Average Business Travel Cost per Day by US City (2026-27)
Pick a city, month and trip length to get a budget for lodging, meals, airfare and ground transport. Free, no sign-up.
Short answer
The US government's FY2027 benchmark for a business-travel day is $181 in standard (non-listed) locations: $113 lodging + $68 meals and incidentals. 295 separately listed locations have higher rates; the most expensive is Key West, FL at $420 per day (annual average). These are GSA per diem ceilings, the most widely used budget benchmark, not surveyed averages: real hotel prices vary, and airfare and car costs are not included.
Source: GSA FY2027 per diem rates, effective Oct 1, 2026.
Standard rate: 3 nights, 4 travel days, check-in mid-October
Total trip budget
$577
Cost per day
$144
Lodging
$339
Meals and incidentals
$238
Airfare
$0
Ground transport
$0
Lodging and meals are GSA FY2027 ceilings (75% of M&IE on the first and last day), not what you will necessarily pay.
First report free: log real expenses and export a PDF or Excel expense report.
Most expensive cities for business travel
Top 15 of 295 listed locations by daily cost: Key West, FL ($420), Park City, UT ($409), New York City, NY ($384).
| City | Lodging | M&IE | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key West, FL | $334 | $86 | $420 |
| Park City, UT | $317 | $92 | $409 |
| New York City, NY | $292 | $92 | $384 |
| Jackson / Pinedale, WY | $291 | $92 | $383 |
| Martha's Vineyard, MA | $291 | $92 | $383 |
| Boston / Cambridge, MA | $285 | $92 | $377 |
| Santa Monica, CA | $283 | $92 | $375 |
| Aspen, CO | $277 | $92 | $369 |
| Nantucket, MA | $277 | $92 | $369 |
| Vail, CO | $275 | $92 | $367 |
| San Francisco, CA | $271 | $92 | $363 |
| Sun Valley / Ketchum, ID | $264 | $80 | $344 |
| Charleston, SC | $247 | $92 | $339 |
| District of Columbia, DC | $246 | $92 | $338 |
| Telluride, CO | $246 | $92 | $338 |
Cheapest listed cities
The 10 lowest of the listed locations start at $183 per day (Hot Springs, AR). Everywhere not listed uses the standard $181.
| City | Lodging | M&IE | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs, AR | $115 | $68 | $183 |
| Charleston, WV | $117 | $68 | $185 |
| Alexandria / Leesville / Natchitoches, LA | $118 | $68 | $186 |
| Boone, KY | $119 | $68 | $187 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $120 | $68 | $188 |
| Columbia, SC | $115 | $74 | $189 |
| South Haven, MI | $122 | $68 | $190 |
| Aberdeen / Bel Air / Belcamp, MD | $117 | $74 | $191 |
| Muskegon, MI | $124 | $68 | $192 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $124 | $68 | $192 |
All 295 listed locations
295 of 295 locations
| Key West | FL | $334 | $86 | $420 |
| Park City | UT | $317 | $92 | $409 |
| New York City | NY | $292 | $92 | $384 |
| Jackson / Pinedale | WY | $291 | $92 | $383 |
| Martha's Vineyard | MA | $291 | $92 | $383 |
| Boston / Cambridge | MA | $285 | $92 | $377 |
| Santa Monica | CA | $283 | $92 | $375 |
| Aspen | CO | $277 | $92 | $369 |
| Nantucket | MA | $277 | $92 | $369 |
| Vail | CO | $275 | $92 | $367 |
| San Francisco | CA | $271 | $92 | $363 |
| Sun Valley / Ketchum | ID | $264 | $80 | $344 |
| Charleston | SC | $247 | $92 | $339 |
| District of Columbia | DC | $246 | $92 | $338 |
| Telluride | CO | $246 | $92 | $338 |
| Napa | CA | $242 | $92 | $334 |
| Santa Barbara | CA | $225 | $92 | $317 |
| Nashville | TN | $230 | $86 | $316 |
| Monterey | CA | $218 | $92 | $310 |
| Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose | CA | $218 | $92 | $310 |
| Seattle | WA | $216 | $92 | $308 |
| Naples | FL | $225 | $80 | $305 |
| Sedona | AZ | $212 | $92 | $304 |
| Big Sky / West Yellowstone/Gardiner | MT | $221 | $80 | $301 |
| San Diego | CA | $215 | $86 | $301 |
| Silverthorne / Breckenridge | CO | $208 | $92 | $300 |
| South Lake Tahoe | CA | $214 | $86 | $300 |
| Steamboat Springs | CO | $206 | $92 | $298 |
| Bar Harbor / Rockport | ME | $204 | $92 | $296 |
| Denver / Aurora | CO | $203 | $92 | $295 |
| Chicago | IL | $202 | $92 | $294 |
| Vero Beach | FL | $213 | $74 | $287 |
| Boca Raton / Delray Beach / Jupiter | FL | $200 | $86 | $286 |
| Philadelphia | PA | $194 | $92 | $286 |
| San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont | CA | $200 | $86 | $286 |
| Jekyll Island / Brunswick | GA | $199 | $86 | $285 |
