Bordeaux on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Bordeaux works on a budget if you walk, use trams and eat lunch menus. A realistic minimum is about €90 per person per day: bed €40, food €30, sights €15 and transport €5.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €40 | €85 | €190 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €55 | €110 |
| Sights & tickets | €15 | €35 | €70 |
| Local transport | €5 | €10 | €30 |
| Per person, per day | €90 | €185 | €400 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Bordeaux day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Miroir d'eau in front of Place de la Bourse, day and night
- Walking the riverside quays from the Bourse to Chartrons
- The Cathédrale Saint-André (the church itself is free)
- The Sunday-morning market on the Quai des Chartrons
- Rue Sainte-Catherine and the Grosse Cloche bell gate
- The Jardin Public, the city's 18th-century park
Cheap eats
- Bistro lunch formule: about €15-20
- Canelés from a bakery: a couple of euros each
- Oysters and white wine at the Marché des Capucins stalls: from about €10-15
- Food-hall plates at the Halles de Bacalan: about €10-18
- A boulangerie sandwich and pastry picnic on the quays: under €10
Where to sleep for less
Budget rooms are around Saint-Michel and near Saint-Jean station, with doubles about €70-110 and a short tram ride to the centre. A couple of hostels in the centre offer dorm beds for less.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the flat centre and use trams for longer hops (about €2 a ticket, €5-6 for 24 hours). From Mérignac airport, tram A reaches the centre in about 40-45 minutes for a single fare.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Place de la Bourse, the Miroir d'eau and Saint-Pierre (free)
- Lunch: bistro formule (about €17)
- Afternoon: Tour Pey-Berland (about €8) and the Jardin Public (free)
- Evening: canelés and a glass of wine on the quays (about €10)
- Total: about €90 including a shared room
More ways to save
- Look for museum free days: many municipal museums are free on the first Sunday of the month (check).
- Shop at the Marché des Capucins for cheap produce and oysters.
- Hire a V3 bike for short trips instead of single tram tickets.
- Choose Saint-Emilion over the Médoc if you have no car: it is reachable by cheap train.
- Drink 'vin de la maison' by the glass or carafe, often good and cheap in Bordeaux.
- Stay near a tram line outside the centre for lower room rates.
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Common questions
What is the minimum daily budget for Bordeaux?
About €90 per person, with a shared budget room, lunch menus and mostly free sights.
How do I get from the airport cheaply?
Tram A runs from Mérignac airport to the centre in about 40-45 minutes for a normal ticket (about €2).
Can I visit Saint-Emilion on a budget?
Yes: the TER train costs about €10 each way, and the village is free to walk. Only the Monolithic Church needs a paid guided visit.