California per diem at a glance
GSA sets its own per diem for 32 areas in California. Everywhere else in the state gets the standard CONUS rate of $113 lodging and $68 M&IE.
17 of the 32 areas allow at least 50% more than the standard $113 lodging rate in their peak month.
The most a 3-night TDY can pay in San Francisco is $1,297: three nights at the $325 lodging ceiling, two full days of $92 M&IE, and two travel days at 75%. At the standard rate the same trip pays up to $577.
FY2027 per diem rates in California
Lodging is the nightly ceiling (your actual cost is reimbursed up to it). M&IE is a flat daily allowance you keep. "3-night TDY" is the most a 4-day trip pays at that area's peak ceiling.
| Area | County / location | Lodging | M&IE | 3-night TDY | vs FY2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioch / Brentwood / Concord | Contra Costa | $147 | $86 | $742 | same |
| Bakersfield / Ridgecrest | Kern | $164 | $74 | $751 | +$32 |
| Barstow / Ontario / Victorville | San Bernardino | $129 | $86 | $688 | +$5 |
| Death Valley | Inyo / NAWS China Lake | $154 | $80 | $742 | +$12 |
| Eureka / Arcata / McKinleyville | Humboldt | $130–$181 | $86 | $844 | +$9 |
| Fresno | Fresno | $136 | $86 | $709 | +$7 |
| Los Angeles | Los Angeles / Orange / Ventura / Edwards AFB less the city of Santa Monica | $199 | $86 | $898 | +$8 |
| Mammoth Lakes | Mono | $146–$208 | $86 | $925 | +$13 |
| Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato | Marin | $169 | $92 | $829 | −$6 |
| Monterey | Monterey | $196–$293 | $92 | $1,201 | +$14 |
| Napa | Napa | $194–$266 | $92 | $1,120 | +$20 |
| Oakhurst | Madera | $137 | $80 | $691 | +$2 |
| Oakland | Alameda | $152 | $92 | $778 | +$7 |
| Palm Springs | Riverside | $141–$192 | $86 | $877 | +$6 |
| Point Arena / Gualala | Mendocino | $134 | $86 | $703 | +$5 |
| Sacramento | Sacramento | $156 | $86 | $769 | +$6 |
| San Diego | San Diego | $208–$249 | $86 | $1,048 | +$12 |
| San Francisco | San Francisco | $232–$325 | $92 | $1,297 | +$53 |
| San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | $170–$213 | $86 | $940 | +$10 |
| San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont | San Mateo | $194–$217 | $86 | $952 | +$34 |
| Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | $214–$277 | $92 | $1,153 | +$15 |
| Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | $149–$181 | $86 | $844 | +$5 |
| Santa Monica | City limits of Santa Monica | $283 | $92 | $1,171 | +$10 |
| Santa Rosa | Sonoma | $163 | $86 | $790 | +$6 |
| South Lake Tahoe | El Dorado | $168–$262 | $86 | $1,087 | +$15 |
| Stockton | San Joaquin | $137 | $74 | $670 | +$5 |
| Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose | Santa Clara | $218 | $92 | $976 | +$26 |
| Tahoe City | Placer | $132 | $86 | $697 | +$1 |
| Truckee | Nevada | $148–$178 | $86 | $835 | +$5 |
| Visalia | Tulare | $136 | $80 | $688 | +$5 |
| West Sacramento / Davis | Yolo | $148 | $80 | $724 | +$6 |
| Yosemite National Park | Mariposa | $184–$212 | $86 | $937 | +$9 |
| All other locations | Standard CONUS rate | $113 | $68 | $577 | +$3 |
GSA FY2027 rates, effective October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. The county column is GSA's own definition of each area.
Month-by-month lodging ceilings
14 of 32 areas in California change their lodging ceiling with the season. Use the month you are actually there; a trip that spans two seasons uses each night's own ceiling.
| Area | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka / Arcata / McKinleyville | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 | 181 | 181 | 181 | 130 |
| Mammoth Lakes | 146 | 146 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 146 | 146 | 146 | 146 | 146 | 146 |
| Monterey | 196 | 196 | 196 | 196 | 209 | 209 | 209 | 209 | 209 | 293 | 293 | 196 |
| Napa | 266 | 266 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 266 | 266 | 266 | 266 | 266 | 266 |
| Palm Springs | 186 | 186 | 186 | 186 | 192 | 192 | 192 | 141 | 141 | 141 | 141 | 141 |
| San Diego | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 208 | 249 | 249 | 208 | 208 |
| San Francisco | 279 | 279 | 279 | 325 | 325 | 325 | 232 | 232 | 232 | 232 | 232 | 279 |
| San Luis Obispo | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 213 | 213 | 170 | 170 |
| San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont | 217 | 217 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 194 | 217 |
| Santa Barbara | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 214 | 277 | 277 | 214 |
| Santa Cruz | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 149 | 181 | 181 | 181 | 149 |
| South Lake Tahoe | 198 | 198 | 262 | 262 | 262 | 262 | 168 | 168 | 198 | 198 | 198 | 198 |
| Truckee | 148 | 148 | 178 | 178 | 178 | 151 | 151 | 151 | 174 | 174 | 174 | 174 |
| Yosemite National Park | 184 | 184 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 212 | 184 | 184 | 184 | 184 | 184 |
Where the season matters most: Monterey allows $293 a night in July and August but $196 in September to January, a $485 difference over a 5-night stay; South Lake Tahoe allows $262 a night in December to March but $168 in April and May, a $470 difference over a 5-night stay; San Francisco allows $325 a night in January to March but $232 in April to August, a $465 difference over a 5-night stay. If you can influence the dates, the ceiling follows the calendar, not the hotel.
Dollars per night, FY2027 (October 2026 through September 2027). Highlighted cells are each area's peak.
What changed from FY2026
The standard CONUS lodging rate went from $110 in FY2026 to $113 in FY2027; standard M&IE stayed at $68. Of the 32 California areas priced both years, peak lodging rose in 30, fell in 1 and held in 1. The largest increase is San Francisco, up $53 a night at its peak.
Compares each area's highest monthly lodging ceiling in FY2026 and FY2027, from GSA's published rates for both years.
Meal breakdown and travel days
On the first and last day of travel you receive 75% of the M&IE rate. When the government provides a meal, that meal's amount comes off the day's M&IE; the incidentals portion is always kept.
| M&IE rate | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Incidentals | Travel day (75%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $68 standard | $16 | $19 | $28 | $5 | $51 |
| $74 | $18 | $20 | $31 | $5 | $55.50 |
| $80 | $20 | $22 | $33 | $5 | $60 |
| $86 | $22 | $23 | $36 | $5 | $64.50 |
| $92 | $23 | $26 | $38 | $5 | $69 |
Military travel notes
- TDY uses these locality rates (Joint Travel Regulations, chapter 2). Hotel taxes in CONUS are reimbursed separately, on top of the lodging ceiling.
- PCS travel days do not use locality rates. Driving pays a flat $181 a day (the standard rate) wherever you stop. See the PCS calculator.
- Work out a specific trip, including provided meals, in the per diem calculator.
Source: GSA per diem rates API, FY2027. Estimates for planning; your orders and the Defense Travel System decide what is paid.