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LA Trip Budget Calculator
Pick your days, group size and travel style. We'll estimate hotel, food, getting around and sightseeing, plus theme parks or a car if you need them.
A Los Angeles trip costs roughly $170 per person per day on a budget, $375 mid-range and $940 in luxury, sharing a room (our estimates, taxes included). Hotels are the biggest cost; a rental car, parking and theme parks can add $100 or more a day. Use the calculator for your own trip.
Daily costs by travel style
| Per day | Budget | Mid-range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel (per room, per night) | $170 | $320 | $800 |
| Food and drink (per person) | $50 | $110 | $260 |
| Getting around (per person) | $12 | $45 | $120 |
| Sights and activities (per person) | $25 | $60 | $160 |
| Per person per day (sharing a room) | $172 | $375 | $940 |
All figures are our estimates (est.) in US dollars, rounded.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a trip to Los Angeles cost per day?
Our estimate is about $170 per person per day on a budget (sharing a room), $375 mid-range and $940 for luxury, including a hotel room, food, getting around and a few paid sights. Theme parks and a rental car are the big extras: add them in the calculator.
Do I need a rental car in LA?
Not if you base yourself in one or two areas. The Metro reaches Downtown, Hollywood, Universal City, Santa Monica, Pasadena and Long Beach, and fares cap at $5 a day. A car makes sense for Malibu, the beach cities and day trips; budget for parking, which many hotels charge for per night.
What taxes are added to LA hotel bills?
Hotel rooms in the City of Los Angeles carry a 14% transient occupancy tax, and many hotels add resort or destination fees on top. Our hotel estimates include taxes but not optional resort fees.
How can I save money in LA?
Use the Metro instead of rideshare for long hops, eat at taco stands, food halls and farmers markets, and fill days with the free sights: the Getty Center (pay only for parking), Griffith Observatory, the beaches and hiking trails. Our free things to do guide lists more.
Where do these numbers come from?
They're our estimates, built from the price bands in our LA guides, hotel booking sites, reviews and traveler reports, rounded. Real prices move with season and demand, so treat them as a planning guide, not a quote.
Sources and how current this is
Fares, rates and norms come from the official sources below unless marked as an estimate, and were checked in November 2026. Operators change prices, so check the source before you rely on a number.
- Discover Los Angeles — Smart travel tips — 14% hotel transient occupancy tax in the City of LA
- LA Metro — Fares — $5 daily fare cap used in the budget style
Best estimates (not official)
Where no official figure was available, we use our best estimate from published reports, operator sites, reviews and traveler reports. These are marked "est." in the tools above; treat them as a guide, not a quote.
- Hotel, food, transport and activity costs per style — the price bands in our LA guides, hotel booking sites, reviews and traveler reports, rounded
- Rental car, hotel parking and attraction tickets — typical 2026 prices on operators' sites and booking sites; they vary by date
Related guides
- The 11 Best Hotels in Los Angeles
- The 10 Best Cheap Eats in Los Angeles
- The 12 Best Free Things to Do in Los Angeles
- The 8 Best Theme Parks in Los Angeles
- The 10 Best Boutique Hotels in Los Angeles
- The 10 Best Luxury Hotels in Los Angeles
- The 8 Best Taco Spots in Los Angeles
- The 11 Best Attractions in Los Angeles
Now plan the days
Build a day-by-day plan from our guides, one area per day.
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