Cost per day · United States
San Francisco on $80, $230 or $600 a day
How much does San Francisco cost per day? Budget travellers get by on about $80 a day, mid-range trips run around $230, and luxury starts near $600 — accommodation, food, transport and activities included.
That makes San Francisco the most expensive of 82 cities for a mid-range trip — see all 82 ranked.
Seven square miles of hills, fog and Victorian terraces at the mouth of a bay — compact enough to walk in a way almost no American city is. Alcatraz out in the channel, redwoods thirty minutes north, and a food culture that runs from Mission taquerias to three-star tasting menus.
San Francisco is expensive to sleep in and cheap to enjoy. Golden Gate Park, the bridge itself, the Presidio and every one of the great viewpoints cost nothing, and the Mission does some of the best-value eating in the United States.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
American and Oceanic art in Herzog & de Meuron's copper box, free tower
Get tickets on Tiqets →Ferry, the cellhouse audio tour narrated by former inmates, and the return
Get tickets on Tiqets →Rainforest dome, planetarium and a living roof, all under one building
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Central hostel walkable to Union Square and the cable car turnaround
Long-running North Beach hostel with a sauna and free breakfast
Fifteen-room Beat-era hotel on Columbus Avenue in North Beach
A Muni day pass covers the cable cars, which otherwise cost $8 a ride. The Golden Gate Bridge is free to walk. Many museums have a free first Tuesday. A Mission burrito is a full meal for around $14.
Mid-range means a room in North Beach or Hayes Valley, Alcatraz booked well ahead, and a car for a day to get over the bridge into Marin. This is the tier where the bay itself opens up.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Ferry, the cellhouse audio tour narrated by former inmates, and the return
Get tickets on Tiqets →Rainforest dome, planetarium and a living roof, all under one building
Get tickets on Tiqets →Bay cruise that rounds Alcatraz and passes under the bridge
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
Japantown design hotel, quiet and well placed for the western half
Playful Union Square boutique with a games room and strong bar
Japanese-influenced rooms with deep soaking tubs beside the Peace Pagoda
Book Alcatraz the moment your dates are fixed — it sells out weeks out, and the night tour is the better ticket. Muir Woods now requires a parking or shuttle reservation. Eat in the Mission, sleep somewhere else.
Luxury here is Nob Hill and the Embarcadero — grand old hotels, a car and driver for the wine country, and the tasting-menu circuit that made the Bay Area's reputation.
✈️ How to Get There
🗺️ What to Do
Old-growth coast redwoods in Marin, with transport and a guide
Get tickets on Tiqets →The Presidio museum of the man rather than the parks — unexpectedly good
Get tickets on Tiqets →Ferry, the cellhouse audio tour narrated by former inmates, and the return
Get tickets on Tiqets →🏨 Where to Stay
1875 survivor with the stained-glass Garden Court under a glass ceiling
The Nob Hill landmark; the Laurel Court and the view down California St
High floors over the bay and the bridge, with the best hotel gym in town
The Fairmont and the Palace are the historic addresses; Four Seasons and the Battery for something newer. Napa and Sonoma are a 90-minute drive — worth an overnight rather than a day trip. Book Quince and Benu a month ahead.
About San Francisco
Cool Mediterranean, moderated by fog: mild all year (12–20°C), with a dry summer and rain concentrated November–March. Bring a jacket in any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11° | 12° | 13° | 14° | 15° | 16° | 16° | 17° | 18° | 17° | 14° | 11° |
| 11d | 10d | 9d | 6d | 3d | 1d | 0d | 1d | 1d | 4d | 8d | 11d |
| low | low | mid | mid | mid | high | high | high | high | high | mid | mid |
BART links the airport and the East Bay; Muni metro, buses and the historic F-line streetcars cover the city. The cable cars are a working transit line as well as an attraction. Walkable in the centre, but the hills are real.
The mural alleys, the oldest building in the city and the park everyone spends Saturday in.
The ferry market, the waterfront north to the wharf, the crooked street and the tower, down into Chinatown.
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 San Francisco
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for any trip to San Francisco. Safety is rated Safe in most visitor areas, but property crime is a genuine problem: never leave anything in a parked car. The Tenderloin and parts of Mid-Market are best avoided on foot 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 San Francisco →FAQ: San Francisco Travel Questions
Is San Francisco safe to visit? ▾
Safe in most visitor areas, but property crime is a genuine problem: never leave anything in a parked car. The Tenderloin and parts of Mid-Market are best avoided on foot after dark.
When is the best time to visit San Francisco? ▾
September and October are the warmest, clearest months — the local summer. June–August is fog season and colder than visitors expect. Cool Mediterranean, moderated by fog: mild all year (12–20°C), with a dry summer and rain concentrated November–March. Bring a jacket in any month.
How much does a trip to San Francisco cost per day? ▾
- budget: $80–$150/day
- midrange: $230–$420/day
- luxury: $600–$1500/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 San Francisco? ▾
BART links the airport and the East Bay; Muni metro, buses and the historic F-line streetcars cover the city. The cable cars are a working transit line as well as an attraction. Walkable in the centre, but the hills are real. San Francisco has a metro system. Taxi base fare ~$4. Day pass ~$14.
Is tipping expected in San Francisco? ▾
Tipping is expected: 18–20% in restaurants, $1–2 per drink, 15–20% for rideshare. Many bills already add a "SF mandate" surcharge, which is not the tip.
What currency is used in United States? ▾
The local currency is USD, and the official language is English.