Suggested Budget Guidelines

Suggested Budget Guidelines for Typical Paris-Based Project Expenses

The budget section of your proposal is an opportunity to present the costs necessary to carry out the described activities, and may include some of the following items:

  • International travel, including economy class flight tickets and visa fees
  • Any domestic travel required in France
  • Lodging and meals in Paris
  • Catering, supplies (USB drives, notebooks, etc.) and any specialized printing
  • Speaker fees for any outside speakers you invite to your conference
  • Compensation for any research support being hired for the project

Note that if you are using the Center in Paris as a venue for your event, there is no cost to you for using the space. If you are using a different venue, there will likely be additional costs for the venue. The staff at the Center can assist in publicizing events and in locating interested local participants. You may also wish to consider the following as you prepare your budget.

Exchange Rate: Faculty grants are disbursed in US dollars and most expenses are likely to be incurred in euros. Any significant shift in the exchange rate can impact a budget.

Hotel: Rates for hotel accommodations within walking distance of the Center in Paris vary greatly. They can be as low as $80-90/night (in low season, reserved and paid for well in advance, at the Ibis Bercy Hotel), or as high as $350/night (in high season, when general room availability in Paris is tight, at the Pullman Paris Centre-Bercy). For preliminary budget purposes, consider using a per night hotel rate in the $175-$225 range.

Airfare: If travelers are flexible with travel dates, carriers, and are open to taking connecting flights, round-trip rates between Chicago and Paris can be as low as $600 in mid-fall to early spring, and around $1000 between mid-spring to early fall. If travelers are less flexible about travel dates and the airlines they fly, rates are more likely be in the $1000-$1600 range. For more precise information on transatlantic flights, and for up-to-date information on airfare to Paris from other locations in the US, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, consider consulting a good online airfare tool, such as Google Flights.

Local Transportation: Taxi fare from Charles de Gaulle airport to the Center in Paris is about $60 one-way. That same trip on the RER/Metro (changing at Châtelet) costs about $14. A “carnet” of 10 metro tickets (good for one-way travel on the bus and/or metro within Paris) costs about $18.

Conference Meals: Consider using the following ranges for collective conference meals:

  • Conference dinner at a restaurant: $50-$80/pp
  • Simple lunch reception (sandwiches, salads, desserts) catered at the Center: $20-$30/pp
  • Dinner reception catered at the Center: $25-$40/pp
  • Breakfast reception (pastries, coffee, juice) at the Center: $8-$10/pp
  • Champagne reception (with hors d’oeuvres): $18-$25/pp

If you have any questions about these figures, or would like guidance on other budget-related matters, please contact Sébastien Greppo, the Administrative Director of the Center in Paris, at sgreppo@uchicago.edu.