Key points
For 15 days in Canada in summer, a couple should budget about C$9,800 (€6,100) for a road trip in Quebec and C$12,400 (€7,700) in Western Canada, including flights from Paris, accommodation, a rental car, meals and activities. That’s just over €3,000 per person in Quebec and about €3,900 out West. With hostels and buses, a Quebec trip comes down to around €2,000 per person.
- Quebec in summer, for two, mid-range comfort: about C$9,800 for 15 days, or just over €3,000 per person with flights.
- The Rockies and Vancouver: about C$12,400 for two, mostly because of longer flights and Banff hotel prices.
- Accommodation and meals cost more than the flights: together they make up over half the budget.
- Prices in Canada are shown before tax: add 5% (Alberta) to almost 15% (Quebec) in sales tax, plus a 15 to 20% tip at restaurants.
- In June or September, hotels are often much cheaper than in July and August, and days are still often around 20°C.
Two weeks in Canada in summer usually costs a couple between €6,000 and €7,700 all in, depending on whether you head for Quebec or the West. The flight isn’t the biggest expense: hotel nights and meals are, pushed up by sales tax and a tip that the price tag doesn’t show.
Assumptions: a French couple on vacation with an eTA, at July 2026 prices, staying in three-star hotels or B&Bs, with a rental car and dinner out every evening. Bookings made about three months ahead; the euro at about C$1.60 (October 1, 2026 rate). Amounts are in Canadian dollars, since that’s what you’ll pay in Canada.
This budget is for a vacation. If you’re coming on a Working Holiday or moving for good, the first weeks bring other costs (a rental deposit, furniture, a phone plan), and the moving checklist covers all of it.
A typical budget: 15 days in Quebec for two
- Paris–Montreal return flightsAbout €850 per personC$2,72028% share of total
- Accommodation, 14 nightsC$200 a night on average, taxes includedC$2,80028% share of total
- MealsC$85 per person per day, taxes and tip includedC$2,55026% share of total
- Car rental, 9 daysCollision damage coverage includedC$9009% share of total
- ActivitiesWhale-watching cruise, national parks, museumsC$5005% share of total
- GasAbout 1,000 kmC$2002% share of total
- Parking, city transit, eTAIncluding 2 eTAs at C$7C$1642% share of total
July 2026, mid-range comfort, booked three months ahead. With the euro at about C$1.60, the total comes to about €6,100.
Do the math: accommodation and meals come to C$5,350, or 54% of the C$9,834 total. The flights, C$2,720 for two, are only 28%. So a budget is won or lost on nights and meals, far more than by hunting down the cheapest plane ticket. Per person, the trip comes to about €3,070.
This is the classic loop: Montreal, Quebec City, Charlevoix and Tadoussac for the whales. You only need the car from Quebec City on. In Montreal, the metro and your own two feet will do, and you save four days of rental and parking. If you’re still deciding on a region, our guide on where to go on a first trip compares East and West by season.
- Montreal5 nightsOld Montreal, the Plateau, Mount Royal, no car needed; one last night on the way back
- ≈ 255 km · 2 hr 45 min by train or carQuebec City4 nightsOld Quebec, Montmorency Falls, Île d’Orléans
- ≈ 95 km · 1 hr 15 minBaie-Saint-Paul2 nightsArt galleries, Grands-Jardins National Park
- ≈ 125 km · 1 hr 45 min, including the free ferryTadoussac3 nightsWhale-watching cruise, Saguenay Fjord
For gas, plan on around C$1.94 a litre, the Canadian average in mid-May 2026 according to Natural Resources Canada.
Quebec or Western Canada: the difference in cost
The West costs more for two reasons: the flight to Vancouver or Calgary is longer, and hotels in Banff and Jasper are among the priciest in the country in summer. Everything else varies little between regions, apart from sales tax on meals (more on that below).
