Budget · Quebec City · Canada
Quebec City on a budget
What a trip to Quebec City really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Quebec City is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $80–$130 per person per day on a tight budget, $180–$320 mid-range and $450–$1,000 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in November.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $80–$130 a day
- Mid-range
- $180–$320 a day
- Luxury
- $450–$1,000 a day
- Local currency
- CAD
- Free sights
- 10
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $80–$130 | $240–$390 | $400–$650 | $560–$910 |
| Mid-range | $180–$320 | $540–$960 | $900–$1,600 | $1,260–$2,240 |
| Luxury | $450–$1,000 | $1,350–$3,000 | $2,250–$5,000 | $3,150–$7,000 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Quebec City, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| RTC bus fare | about C$3.50–C$4 |
| Québec–Lévis ferry, one way | about C$4–C$5 |
| Coffee in a café | about C$3–C$5 |
| Poutine at a casse-croûte | about C$10–C$18 |
| Museum or Citadelle ticket | about C$20–C$30 |
| Table d'hôte dinner, three courses | about C$45–C$80 per person |
| Local microbrewery pint | about C$8–C$11 |
Money-saving tips
- Prices are shown before sales taxes of about 15%, and a tip of 15–20% is expected in restaurants on top.
- Walking the walls, Dufferin Terrace, the Plains of Abraham and the Parliament tour are all free.
- The Lévis ferry gives the same skyline views as a sightseeing cruise for a fraction of the price.
- Lunchtime table d'hôte menus cost noticeably less than the same restaurants' dinner menus.
- November and April have the lowest hotel rates; Carnaval weekends and July are the most expensive.
- Stay in Saint-Roch or Saint-Jean-Baptiste for lower prices within walking distance of the old town.
Free things to do
- Château Frontenac — The copper-roofed Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, opened in 1893 as a Canadian Pacific Railway hotel, dominates the skyline from the clifftop above the river.
- Dufferin Terrace and Governors' Promenade — This wide boardwalk runs along the cliff edge beside the Château Frontenac, with views over the St.
- Quartier Petit-Champlain — Rue du Petit-Champlain is a narrow pedestrian street of 17th- and 18th-century stone buildings at the foot of the cliff, lined with craft shops, galleries and bistros.
- Place Royale and Notre-Dame-des-Victoires — Place Royale marks the site of Champlain's 1608 habitation and is ringed by restored stone houses.
- Fortifications of Québec — Quebec City's stone walls and gates — Porte Saint-Louis, Porte Saint-Jean and Porte Kent among them — enclose the Upper Town.
- Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park) — The battlefield where British and French forces fought in 1759 is now a large park along the cliffs, with Martello towers, lawns and river lookouts.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and food lovers
Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Hilly residential streets, independent cafés and the outer stretch of Rue Saint-Jean
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife, budget and solo travellers
Saint-Roch
Renovated lower-town district with restaurants, microbreweries and Rue Saint-Joseph
$ · Best for food lovers, budget and quiet stays
Limoilou
Brick triplexes with outdoor staircases, 3e Avenue bistros and the Grand Marché
Eating well for less
- Cretons — Diners and breakfast spots in Saint-Roch and Limoilou; supermarkets sell tubs to take away.
- Fèves au lard — Breakfast diners and sugar shacks around the city.
Getting around for less
Old Québec is compact and best covered on foot, but it is steep: stairways and the funicular connect the Upper and Lower Towns. RTC city buses, including the frequent Métrobus lines, connect the old town with Saint-Roch, Limoilou, Sainte-Foy and the bus and train station.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Quebec City cost?
About $900–$1,600 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $400–$650 on a tight budget.
+Is Quebec City expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Prices are shown before sales taxes of about 15%, and a tip of 15–20% is expected in restaurants on top.
+How much money do I need per day in Quebec City?
Roughly $80–$130 on a budget and $180–$320 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Quebec City?
Usually in November.