Corsica on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Corsica on a budget is possible, especially with camping and outside August. A realistic minimum is about €110 per person per day: bed €45, food €30, sights €10 and transport €25 (half a rental car plus fuel).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €45 | €75 | €170 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €50 | €90 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €25 | €40 | €60 |
| Per person, per day | €110 | €195 | €380 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Corsica day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Sunset at Pointe de la Parata facing the Îles Sanguinaires
- The Calanques de Piana and the 'Château Fort' trail
- Calvi's citadel ramparts and long pine-backed beach
- The hill villages of the Balagne, such as Sant'Antonino and Pigna
- The Restonica valley walks near Corte
- Ajaccio's old town and the Place Foch market
Cheap eats
- Figatellu or charcuterie sandwich from a market stall: about €6-9
- Beignets au brocciu (cheese fritters) from a bakery: a few euros
- Village set lunch: about €18-25
- Pizza from a roadside van, a Corsican classic: about €10-14
- Fiadone (brocciu cheesecake) slice: about €3-5
Where to sleep for less
Corte has the cheapest rooms on the island (about €70-110 a double), and well-run campsites along the coast charge from about €25 a pitch. Gîtes d'étape on the hiking routes offer dorm beds for less.
Getting around cheaply
A shared rental car is the cheapest way to see the island; split it between two or more. The scenic train from Ajaccio to Corte and Bastia (about €20-25 for the full line) and the occasional buses work if you base yourself in a few towns.
A sample budget day
- Morning: market breakfast in Ajaccio and the Place Foch area (about €6)
- Lunch: picnic of figatellu, brocciu and bread (about €8)
- Afternoon: drive the Route des Sanguinaires to the beaches (fuel share)
- Evening: pizza on the old port and sunset at Pointe de la Parata (about €14)
- Total: about €110 including a shared room and car share
More ways to save
- Camp in shoulder season: Corsican campsites are cheap, scenic and well equipped.
- Fill up the car in larger towns; fuel is pricier in remote villages.
- Book ferries early and sail at night to save a hotel night.
- Skip paid boat trips except Scandola, the one most worth paying for.
- Choose Corte as a base for mountain days rather than coastal resorts.
- Drink local wine by the carafe (vin de pays) in restaurants.
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Common questions
Can I visit Corsica on a budget?
Yes, at about €110 a day with camping or Corte rooms, picnics and a shared car, outside August.
Can you get around Corsica without a car?
Partly: the train links Ajaccio, Corte, Bastia and Calvi, and buses run once or twice a day. A car is far more practical.
What is the cheapest way to get to Corsica?
Compare ferries from Marseille, Toulon, Nice, Livorno and Genoa with low-cost flights to Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi or Figari, and book early.