okay, these comparisons are ✨nice✨, but they don’t really do much for helping me create a budget.” I hear ya!
Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer for how expensive Nice is because it depends on your reference point and financial background. I know, I hate this answer as much as the next person…
Therefore, to help you out, I’ll be delving into the average amounts you can expect to pay and budget suggestions in the sections below based on my visits to Nice. This way, you have tangible numbers to work with when creating your budget.
How Much Is Accommodation in Nice France?
Most of the time, accommodation in Nice France isn’t that bad — at least I don’t think so.
The typical cost for a single night’s accommodation in an average hotel is approximately $100 USD. And the less expensive options, such as hostels and cheaper hotels, can cost as low as $30 per night.
On the other hand, if you’re seeking luxury, high-end hotels and resorts can cost up to $200 per night, with super fancy hotels costing around $300. So, it’s not that bad in comparison to Switzerland or Paris.
That said, prices of housing accommodation in Nice will naturally fluctuate based on the season. As you probably guessed, I’m talking about the peak summer season and winter holiday season.
During these times, prices literally double. Kid you not. I’ve been during the summer, and I’ve been during the fall shoulder season. Housing is where you’ll see the greatest difference in prices.
Compared to what I just listed above, during the summer months… a nice 3-star hotel will cost at least $200 USD per night.
Centrally located 4-star hotels move to the $300 range for a single night, and the luxury hotels can range from $600 – $1000+ per night.
Oh! And even hostels are affected. My friend and I stayed at the Hostel Ozz & Bar by Happy Deck during the summer, and it cost us each $86 per night.
There were cheaper hostels that cost $50 USD per night, but the security and reviews weren’t great. Thus, we splurged for peace of mind and security, which I’m happy to report we received!
Anyways, as you can see — housing in Nice can vary by quite a bit and it’s the part that I was most shocked by.
Looking for Accommodation in Nice France?
Want to check out prices for accommodation in Nice for yourself? Here are places I recommend checking out based on where I’ve stayed in Nice and the outside research I’ve done for my trips.
Low-Cost Stays
- Hostel Ozz & Bar — lovely hostel that I loved staying at! | ⭐️ 8.6 / 10
- Villa Bougainville by Happyculture — awesome 4-star hotel | ⭐️ 7.8 / 10
Mid-Range Stays
- La Pérouse — 4-star hotel next to Castle Hill & with pool | ⭐️ 8.8 / 10
- Hotel Nice Côte D’Azur — 4-star hotel w/ beautiful terraces | ⭐️ 9 / 10
Luxury Stays
- Hotel Palais Saleya — great 4-star hotel near Castle Hill | ⭐️ 9.4 / 10
- Le Negresco — historic 5-star hotel along Promenade des Anglais | ⭐️ 9.1 / 10
Feel free to click these buttons to head to your favorite booking platform and see additional housing options there.
Are Nice Tourist Attractions Expensive?
While housing accommodations in Nice can be expensive depending on the time you go, I’ve always found that Nice tourist attractions are pretty affordable!
For example, there are lots of free things to do in the city. Just to name a few, you can walk to the top of Castle Hill and catch the most amazing views of the city or explore the local markets, such as Liberation Market or the famous Marché Aux Fleurs Cours Saleya.
Or if it’s hot outside and you need to escape the heat, you can check out the interior of the different cathedrals around the city and admire the architecture.
Even the different tours are comparatively cheap in relation to similar tours for other destinations. For example, this fantastic walking tour of the Nice is $35 USD and gives you a great overview of the city’s history and culture.
Or if you’re a foodie like me and always excited to discover a city by way of your taste buds, the walking food tours provide excellent value for their price!
For a 3 – 3.5 hour tour, you can expect to pay about $70 – $90 USD, which is honestly a steal considering everything you get. I’ve paid much more for foodie experiences in Stockholm and San Diego.
✅ 🇫🇷 Check rates & availability for delicious food tours in Nice!
My Favorite Day Trip from Nice
One of my absolute favorite things to do whenever I’m in Nice is visit Monaco! I know, I know, this isn’t technically a thing to do in Nice, but they are literally less than half an hour away from each other by car and train.
And briefly immersing yourself in the land of the rich and wealthy is surprisingly cheap — as in $10 USD cheap if you travel by train. Feel free to read more about exploring Monaco for the day here.
You can even opt to stay a night or two in Monaco. This is something my friend and I decided to do since it’s not every day you get to stay at a luxury hotel in Monte Carlo!
Yes, it took my wallet a little bit to recover, but that’s okay — it’s for the travel memories and food for the soul! That’s what I keep telling myself. 😌
And despite the micro-country’s reputation, there are honestly even pretty reasonably priced hotels too. So, you have options!
💸 How much to budget: I’d recommend budgeting about $15 USD per day + $100 USD. I personally add an extra $100 since I like to do a food tour, wine tour, or day trip to a nearby town wherever I go.
