Los Angeles can be done on almost any budget, though of course your experience will reflect what you are able to spend. As long as you don’t plan on multiple theme park visits then you can keep costs under control by taking advantage of doing free things at the beaches or elsewhere. If you do plan on one or more theme park or studio tour visits, you should probably see if the Go Los Angeles Card is a good deal for you. The Go San Diego Card is another one to consider if you are coming as a family, as it covers Legoland and the San Diego Zoo.
| Population | 3,800,000 |
| Area | 13,000,000 |
| Timezone | UTC-8 |
| Currency | US dollar |
| Airports | Los Angeles International (LAX), Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT), Orange County (SNA), Long Beach (LGB) |
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 46.00 - 100.00 |
| 55.00 - 242.00 |
| 80.00 - 275.00 |
| 175.00 - 347.00 |
| 450.00 - 555.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 20.00 - 45.00 |
Food is relatively cheap in Los Angeles, and there are plenty of great budget choices among the various ethnic cuisines you’ll find in most areas. Some of the local fast food chains (like In’N’Out Burger and Tommy’s Burgers) are both cheap and very worth trying, and prepared food and ingredients are easy to find at the many supermarkets spread all over the city.
| Budget breakfast | Fast food places are everywhere, and sadly they are your best cheap option. Breakfast in a coffee shop starts around $6 plus tax and tip. | $6.00 - $9.00 |
| Budget lunch | Cheap Mexican restaurants, including trucks, are a good and authentic budget option. Again, fast food (good and bad) dominates the cheaper options. | $7.00 - $11.00 |
| Budget dinner | Most non-fancy restaurants have mains that are affordable, and ethnic places (Chinese, Greek, Indian) are usually a cheap choice. | $11.00 - $17.00 |
| Coffee (cup) | Some fast food places have coffee that is good and cheap, and you are never far from a Starbucks. | $1.50 - $2.50 |
| Pint of beer | Los Angeles isn't a great drinking town, but at least finding happy hours and drink specials is usually easy. | $6.00 - $9.00 |
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 65 | 48 | 2.7 |
| February | 66 | 49 | 3.1 |
| March | 68 | 50 | 2.2 |
| April | 70 | 53 | 1.3 |
| May | 73 | 56 | 0.3 |
| June | 76 | 58 | 0.1 |
| July | 72 | 62 | 0.0 |
| August | 73 | 63 | 0.0 |
| September | 72 | 61 | 0.2 |
| October | 67 | 58 | 0.4 |
| November | 54 | 53 | 1.1 |
| December | 59 | 50 | 2.5 |
Known for having arguably the best overall climate in the world, there is no bad time to visit Los Angeles, weather-wise. Average temperatures can be deceiving, however, as both highs and lows become more extreme the farther inland you get. Beach cities tend to stay pleasantly warm all summer long and winters can be a bit cool and windy, while inland areas, like the San Fernando Valley can be roasting in the summer and quite cool in winter.
But most of the time the weather will be the least of your worries, and you’ll be pretty unlucky if you arrive during one of the infrequent rainy patches. Due to cool winds and cold water, swimming or sunbathing at the beaches is usually best from April through October, but things can warm up enough in any month of the year if you get lucky.
| 21 Mar | 6:56am | 7:06pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:42am | 8:08pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:41am | 6:51pm |
| 21 Dec | 6:55am | 4:48pm |
Hotel prices don’t change drastically throughout the year in Los Angeles, though generally they follow a predictable pattern. Prices and occupancy are highest from June through September as well as during the winter holiday period, and lowest from mid January through March.
Hotels along the beach are unsurprisingly cheaper during the winter months, but that’s because the beach is too cold to do anything more than just walk along in those months.
You’ll likely need a car so location might not matter too much, but be careful of specifics anyway since there are hotels literally spread out over the huge metro area, and some neighborhoods are far better than others for out of town visitors.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 46.00 - 100.00 |
| 55.00 - 242.00 |
| 80.00 - 275.00 |
| 175.00 - 347.00 |
| 450.00 - 555.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 20.00 - 45.00 |
If you have access to a car then you’ll be able to do and see much more in far less time, and a cheap rental might save you money in other ways since it’ll allow you are greater choice of food and drink options. Trying to visit using only public transportation means moving slowly or limiting yourself to just a few neighborhoods.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| FlyAway bus from LAX to downtown train station | 9.75 |
| Super Shuttle from LAX to Hollywood | 17.00 |
| Taxi from LAX to Hollywood | 68.00 - 90.00 |
| Metro or city bus (single ride) | 1.75 |
| Metro or city bus (day pass) | 7.00 |
| 3km taxi ride in Los Angeles | 12.00 - 16.00 |