How Much Does It Cost to Spend Two Weeks in Chamonix?

If you’ve been reading for a while, you already know that one of the top questions I get about traveling full-time is “how do you afford it?” and/or some version of “what does it cost?”

I consider it part of my online quest to crush the myth that travel has to be wildly expensive or that if you are traveling cheaply, you have to give up basic comforts and live out of a van or on stranger’s couches.

Because neither of those things are true.

You can travel affordably…and do it without sacrificing comfort.

Today, in long-standing tradition, I’m sharing my budget for two weeks in Chamonix, France at the very beginning of the winter season, just before the snow really started to fall.

The budget breakdown:

Total Euros: 781.96

Total Dollars: $962.91

Budget Notes:

:: As usual, I rented an apartment through Airbnb. This time I partly used a credit, so the price reflected above is discounted. (Airbnb rentals in that area generally start at about $1,100 for a month.)

:: Transportation budget reflects the cost of traveling from Paris to Chamonix and then from Chamonix back to central Switzerland.

:: The grocery and supply budget includes new winter boots and several treats (cookies, pasta sauces, good pasta) that I purchased to carry back to Switzerland with me.

:: Keep in mind that I work while traveling, which means I generally spend less on activities and attractions than most people will. In the case of Chamonix, this is even more true, as I spent most of my time working feverishly to get interviews for my upcoming Swiss and France books and because I’m not a snow sports person and there wasn’t much snow anyhow.

:: Finally, also keep in mind that there are things I don’t include in these shared budgets, like the $10 I spent on phone credits with Google Voice or the money I spent buying audiobooks to listen to during travel and walks. The reason I don’t include these is that they’re not really universal. When you travel to Chamonix, it’s unlikely that you’ll be spending money on those things yourself. And so I just share the basic cost of living numbers that apply to most or all of you. The one exception is that I include Luna’s vet and other costs as a line item, as I know many of you are interested in traveling with your dogs as well.

Interested in seeing more travel budgets? You’ll find them all here.

Going to France?

I wrote a book for you. Check it out: France: 100 Locals Tell You Where to Go, What to Eat, & How to Fit In.

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