How Expensive Is Food in Nice France?
I always find it hard to judge how expensive food is in a city since there are so many factors that come into play. Is the restaurant fancy? Are you eating several courses? Is it a food truck? It’s always hard to judge these things lol.
According to the data, a meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Nice will cost you about €18. Based on my experiences dining out, this checks out. I spent about €20 at most restaurants I ate at, excluding drinks.
But, if you’re working on a tighter budget, you can very easily find cheaper places. For instance, my friends and I went to a Casino grocery store and made pasta for pretty cheap.
You can also find lots of well-priced food available at the markets I mentioned previously. And I 10/10 recommend socca, which is one of the most popular street foods and only costs €1 – €2.
All in all, I would recommend budgeting $66 USD or €60 per day for food in Nice. This is under the assumption you aren’t going heavy on drinks and are only eating out twice a day at nice restaurants.
For those who don’t know, it’s pretty common in French culture to have a croissant and a cup of coffee for breakfast. Nothing major, just some small stuff.
Of course, for my fellow Americans or anyone else who loves breakfast (because it’s the most important meal of the day — yah, I said it!) don’t worry. You can find lots of great breakfast spots. I’ve had a few of my favorites listed in my ideal Nice itinerary.
How Much Is a Beer in Nice?
For some reason, this is one of the most common questions people ask when discussing whether or not Nice is expensive to visit. I don’t know why, but it is. So, to give the people what they want, a typical beer in Nice costs about $6.50 USD or €6.
And with regards to wine, my friends and I always joke about how wine is cheaper than water in France lol. That said, the renowned Provence wine region has a lot to offer visitors, especially if you fancy a bit of rosé!
How Much Does Nice Public Transport Cost?
Something I really appreciate about visiting Nice is how convenient the public transport system is. Whether you want to take a bus, tram, metro, or train — there are so many options available that make it easy to get around the city and surrounding villages like Villefranche-sur-Mer or Eze quickly.
And… it’s not expensive. But then again, I don’t think I’ve really been anywhere where public transportation is unreasonably expensive since that kinda defeats the purpose.
Wait, no — Copenhagen. Yeah, public transport is expensive there too LOL.
Anyways, if you want to visit some attractions further away, such as Liberation Market or Musée Matisse, or have limited mobility, I’d consider getting a metro card and taking full advantage of Nice’s fantastic public transportation network.
They have tickets available for a single trip, 10 trips, a 1-day pass, a 2-day pass, and a 7-day pass. You can view all the different passes here. And then when you’re ready to buy one, you can do so at any of the ticket machines within the stations.
Personally speaking, my friend and I bought a 7-day metro pass for €15 or ~$16.50 USD, and it totally worth it. Super easy and intuitive and everything was great.
Overall, Nice has quite an affordable public transport network that I highly recommend using for exploring attractions located further away.
But, if you have a hotel based in the city center, you honestly might not even need to use the public transport system since the city is very walkable!
Is Nice Expensive: FAQ
The cost of eating out in Nice will naturally depend on the kind of restaurants you’re looking to go to and how gourmet the food is. But, I’d say a regular sit-down restaurant will cost around €25 per person if you aren’t doing anything fancy.
I personally don’t think Nice is a very expensive destination for tourists, but it ultimately depends on you and your background.
And based on everything I’ve mentioned above, I’d budget about $100 USD per day for food and basic attractions. Public transport shouldn’t cost you more than a few dollars, and then you just have to factor in housing accommodations and any tours you may want to do.
The French Riviera is larger than most people realize and prices vary widely across the different coastal towns. Thus, it’s hard to blanket statement it has expensive or not. That said, some towns are definitely on the expensive side, such as Cannes and Saint Tropez.
Nice, France is best known for its flavorful Niçoise food, picturesque coastline with the brightest turquoise waters, abundance of colorful buildings, and laid-back atmosphere.
Aside from everything else I’ve mentioned, some of the best things to do in Nice include wandering Old Town and browsing through the vendor’s shops, strolling along Promenade des Anglais, swimming in the warm waters of the Côte d’Azur, and exploring the grounds of Château de Nice!
Wrap-Up: Is Nice Expensive to Visit? (2023)
In conclusion, Nice is a slightly more expensive city to visit compared to a lot of other destinations in Europe. But, it’s not astronomically expensive like Paris or Geneva.
And with its fantastic transportation network, long list of activities that are low-cost or free, and plethora of food options, Nice can accommodate all kinds of budgets.
So, whether you’re a budget backpacker, a luxury traveler, or somewhere in between, this is a city that everyone should enjoy a little beach getaway in at least once!
Read More About France
- Visiting Lyon and love wine? Discover the famous Beaujolais wine region with a wine-tasting excursion!
- Spending a few days in Toulouse and need a change of pace? Do a day trip to the nearby medieval city of Carcassonne to visit Cité de Carcassonne, a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site!
