Hi Chadha,
It's true that, the the locals know better the places.
Ofcourse, Paris is one of most expensive cities, but you can still get good value for your money if you know what do you want!
Renting a Flat in Paris for one or two weeks itself is a tough task, but considering the fact that, you are going to visit paris for tourist purpose, you can look for a flat in the outskirts of paris that is well connected by train/bus.
Also, Paris Gare du Nord, is the centre of Indian Restaurents where you can find, restaurents that fits your budget.
Please feel free to send your queries /replies to
indiansinfrance15@gmail.com
Regards,