- Western Canada, mid-range comfort
- Quebec, mid-range comfort
- Quebec, tight budget (hostels, buses)
Flights from Paris included. West: Vancouver, Banff and Jasper, with the Parks Canada Discovery Pass, since 2026’s free summer entry hasn’t been announced for 2027.
The Western budget also includes the Parks Canada Discovery Pass: C$167.50 in 2026 for one vehicle and up to seven peopleSource: Parks Canada (C$83.50 for a single adult). It’s good for a year in every national park and pays for itself within a week. In summer 2026 you didn’t need one, because entry was free from June 19 to September 7Source: Parks Canada. Nothing similar has been announced for summer 2027, so keep it in your budget and check Parks Canada’s admission page before you buy.
To plan the route, our story of 7 days in the Rockies lays it out day by day. If you’re weighing up vehicles, the guide to 2- to 3-week road trips compares a car with an RV, which often costs more than people expect.
What changes when you pay
Food is the line people from France underestimate most, because they read prices the way they would at home. In Canada, the price tag doesn’t include tax, and the tip is part of the real cost of a meal.
| Compared | France | Quebec |
|---|---|---|
| Price on the shelf or the menu | Tax included | Before tax |
| Tax added at the register | None | 14.975% (GST + QST) |
| Restaurant tip | Included, anything extra is optional | 15 to 20% expected, on the pre-tax amount |
| Gas at the pump | Tax included | Tax included |
| Hotel night | Tourist tax often on top | Taxes and accommodation tax on top |
Takeaway: In Quebec, multiply the price on a menu by about 1.33 to see what you’ll actually pay at a restaurant, taxes and tip included.
Sales tax also changes from province to province, from 5% in Alberta to almost 15% in Quebec: over two weeks of meals, the gap easily tops C$200 for two. Our guide to sales tax and tipping in Canada gives every province’s rate and walks through the math.
Where to save without spoiling the trip
- Go in June or September. Hotels are often much cheaper than in July and August, the whales are already in Tadoussac and the parks are less crowded.
- Only rent the car for the road-trip part. In Montreal and Quebec City, hotel parking runs C$25 to C$40 a night, and you won’t need a car in town.
- Eat out at lunch. Lunch menus (the set-price table d’hôte in Quebec) are often much cheaper than dinner for the same food.
- Pay in Canadian dollars, never in euros. When the payment terminal offers to charge you in euros, the conversion rate is a bad one.
- Book scarce nights early. Tadoussac, Banff and Jasper are often full in July: book as soon as your dates are set, ideally with free cancellation.
Two items often get left out of budgets. First, travel insurance: if your credit card’s coverage isn’t enough, a separate policy goes on top, and our guide to travel insurance for Canada helps you decide. Then your phone: if Canada isn’t included in your French plan, a data eSIM saves you a roaming bill, and the phone and eSIM guide compares the options.
For paperwork, budget for the C$7 eTA per travellerSource: IRCC before you fly, and read our guide on renting a car with a French licence before you book.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Paris–Montreal flight in summer?
Usually €700 to €1,000 return per person in July and August if you book a few months ahead, less in June or September. Flights to Vancouver or Calgary often cost €200 to €400 more.
Should I change euros before leaving?
No. Pay by card in Canadian dollars, and take out a small amount at an ATM once you’re there if you like. Before you leave, check what your bank charges on payments outside the eurozone: over 15 days, it can come to a few dozen euros.
Do I need cash?
Very little. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, even for small amounts. A few dollars in coins come in handy for tipping at the bar or the hotel.
Is the budget very different in winter?
Hotels are cheaper, except at ski resorts and in Quebec City during Carnival. But you’ll need to add cold-weather gear and activities that cost extra, like dog sledding.
Are national park fees the same everywhere?
Federal parks (Parks Canada) all accept the Discovery Pass. Quebec’s own national parks are run by the Sépaq, the provincial parks agency, and have their own entry fees.
