Cost per day · United States
Los Angeles on $70, $200 or $550 a day
How much does Los Angeles cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $70 a day, mid-range trips run around $200, and luxury starts near $550 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included.
That makes Los Angeles the 4th most expensive of 82 cities for a mid-range trip — see all 82 ranked.
Eighty miles of coast, desert light and studio backlots stitched together by freeway — LA is less a city than a constellation of neighbourhoods that reward anyone willing to drive between them. Griffith Observatory over the basin at dusk, taco trucks in Boyle Heights, the Getty's travertine on its hilltop, and surf at Malibu an hour from downtown.
Budget LA leans on the things that cost nothing — the beaches, the Griffith Park trails, the observatory itself — plus some of the best cheap eating in America. Hostels cluster in Santa Monica and Hollywood, both walkable enough to skip a rental car for a few days.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Ice-age fossils still bubbling out of the asphalt on Wilshire
Get tickets on Tiqets →Ferry to Avalon with a scenic driving tour of the island interior
Get tickets on Tiqets →Baseball in the 1962 Chavez Ravine bowl, still one of the great American stadiums
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Beachfront hostel three blocks from the pier, in the only genuinely walkable part of LA
Downtown hostel-hotel hybrid in a 1920s building with a rooftop pool
Simple 1920s hotel on the edge of Hollywood, walkable to the Metro
Griffith Observatory is free to enter; only the planetarium charges. Ride the Metro B line to Hollywood rather than paying to park. The taco trucks in Boyle Heights and East LA beat anything at three times the price, and county beaches are free — you pay only to park.
Mid-range is where LA opens up: a rental car, a boutique hotel in Silver Lake or Venice, studio tours and the big museums. This is the tier that lets you treat the sprawl as a feature rather than an obstacle.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Baseball in the 1962 Chavez Ravine bowl, still one of the great American stadiums
Get tickets on Tiqets →Guided tour with the planetarium show under the Zeiss projector
Get tickets on Tiqets →Guided climb to the closest legal viewpoints above Beachwood Canyon
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Design-led boutique off Melrose, in reach of West Hollywood dining
Rooftop pool and a strong restaurant in a restored downtown office block
Right on the Venice boardwalk with a rooftop bar over the sand
Book the Warner Bros or Universal tour for a weekday morning — weekend queues are brutal. The Getty is free but parking is not, so arrive by rideshare. Stay on the Westside if the beach matters, Los Feliz or Silver Lake if the food does.
Luxury LA is Beverly Hills and Bel-Air — poolside bungalows, tasting menus, and a car with someone else driving. The city does discreet, low-rise money better than almost anywhere, and the hotel bars are where the industry actually meets.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Ferry to Avalon with a scenic driving tour of the island interior
Get tickets on Tiqets →Guided walk through the collection and the Central Garden with a docent
Get tickets on Tiqets →Front-of-line access across the park and the backlot tram
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Cape Cod-style beach house directly on Santa Monica sand
The Pink Palace — Polo Lounge, cabanas, and a century of studio history
Twelve acres of canyon garden, swan lake and private bungalows above Sunset
The Hotel Bel-Air and the Beverly Hills Hotel are institutions worth the rate. A private Hollywood Hills helicopter transfer beats the 405 at any hour. Book Providence or n/naka several weeks out.
About Los Angeles
Mediterranean: dry warm summers (Jun–Sep, 24–30°C), mild damp winters (Dec–Feb, 14–20°C). Rain falls almost entirely between December and March.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14° | 15° | 16° | 18° | 19° | 22° | 24° | 25° | 24° | 21° | 17° | 14° |
| 6d | 6d | 5d | 3d | 1d | 1d | 0d | 0d | 1d | 2d | 3d | 5d |
| low | low | mid | mid | mid | high | high | high | high | mid | mid | mid |
A car is close to essential — distances are vast and the Metro, though expanding, serves only some corridors. The B/D lines reach Hollywood and downtown; Uber and Lyft cover the rest. Budget an hour for any cross-city trip at peak.
A travel eSIM gets you online the moment you land in United States — data plans start at $4 — no roaming bill, no queue for a local SIM, and nothing to swap in and out of your phone. Install it before you fly.
Travel Insurance for Los Angeles
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to Los Angeles. Safety is rated Safe in the neighbourhoods visitors use; petty theft from parked cars is the real risk, so never leave anything visible. Skid Row and parts of downtown are best avoided after dark. — even in safe destinations, unexpected medical emergencies or trip cancellations can be costly. Make sure your policy covers emergency medical treatment, hospitalisation, trip cancellation, and emergency evacuation.
Visa note: ESTA visa waiver for most European, UK and Australian passports — apply online at least 72 hours ahead. Others need a B-2 visitor visa.. Some countries require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application.
Get travel insurance for Los Angeles →FAQ: Los Angeles Travel Questions
Is Los Angeles safe to visit? ▾
Safe in the neighbourhoods visitors use; petty theft from parked cars is the real risk, so never leave anything visible. Skid Row and parts of downtown are best avoided after dark.
When is the best time to visit Los Angeles? ▾
March–May and September–November are warm and clear. June brings "June Gloom" coastal fog that burns off by noon. Mediterranean: dry warm summers (Jun–Sep, 24–30°C), mild damp winters (Dec–Feb, 14–20°C). Rain falls almost entirely between December and March.
How much does a trip to Los Angeles cost per day? ▾
- budget: $70–$130/day
- midrange: $200–$380/day
- luxury: $550–$1400/day
Do I need a visa to visit United States? ▾
ESTA visa waiver for most European, UK and Australian passports — apply online at least 72 hours ahead. Others need a B-2 visitor visa.
How do I get around Los Angeles? ▾
A car is close to essential — distances are vast and the Metro, though expanding, serves only some corridors. The B/D lines reach Hollywood and downtown; Uber and Lyft cover the rest. Budget an hour for any cross-city trip at peak. Los Angeles has a metro system. Taxi base fare ~$3. Day pass ~$7.
Is tipping expected in Los Angeles? ▾
Tipping is expected and effectively part of the wage: 18–20% in restaurants, $1–2 per drink at a bar, 15–20% for rideshare.
What currency is used in United States? ▾
The local currency is USD, and the official language is English.