Nice on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Nice on a budget is possible at about €106 per person per day sharing a room, thanks to free beaches, cheap coastal transport and Niçoise street food. It is the most affordable base for exploring the Riviera.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | €60 | €120 | €300 |
| Food & drink | €30 | €60 | €120 |
| Sights & tickets | €10 | €30 | €60 |
| Local transport | €6 | €12 | €40 |
| Per person, per day | €106 | €222 | €520 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Nice day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The public beaches along the Promenade des Anglais
- Castle Hill (Colline du Château) and its views, with a free lift
- The Cours Saleya flower and food market
- Vieux Nice's lanes and Baroque churches
- Walking the Nietzsche Path from Èze village down to the sea
- The Cap d'Antibes coastal path (Sentier du Littoral)
Cheap eats
- Socca (chickpea pancake): about €4–5
- Pissaladière (onion tart): about €3–5 a slice
- Pan bagnat: about €6–9
- Pizza slice in Vieux Nice: about €4–6
- Gelato from a shop in the old town: about €3–5
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay near Nice-Ville station or Jean-Médecin, where simple hotels cost about €100–160 a double (around €60 per person sharing). Hostels near the station and in the old town offer dorm beds from roughly €30–50, more in summer.
Getting around cheaply
Walk the centre and use the tram (line 2 from the airport, about 25 minutes). Lignes d'Azur buses cost about €2 a ride along the coast, and TER trains run to Monaco, Menton, Antibes and Cannes every 15–30 minutes.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Cours Saleya market and a socca breakfast (about €5)
- Lunch: pan bagnat picnic on the beach (about €8)
- Afternoon: Castle Hill and a swim at a public beach
- Evening: sunset on the Promenade, pizza in Vieux Nice
- Total: about €106 including a shared budget room
More ways to save
- Buy a multi-trip bus ticket if you will ride often.
- Picnic with market produce instead of eating on terraces.
- Do a day trip to Monaco by train or bus rather than staying there.
- Visit in May, June or September for lower prices and warm sea.
- Drink tap water; ask for a carafe d'eau in restaurants.
- Choose a hotel with breakfast included only if it is cheaper than a bakery.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Nice on a budget?
Yes, at about €106 a day per person sharing a room, with free beaches, cheap buses and street food.
How do I get from Nice airport to the city?
Tram line 2 runs to the centre in about 25 minutes for about €2.
How much is the bus from Nice to Monaco?
About €2 on Lignes d'Azur buses; the train is a little more and faster.