Per Diem Rates California
Every California destination in the GSA per diem file in one list: 32 entries with their lodging rate by season and M&IE. Search a city to see all its seasons, or use the calculator for a trip.
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Per diem rates California are not one rate: the GSA file lists 32 California destinations, each with its own lodging rate and M&IE level, and every place that is not listed uses the standard rate of $113 for lodging and $68 for M&IE. The highest peak lodging rate in the state is San Francisco at $325 a night, the lowest among the listed entries is Barstow / Ontario / Victorville at $129.
Not tax advice. DiemWise applies published rates and rules; check your own case with a tax professional.
Data used: GSA per diem rates FY2027 (continental U.S.) (effective 2026-10-01, expires 2027-09-30, last checked 2026-10-24); GSA M&IE breakdowns (CONUS) (effective 2026-10-01, expires 2027-09-30, last checked 2026-10-24). All sources and dates.
How to find a per diem rate in California
- Type a California city or county in the search box and pick it from the suggestions. The card shows every season of that destination with its dates, the M&IE rate and the split of M&IE into meals.
- Or leave the search empty: the list under the card shows all 32 California destinations with the lowest and the highest lodging rate and the counties each entry covers.
- Choose the fiscal year. FY2027 runs from 1 October 2026 to 30 September 2027; FY2026 ended on 30 September 2026.
- If your city is not in the list, find its county in the county column. A city that is in a listed county uses that county’s rate; if neither is listed, the standard rate applies.
- To turn the rate into a trip total, open the per diem calculator or the San Diego page, which has a calculator preset to San Diego.
- Read any yellow note above the card; it appears when the fiscal year you chose has expired.
The numbers are the GSA rates for the continental United States, lodging as a nightly ceiling and M&IE as a daily amount. Self-employed travellers follow IRS Publication 463 instead, with meals only at 50%; the calculator has a switch for it.
| Destination | Lodging, lowest season | Lodging, highest season | M&IE | Counties covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioch / Brentwood / Concord | $147 | $147 | $86 | Contra Costa |
| Bakersfield / Ridgecrest | $164 | $164 | $74 | Kern |
| Barstow / Ontario / Victorville | $129 | $129 | $86 | San Bernardino |
| Death Valley | $154 | $154 | $80 | Inyo / NAWS China Lake |
| Eureka / Arcata / McKinleyville | $130 | $181 | $86 | Humboldt |
| Fresno | $136 | $136 | $86 | Fresno |
| Los Angeles | $199 | $199 | $86 | Los Angeles / Orange / Ventura / Edwards AFB less the city of Santa Monica |
| Mammoth Lakes | $146 | $208 | $86 | Mono |
| Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato | $169 | $169 | $92 | Marin |
| Monterey | $196 | $293 | $92 | Monterey |
| Napa | $194 | $266 | $92 | Napa |
| Oakhurst | $137 | $137 | $80 | Madera |
| Oakland | $152 | $152 | $92 | Alameda |
| Palm Springs | $141 | $192 | $86 | Riverside |
| Point Arena / Gualala | $134 | $134 | $86 | Mendocino |
| Sacramento | $156 | $156 | $86 | Sacramento |
| San Diego | $208 | $249 | $86 | San Diego |
| San Francisco | $232 | $325 | $92 | San Francisco |
| San Luis Obispo | $170 | $213 | $86 | San Luis Obispo |
| San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont | $194 | $217 | $86 | San Mateo |
| Santa Barbara | $214 | $277 | $92 | Santa Barbara |
| Santa Cruz | $149 | $181 | $86 | Santa Cruz |
| Santa Monica | $283 | $283 | $92 | City limits of Santa Monica |
| Santa Rosa | $163 | $163 | $86 | Sonoma |
| South Lake Tahoe | $168 | $262 | $86 | El Dorado |
| Stockton | $137 | $137 | $74 | San Joaquin |
| Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose | $218 | $218 | $92 | Santa Clara |
| Tahoe City | $132 | $132 | $86 | Placer |
| Truckee | $148 | $178 | $86 | Nevada |
| Visalia | $136 | $136 | $80 | Tulare |
| West Sacramento / Davis | $148 | $148 | $80 | Yolo |
| Yosemite National Park | $184 | $212 | $86 | Mariposa |
How many California destinations have their own rate?
