How much does it cost to travel to San Francisco? (2026)
Budget, mid-range and luxury daily estimates for San Francisco, in USD.
Daily and weekly costs
| Tier | Per day (USD) | 7 days (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| BudgetHostel bed, cheap meals, public transport | $90 | $630 |
| Mid-rangeThree-star hotel, restaurants, some taxis | $210 | $1,470 |
| LuxuryFour- or five-star hotel, dining out | $450 | $3,150 |
Every amount in this table is an estimateestimate, derived from the World Bank price level for United States rather than quoted by any seller.
How this is calculated
A US baseline of 90, 210 and 450 USD a day for the three tiers is multiplied by the price level of United States (1, World Bank 2025) and by a city-size factor of 1, then rounded to the nearest 5 dollars. Local amounts use the World Bank exchange rate of 1 USD to the dollar, rounded to two significant digits.
These are modeled estimates, not quoted prices. Read the full formula on the methodology page.
Sample prices in San Francisco
Typical prices, every one an estimateestimate rather than a quoted price.
Mid-range hotel room, per night
estimate for a standard double room in a non-luxury hotel
$180
Budget hostel or basic room, per night
estimate for a shared or simple private room
$70
Cheap meal
estimate for a casual counter or takeout meal
$15
Sit-down restaurant meal
estimate for a mid-range restaurant dinner for one
$45
Local transit fare, one ride
estimate for a single bus or rail trip
$3
Coffee
estimate for a standard brewed or espresso drink
$5
Museum or attraction ticket
estimate for general admission to a typical sight
$25
Prepaid SIM card
estimate for a short-stay data and calls package
$30
Where the money goes
Across all three tiers, the daily cost mostly reflects lodging choice, since food, transit, and small extras stay fairly steady whether you spend $90 or $450 a day. At the budget level of $90 a day, or $630 over a week, travelers are likely sharing rooms or picking basic lodging and eating simply. The mid-range figure of $210 a day, or $1,470 over a week, allows for a private hotel room and regular restaurant meals, while the luxury tier of $450 a day, or $3,150 over a week, covers upgraded lodging and more frequent dining out or paid activities.
The cheapest and quietest months to visit are January, February, and December, when demand for lodging drops and rates tend to ease compared with the busy summer months. These are estimates for planning purposes, not fixed prices, and actual costs will vary by specific lodging, dining choices, and how many paid activities a traveler adds to each day.
Cheapest months by climate demand: Jan, Feb and Dec.
Keep reading
More on San Francisco
Sources
- GeoNames city database — CC BY 4.0, fetched September 14, 2026
- World Bank price level and exchange rate — CC BY 4.0, data year 2025
AI-written interpretation reviewed against the data above — claude-sonnet-5, generated September 21, 2026. Every number on this page comes from a dataset named here; the formulas are public.