How much does a trip to Los Angeles Cost?
The Cost of a Trip to Los Angeles
A trip to Los Angeles for one person usually costs between $95 and $765 per day and $189 to $1,529 for two people. This is a wide range of costs, and the daily average per person from our data is $258 per person. This average includes food, accommodation, sightseeing, and local transportation expenses contributed from other travelers. Prices can vary based on travel style and activities. While the overall price for a trip to Los Angeles is dependent on your personal travel style and the specific places you visit, if you book standard accommodation and travel with an average level of convenience, then your budget should be somewhere close to this average cost. Later in this article, you can find a breakdown of travel expenses by category, plus a general price range of accommodation and activity costs for your visit. Also, the prices for individual attractions and hotels may vary, but generally fall somewhat close to the price ranges described in this article.
How much money should you budget for your trip to Los Angeles?
If you're planning an Independent trip to Los Angeles, budget travelers should plan to spend around $95 per day for their trip. This average includes hostels and budget hotels, affordable meal options, local transportation, and activities. If you're on a mid-range budget, plan for around $258 a day which covers the cost of typical hotels, normal restaurants, and a variety of popular attractions. Luxury travelers should allow for $765 a day, which would cover higher-end hotels, nicer restaurants, and more private tour options. All of these price ranges are based on our extensive travel cost data for Los Angeles from other travelers, along with hotel and tour data from travel companies.
Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
| Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation1 | $51 | $140 | $417 |
| Local Transportation1 | $15 | $42 | $121 |
| Food2 | $23 | $60 | $164 |
| Water2 | $2 | $4 | $8 |
| Entertainment1 | $28 | $82 | $272 |
| Souvenirs1 | $20 | $51 | $129 |
| Communication2 | $4 | $4 | $4 |
| Living Expenses2 | $37 | $120 | $464 |
| Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps1 | $150 | $154 | $162 |
| Alcohol2 | $6 | $15 | $30 |
| Tips and Handouts1 | $1 | $2 | $4 |
How much does a weekend trip to Los Angeles cost?
On average, travelers spend around $774 per person during a three-day trip to Los Angeles. This average includes expenses for sightseeing, hotels, food, and local transportation. To align with this average price range, consider opting for mid-range hotels and dining at mid-level restaurants, while also allocating funds for entry tickets to popular attractions. For those seeking a more budget-friendly approach, it is possible to find lower-cost accommodations, dine at less expensive restaurants, and explore free activities. Also, many visitors choose to spend a higher travel budget, as Los Angeles offers a range of high-end hotels and restaurants for those seeking a more luxurious experience.
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, California
How much does a five day trip to Los Angeles cost?
With five days in Los Angeles, you can expect to spend about $1,291 total, not including transportation to and from the city. It's possible to stay close to this daily average by booking mid-range hotels, eating at normal restaurants, and paying for some entry tickets to popular attractions. It's possible to find lower-cost accommodations, eat at less expenive restaurants, and find more free activities if you want to spent less money.
How much does a one week trip to Los Angeles cost?
Most visitors spend between $662 and $5,352 for a one week trip to Los Angeles, with the average being $1,807. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in Los Angeles. Also, one week allows you to be more flexible with your time and money, so you can potentially save money on some aspects of your trip while spending more on others.
Hostel Prices in Los Angeles
With more than 30 hostels in Los Angeles, the average price is $38 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $19 and the most expensive is $75. Usually popular with younger travelers, hostels are a great way to save money while also being social. But not all hostels are the same, and we've analyzed the prices of both dorms and private rooms to find the average prices and best places to stay. You can see more details about the hostel prices in Los Angeles here.
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in Los Angeles.
- $36 for a dorm bed at HI Los Angeles - Santa Monica in Los Angeles
- $33 for a dorm bed at Samesun Venice Beach in Los Angeles
- $34 for a dorm bed at Banana Bungalow Hollywood in Los Angeles
Hotel Prices in Los Angeles
Based on our calculations from available hotels in the Los Angeles, the average price for a hotel room is $169 per night. To save money, or if you're planning a more luxurious trip, it's important to look at hotel prices based on the overall star-rating as well as guest reviews. Also, prices can vary by amenities and location. Check out more details from our analysis of hotel prices in Los Angeles here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.
Hotels by star rating in Los Angeles
| Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 15 | $775 |
| 4 stars | 58 | $309 |
| 3 stars | 109 | $200 |
| 2 stars | 181 | $124 |
| 1 star | 10 | $101 |
| No rating | 14 | $252 |
The Griffith Observatory overlooking Los Angeles
Should you do a tour in Los Angeles?
Many visitors enjoy the convenience of booking tours and activities while they visit, and Los Angeles has a wide array of things to do. These activities often include knowledgable guides and unique experiences. Tours range in price from $20 for the 2 Hour Griffith Park Observatory Tour to $449 for the The San Diego to LA in A Day Tour.
- Beverly Hills Food, Film and Fashion Tour : $189
- Private Ferrari Driving Tour from Hollywood to Sunset: $109
- Los Angeles Tour for Adults Only: The Fame Kills: $35
- E-Bike LA Beach Tour from Redondo Beach Pier: $75
- 2.5 Hour Private Tour of Hollywood and Beverly Hills: $219
- Hollywood Sign Electric Mountain Bike Tour : $169
- Luxury Hollywood Sightseeing Trolley Bus Tour in Los Angeles: $85
- Private Tour with a Local Guide in Los Angeles: $93
More for Los Angeles
If you're planning a trip to Los Angeles, California, check out these other informative travel guides.
We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
1 Categories averaged on a per-item basis.
2 Categories averaged on a per-day basis.
For example, the Food2 daily average is for all meals for an entire day, while Entertainment1 is for each individual purchase. Thus, the overall daily average cost is not a summation of the individual categories.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.
Some of the links on this website are sponsored or affiliate links which help to financially support this site. By clicking the link and making a purchase, we may receive a small commission, but this does not affect the price of your purchase.