How much does a trip to San Diego Cost?
The Cost of a Trip to San Diego
A trip to San Diego for one person usually costs between $84 and $450 per day and $168 to $900 for two people. This is a wide range of costs, and the daily average per person from our data is $202 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 San Diego 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 San Diego?
For budget travelers in San Diego, planning for around $84 per day should cover essentials such as accommodations in hostels and budget hotels, affordable meal options, local transportation, and engaging in various activities. If you're a mid-range traveler, setting aside around $202 per day would allow for more comfortable stays in typical hotels, dining at regular restaurants, and exploring a diverse range of popular attractions. Luxury travelers, on the other hand, should consider a daily budget of approximately $450 to accommodate higher-end hotel stays, dining at nicer restaurants, and indulging in more exclusive private tour options. It's important to note that these price ranges are derived from our extensive travel cost data for San Diego, which is based on valuable insights from other travelers as well as hotel and tour data provided by travel companies. For a more detailed breakdown of travel costs, you can refer to our comprehensive travel cost data for San Diego.
Average Daily Costs, Per Person, by Category
| Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation1 | $48 | $115 | $254 |
| Local Transportation1 | $10 | $24 | $52 |
| Food2 | $19 | $45 | $102 |
| Water2 | $2 | $4 | $12 |
| Entertainment1 | $18 | $48 | $131 |
| Souvenirs1 | $14 | $34 | $78 |
| Living Expenses2 | $62 | $137 | $235 |
| Alcohol2 | $9 | $21 | $40 |
How much does a weekend trip to San Diego cost?
On average, travelers spend around $605 per person during a three-day trip to San Diego. 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 San Diego offers a range of high-end hotels and restaurants for those seeking a more luxurious experience.
San Diego, California
How much does a five day trip to San Diego cost?
With five days in San Diego, you can expect to spend about $1,009 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 San Diego cost?
Most visitors spend between $587 and $3,152 for a one week trip to San Diego, with the average being $1,412. This includes sightseeing, local transportation, food, and hotels. One week is enough time to have a more in-depth experience in San Diego. 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 San Diego
With more than 10 hostels in San Diego, the average price is $28 per night for a dorm bed. The cheapest hostel costs $1 and the most expensive is $45. 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 San Diego here.
Here are a few sample prices from popular hostels in San Diego.
- $32 for a dorm bed at HI San Diego - Downtown in San Diego
- $36 for a dorm bed at Lucky D's in San Diego
- $35 for a dorm bed at International Travelers House Adventure Hostel in San Diego
Hotel Prices in San Diego
Based on our calculations from available hotels in the San Diego, the average price for a hotel room is $217 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 San Diego here, and below is a breakdown of hotel prices by star-rating.
Hotels by star rating in San Diego
| Rating | Number of Hotels | Average Hotel Price |
|---|---|---|
| 5 stars | 7 | $635 |
| 4 stars | 51 | $311 |
| 3 stars | 129 | $291 |
| 2 stars | 88 | $124 |
| 1 star | 4 | $404 |
| No rating | 5 | $639 |
Balboa Park, San Diego
Should you do a tour in San Diego?
Many visitors enjoy the convenience of booking tours and activities while they visit, and San Diego 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 Gaslamp Bar Crawls and Events to $500 for the Private and Small Group Universal Studios LA Tour from San Diego.
- Magic on The Move Tour: $45
- San Diego Street Art Tour: $35
- 1 Hour GPS Guided Scooter Tour: Harbor/Gaslamp Quarter: $92
- San Diego Tequila Tour: $125
- Private San Diego Segway Fanatic Tour: $135
- Historical Walking Tour of San Diego: $10
- Electric Scooter Waterfront Tour with Pictures: $59
- La Jolla Sea Caves Kayak Tour (Single Kayak) : $64
More for San Diego
If you're planning a trip to San Diego, 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.
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