32 entries, of which 18 have one lodging rate all year and 14 change with the season. M&IE levels: 2 at $74, 4 at $80, 18 at $86, 8 at $92. Outside these entries the standard rate applies.
Which California destinations are the most expensive?
By each destination’s highest season: San Francisco $325, Monterey $293, Santa Monica $283, Santa Barbara $277, Napa $266. The three cheapest listed entries are Barstow / Ontario / Victorville $129, Tahoe City $132, Point Arena / Gualala $134. Every listed entry is above the standard lodging rate of $113 at its peak.
How did California change from FY2026?
Of the 32 California destinations that appear in both files, 30 have a higher peak lodging rate in FY2027, 1 have the same and 1 have a lower one. The biggest rise was San Francisco (+$53), the biggest fall was Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato (-$6).
What does a trip in California cost?
Use the rates of the destination where you sleep. A four-day trip at a destination with $200 lodging and $80 M&IE is 3 × $200 + (60 + 80 + 80 + 60) = $880. Substitute the rate of your own destination, or let the calculator do it for the dates you enter, including a change of season in the middle of the trip.
How do I compare two California destinations?
Read the lowest and highest lodging columns of the table for both. A destination with the same figure in both columns has one rate all year; a wide gap means a strong season. Then compare the M&IE column, which is the same all year. For a trip total, run each destination through the calculator with the same dates, since the season of your dates decides which lodging rate applies.
Which rate applies if my hotel is in a small town?
The county decides. Each entry lists the counties it covers; find your town’s county in the table and use that entry. Towns whose county is not listed are priced at $113 and $68.
How this tool works and where the numbers come from
The rates are the GSA FY2027 lodging and M&IE rates for California destinations taken without change from the flat file; the table in the guide is generated from the same data the calculator reads. A trip is priced night by night, so a trip that crosses a change of season gets both lodging rates. The first and last day of travel count 75 percent of the M&IE rate, and the self-employed view follows IRS Publication 463 (meals only, 50 percent deductible).
Sources
- GSA, Per diem files (FY2027 and FY2026 rates) (FY 2027 rates published 2026-09-03) · checked
- GSA, M&IE breakdowns (page last updated 2026-10-27) · checked
Frequently asked questions
What is the per diem for California in 2027?
It depends on the destination: the 32 listed California entries run from $129 to $325 a night for lodging, and anywhere else in the state is $113. M&IE is between $74 and $92 a day.
Is there one statewide per diem rate for California?
No. The GSA sets rates for destinations, mostly counties or groups of counties, and the standard rate covers the rest of the state.
Do the California rates change during the year?
Lodging rates change with the season at 14 of the 32 entries. M&IE is the same all year at each.
Does the rate include hotel taxes?
No. The lodging rate excludes taxes.
Where are the California numbers from?
From the GSA FY2027 flat file for the continental United States. The Sources and dates page gives its effective date, its expiry and the day it was last checked.
Why is my California town not in the list?
The file lists destinations that differ from the standard rate, usually by county. A town in an unlisted county is priced at the standard rate of $113 and $68, even if a neighbouring county has its own entry.
Can I use these rates after 30 September 2027?
No. They expire on that date, and the page shows a warning when its rates have expired.
- Per diem calculator: price a trip anywhere with these rates.
- GSA per diem rates: search any state, city or county.
- Federal per diem rates: all destinations in one sortable table.
- M&IE rates: the five M&IE levels split into meals.
- Per diem rates San Diego: a California city with its own calculator.
- Los Angeles per diem rates: the Los Angeles entry with its seasons.
- San Francisco per diem rates: the San Francisco entry with its seasons.
- Per diem rates 2026: the FY2026 rates for earlier trips.