Cost per day · United States
San Diego on $70, $180 or $500 a day
How much does San Diego cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $70 a day, mid-range trips run around $180, and luxury starts near $500 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included.
That makes San Diego the 12th most expensive of 100 cities for a mid-range trip — see all 100 ranked.
California's southernmost city has the best weather in America and seventy miles of beaches to spend it on. Balboa Park's Spanish Revival museums, a world-famous zoo, an aircraft carrier you can walk aboard, sea lions at La Jolla and the best fish tacos north of the border — with Mexico a trolley ride away.
The beaches, Balboa Park's gardens, La Jolla's seals and the sunsets are free, and fish tacos are the cheapest good meal in the city. Rooms are the expense; hostels in Ocean Beach and the Gaslamp help.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Tastings through the Victorian district's best kitchens
Get tickets on Tiqets →Paddle to the sea caves and leopard sharks of the underwater park
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Laid-back hostel a block from the beach in Ocean Beach
Hostelling International in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter
Simple, good-value hotel in Little Italy
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Balboa Park and Old Town ~$50
Day 2: La Jolla ~$45
Day 3: Beaches ~$50
Balboa Park's museums each have a free Tuesday for residents, but the gardens and architecture are free to everyone. Watch the seals at the Children's Pool in La Jolla for nothing. Taco Tuesday is real here.
Mid-range buys a Gaslamp or Little Italy hotel, the zoo and the USS Midway, a whale-watching cruise, kayaks at La Jolla and craft beer from the best brewing scene in the US.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Paddle to the sea caves and leopard sharks of the underwater park
Get tickets on Tiqets →Four thousand animals in a canyon in Balboa Park, with the skyfari cable car
Get tickets on Tiqets →Walk the flight deck of an aircraft carrier moored downtown
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
A 1920s Army and Navy Academy building downtown
Tropical gardens on Mission Bay with its own beach
Gaslamp hotel with a rooftop pool and several bars
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Zoo day ~$220
Day 2: On the water ~$250
Day 3: La Jolla by kayak ~$200
The zoo needs a full day. Kayak La Jolla's sea caves early when the water is calm. Grey whales pass December to April; blue whales in summer.
Luxury San Diego is an oceanfront room at the Hotel del Coronado or in La Jolla, a private sail on the bay, the Safari Park by private cart and dinner at Addison.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Tastings through the Victorian district's best kitchens
Get tickets on Tiqets →Open plains of rhinos, giraffes and lions in the hills north of the city
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
The pink "Jewel of La Jolla", overlooking the cove since 1926
The 1888 Victorian resort on Coronado's beach, where Some Like It Hot was filmed
Craftsman lodge above the cliffs and the famous golf course
Sample 3-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Coronado ~$1100
Day 2: Safari Park ~$1500
Day 3: La Jolla ~$1000
The Hotel del Coronado is the icon; La Valencia and the Lodge at Torrey Pines are the La Jolla choices. Addison is California's only three-star restaurant south of the Bay Area.
About San Diego
Mediterranean and remarkably stable: 18–25°C year-round, rain mostly December to March. The ocean stays cool; mornings can be grey in early summer.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14° | 14° | 15° | 16° | 18° | 19° | 22° | 23° | 22° | 20° | 17° | 14° |
| 6d | 6d | 6d | 3d | 1d | 0d | 0d | 0d | 1d | 2d | 3d | 5d |
| low | low | mid | mid | mid | high | high | high | mid | mid | low | mid |
The San Diego Trolley runs downtown, to Old Town and to the Mexican border. Beaches and La Jolla are easiest by car or rideshare; downtown and the waterfront are walkable.
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.
Sixteen blocks of Victorian buildings full of bars, restaurants and hotels, beside the ballpark and the convention centre. Loud at weekends.
Best for midrangeThe city's best food neighbourhood, with Saturday's farmers' market, piazzas and the waterfront a few blocks away.
Best for midrangeA cliff-top village above the cove, with galleries, fine dining, the kayak caves and the seals. Twenty minutes north by car.
Best for luxuryAcross the bridge, a quiet island town of Victorian houses around the Hotel del Coronado and one of America's best beaches.
Best for luxuryThe beach towns of the boardwalk and Mission Bay: surf shops, bars, taco shops and holiday rentals.
Best for budgetEast of Balboa Park, the craft-beer heart of the city with independent restaurants and cheaper stays.
Best for budget- ✓Tip 18–22% at restaurants
- ✓Wear reef-safe sunscreen, even when it is cloudy
- ✓Keep your distance from the seals and sea lions
- ✓Try a California burrito — with fries inside
- ✓Bring your passport if you might cross to Tijuana
- ✓Respect surf etiquette: do not drop in on someone's wave
- ✗Drink alcohol on the beaches — it is banned
- ✗Touch the tide-pool creatures
- ✗Expect warm ocean water; it rarely passes 21°C
- ✗Leave valuables in a car at a trailhead or beach
- ✗Plan on the trolley for La Jolla — it does not go there
- ✗Skip sunset; people stop what they are doing for it
Travel Insurance for San Diego
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to San Diego. Safety is rated Safe overall. The Gaslamp Quarter is lively late; East Village nearby has visible homelessness. Take normal care with valuables at the beaches. — 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: Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.. Some countries require proof of travel insurance as part of the visa application.
Get travel insurance for San Diego →FAQ: San Diego Travel Questions
Is San Diego safe to visit? ▾
Safe overall. The Gaslamp Quarter is lively late; East Village nearby has visible homelessness. Take normal care with valuables at the beaches.
When is the best time to visit San Diego? ▾
Year-round. September and October are warmest at the beach; "May Gray" and "June Gloom" bring morning clouds to the coast. Mediterranean and remarkably stable: 18–25°C year-round, rain mostly December to March. The ocean stays cool; mornings can be grey in early summer.
How much does a trip to San Diego cost per day? ▾
- budget: $70–$120/day
- midrange: $180–$330/day
- luxury: $500–$1100/day
Do I need a visa to visit United States? ▾
Visa Waiver Program: most European, UK and Australian visitors need an approved ESTA before flying; others need a B1/B2 visa.
How do I get around San Diego? ▾
The San Diego Trolley runs downtown, to Old Town and to the Mexican border. Beaches and La Jolla are easiest by car or rideshare; downtown and the waterfront are walkable. Taxi base fare ~$4. Day pass ~$6.
Is tipping expected in San Diego? ▾
Tipping is expected: 18–22% in restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
What currency is used in United States? ▾
The local currency is USD, and the official language is English.