Budget · Los Angeles · United States
Los Angeles on a budget
What a trip to Los Angeles really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Los Angeles is expensive for most international visitors. Budget roughly $100–$160 per person per day on a tight budget, $250–$400 mid-range and $600–$1,500 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in January–May and October–November.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $100–$160 a day
- Mid-range
- $250–$400 a day
- Luxury
- $600–$1,500 a day
- Local currency
- USD
- Free sights
- 10
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $100–$160 | $300–$480 | $500–$800 | $700–$1,120 |
| Mid-range | $250–$400 | $750–$1,200 | $1,250–$2,000 | $1,750–$2,800 |
| Luxury | $600–$1,500 | $1,800–$4,500 | $3,000–$7,500 | $4,200–$10,500 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Los Angeles, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Metro rail or bus ride (TAP) | about $1.75 |
| Taco from a truck or stand | about $2–$5 each |
| Coffee at a café | about $4–$7 |
| Casual lunch (burger, burrito or noodles) | about $12–$20 |
| Sit-down dinner with a drink, before tip | about $40–$75 per person |
| Theme park one-day ticket | about $110–$210 |
| Museum ticket (LACMA, Petersen) | about $20–$30 |
| Parking at beaches and attractions | about $10–$30 per day |
Money-saving tips
- The Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, The Broad's collection, the California Science Center and the beaches are free; at the Getty you pay only for parking.
- Metro fares are capped daily and weekly on TAP, so rail is far cheaper than rideshare for longer trips.
- Happy hours, usually in the late afternoon, offer discounted drinks and small plates at many bars and restaurants.
- Budget for sales tax of roughly 9.5–10% in LA County plus a tip of about 20% on top of menu prices.
- Hotels in Koreatown, Downtown and Pasadena often cost less than on the Westside, though you trade time in traffic.
- Buy theme-park tickets online in advance and compare multi-day tickets, which lower the per-day price.
Free things to do
- Griffith Observatory — On the southern slope of Mount Hollywood since 1935, Griffith Observatory has free exhibits, a planetarium with paid shows, and terraces looking over the LA basin to the ocean and up to the Hollywood Sign.
- Hollywood Walk of Fame and TCL Chinese Theatre — More than 2,700 brass-and-terrazzo stars line Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
- Getty Center — Richard Meier's travertine-clad hilltop campus holds European paintings including Van Gogh's Irises, plus photography, sculpture and decorative arts, and Robert Irwin's Central Garden.
- Santa Monica Pier — The 1909 pier holds Pacific Park's solar-panelled Ferris wheel and roller coaster, a carousel in the 1916 Looff Hippodrome, a small aquarium under the pier and the sign marking the end of Route 66.
- Venice Beach Boardwalk and canals — Ocean Front Walk is LA at its most theatrical: street performers, murals, the outdoor gym at Muscle Beach and a skate park on the sand.
- Walt Disney Concert Hall — Frank Gehry's curving stainless-steel concert hall, opened in 2003, is home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Where to stay on a budget
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and nightlife
Hollywood
Walk of Fame, historic theatres and the main Metro line under the boulevard
$$ · Best for culture, food lovers, budget and solo travellers
Downtown LA
Grand Avenue museums, historic movie palaces and the Arts District's warehouses
$$ · Best for food lovers, nightlife and budget
Koreatown
Late-night Korean barbecue, karaoke and good-value hotels near Downtown
Eating well for less
- Tacos al pastor — Taco trucks across East LA, Boyle Heights and South LA, many parked in the same spot every evening.
- Korean tacos — Kogi trucks around the city (schedules are posted online) and Korean-Mexican counters in Koreatown.
- Bacon-wrapped hot dog — Street carts outside venues and in nightlife areas after dark.
- Breakfast burrito — Diners, cafés and taco stands citywide; beach cafés in Santa Monica and Venice serve them to early surfers.
Getting around for less
TAP card and app
LA Metro's fare card and app, also accepted on many other local bus systems; fares are capped daily and weekly, so heavy users stop paying after a set amount.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Los Angeles cost?
About $1,250–$2,000 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $500–$800 on a tight budget.
+Is Los Angeles expensive?
It is expensive for international visitors. The Getty Center, Griffith Observatory, The Broad's collection, the California Science Center and the beaches are free; at the Getty you pay only for parking.
+How much money do I need per day in Los Angeles?
Roughly $100–$160 on a budget and $250–$400 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Los Angeles?
Usually in January–May and October–November.