<p>My D will be studying abroad in Paris this coming semester. Her accommodation is paid for and there are cooking facilities. How much approximately should we budget for her monthly expenses for food/transport/living costs?</p>
<p>My D just got back from study abroad in Paris. I’d say it depends on the person, but I’d budget $600 to $1000 per month, depending upon how much train travel might be involved, what type of food she likes to eat, whether any excursions are included in her program. My D was reasonably frugal, she took only one trip, and she likes organic food (more $). The average was about $700 to $800, which was about what the study abroad program had recommended. She did buy lots of gifts to bring back at the end, so that added to the costs. She had a metro card to get around, and her host family fed her 3 dinners per week. The rest of the meals she prepared herself, with occasional meals out.</p>
<p>Thank you sopranomom92; it gives me a ballpark figure to go on.</p>
<p>I spent a year abroad in Paris many, many years ago. Our accommodations were paid for ahead of time as well as spending money that was paid out at the beginning of the month. I was desperately poor at the end of each month when my allowance ran out. I mean borrowing money from friends for food poor. My parents were not in a position to send me any extra. So I recommend that you budget what you think your daughter will need, PLUS. And make it clear to her that although she should be frugal, she should not hesitate to ask for more if she needs it.</p>
<p>With study abroad, so much depends on the crowd she’s hanging with. Do they travel many weekends, eat out many meals? My kids know how to be frugal, and found exchange to be hard at times, as some kids have a lot of money from home to fall back upon. Will she be happy, as mine was, to have baguette and cheese for many meals, and bagged salad as well as meals cooked with friends for dinner? Or will she be going out a great deal? Restaurants are expensive, as workers are paid a living wage.</p>
<p>I am hoping for the baguette and cheese as well as home cooked food rather than eating out which she knows is not what our funds are for…at least not on a daily basis. The study abroad is not an exercise in living it up…so am trying to give her enough…not too much and not too little.</p>