Quick answer: Los Angeles runs about EUR 210 per day mid-range - noticeably less if you eat local and walk. Cheapest window: March-May and September-November - warm, dry and clear; early summer mornings are often overcast ('June Gloom').
What things actually cost
| street taco | 2 EUR |
| specialty coffee | 5 EUR |
| 15-minute rideshare | 18 EUR |
| Getty Center entry | free, parking 22 EUR |
| petrol per liter | 1.20 EUR |
| mid-range hotel double per night | 180 EUR |
Eat well for little
- Tacos al pastor from a street truckthe essential LA meal, about 2 EUR per taco
- In-N-Out Double-Double with friesthe cult burger, about 6 EUR
- Eggslut sandwich at Grand Central Marketabout 9 EUR
- All-you-can-eat Korean BBQ in Koreatownabout 30 EUR per person
- Fish tacos on the Venice or Santa Monica boardwalkabout 12 EUR
Money mistakes to avoid
- Planning Santa Monica and Pasadena in the same dayLA distances are huge; group sights by neighborhood instead
- Driving at rush houravoid the freeways from 7-10am and 4-7pm or a 20-minute hop becomes 90 minutes
- Expecting glamour on the Walk of Fameit is a quick photo stop on a scruffy street, not a half-day activity
- Ignoring parking signsLA curb rules are notoriously confusing and tickets start around 60 EUR
Transport without the tourist tax
From LAX, the FlyAway bus to Union Station costs about 9 EUR and rideshares from the LAX-it lot run 35-50 EUR to most neighborhoods. Realistically you want a rental car (45-60 EUR per day plus parking) or a rideshare budget of 40-60 EUR per day; the Metro E and B lines cover a few useful corridors for about 1.60 EUR a ride.
Planning the full trip? Start with the 4-day Los Angeles itinerary.