| Los Angeles | CA | $199 | $86 | $285 |
| Yosemite National Park | CA | $196 | $86 | $282 |
| Atlanta | GA | $193 | $86 | $279 |
| Miami | FL | $185 | $92 | $277 |
| Jamestown / Middletown / Newport | RI | $196 | $80 | $276 |
| Manchester | VT | $189 | $86 | $275 |
| Arlington / Fort Worth / Grapevine | TX | $192 | $80 | $272 |
| Boise | ID | $186 | $86 | $272 |
| Duluth | MN | $185 | $86 | $271 |
| Fort Lauderdale | FL | $185 | $86 | $271 |
| Stowe | VT | $184 | $86 | $270 |
| Austin | TX | $184 | $80 | $264 |
| Dallas | TX | $184 | $80 | $264 |
| Montpelier | VT | $189 | $74 | $263 |
| Port Angeles / Port Townsend | WA | $171 | $92 | $263 |
| San Luis Obispo | CA | $177 | $86 | $263 |
| Albuquerque | NM | $181 | $80 | $261 |
| Mill Valley / San Rafael / Novato | CA | $169 | $92 | $261 |
| Fort Walton Beach / De Funiak Springs | FL | $174 | $86 | $260 |
| Tarrytown / White Plains / New Rochelle | NY | $168 | $92 | $260 |
| Moab | UT | $173 | $86 | $259 |
| Floral Park / Garden City / Great Neck | NY | $172 | $86 | $258 |
| Lake Placid | NY | $171 | $86 | $257 |
| Burlington | VT | $170 | $86 | $256 |
| Burlington / Woburn | MA | $170 | $86 | $256 |
| Cincinnati | OH | $170 | $86 | $256 |
| Kenton | KY | $170 | $86 | $256 |
| Hilton Head | SC | $175 | $80 | $255 |
| Palm Springs | CA | $169 | $86 | $255 |
| Toms River | NJ | $181 | $74 | $255 |
| Newark | NJ | $168 | $86 | $254 |
| Mammoth Lakes | CA | $167 | $86 | $253 |
| Baltimore City | MD | $166 | $86 | $252 |
| Phoenix / Scottsdale | AZ | $166 | $86 | $252 |
| Falmouth | MA | $165 | $86 | $251 |
| Truckee | CA | $165 | $86 | $251 |
| Kill Devil Hills | NC | $176 | $74 | $250 |
| Riverhead / Ronkonkoma / Melville | NY | $163 | $86 | $249 |
| Santa Rosa | CA | $163 | $86 | $249 |
| Tampa / St. Petersburg | FL | $169 | $80 | $249 |
| Quincy | MA | $168 | $80 | $248 |
| Stuart | FL | $168 | $80 | $248 |
| Bradenton | FL | $167 | $80 | $247 |
| Cleveland | OH | $167 | $80 | $247 |
| Cocoa Beach | FL | $173 | $74 | $247 |
| Portland | OR | $161 | $86 | $247 |
| Seaside | OR | $161 | $86 | $247 |
| Tucson | AZ | $167 | $80 | $247 |
| Vancouver | WA | $161 | $86 | $247 |
| Crested Butte / Gunnison | CO | $160 | $86 | $246 |
| Fort Myers | FL | $165 | $80 | $245 |
| Hershey | PA | $165 | $80 | $245 |
| Minneapolis / St. Paul | MN | $153 | $92 | $245 |
| Petoskey | MI | $159 | $86 | $245 |
| Grand Lake | CO | $158 | $86 | $244 |
| Louisville | KY | $164 | $80 | $244 |
| New Orleans | LA | $164 | $80 | $244 |
| Oakland | CA | $152 | $92 | $244 |
| St. Augustine | FL | $164 | $80 | $244 |
| Incline Village / Reno / Sparks | NV | $163 | $80 | $243 |
| Ocean City | MD | $163 | $80 | $243 |
| Santa Cruz | CA | $157 | $86 | $243 |
| Santa Fe | NM | $163 | $80 | $243 |
| Bridgeport / Danbury | CT | $156 | $86 | $242 |
| Coeur d'Alene | ID | $168 | $74 | $242 |
| East St. Louis / O'Fallon / Fairview Heights | IL | $156 | $86 | $242 |
| Kennebunk / Kittery / Sanford | ME | $156 | $86 | $242 |
| Sacramento | CA | $156 | $86 | $242 |
| St. Louis | MO | $156 | $86 | $242 |
| Providence / Bristol | RI | $161 | $80 | $241 |
| Richmond | VA | $161 | $80 | $241 |
| Portland | ME | $160 | $80 | $240 |
| Sarasota | FL | $154 | $86 | $240 |
| Cambridge / St. Michaels | MD | $159 | $80 | $239 |
| Gulf Shores | AL | $165 | $74 | $239 |
| Lebanon / Lincoln / West Lebanon | NH | $165 | $74 | $239 |
| Savannah | GA | $159 | $80 | $239 |
| Bakersfield / Ridgecrest | CA | $164 | $74 | $238 |
| Carlsbad | NM | $164 | $74 | $238 |
| Hyannis | MA | $146 | $92 | $238 |
| Laconia | NH | $164 | $74 | $238 |
| Montrose | CO | $164 | $74 | $238 |
| Northampton | MA | $157 | $80 | $237 |
| Princeton / Trenton | NJ | $151 | $86 | $237 |
| Kalispell/Whitefish | MT | $156 | $80 | $236 |
| Olympia / Tumwater | WA | $156 | $80 | $236 |
| Pittsfield | MA | $150 | $86 | $236 |
| Sebring | FL | $162 | $74 | $236 |
| White River Junction | VT | $150 | $86 | $236 |
| Eugene / Florence | OR | $155 | $80 | $235 |
| New London / Groton | CT | $149 | $86 | $235 |
| Traverse City | MI | $155 | $80 | $235 |
| Death Valley | CA | $154 | $80 | $234 |
| Detroit | MI | $160 | $74 | $234 |
| Eatontown / Freehold | NJ | $148 | $86 | $234 |
| Antioch / Brentwood / Concord | CA | $147 | $86 | $233 |
| Chapel Hill | NC | $153 | $80 | $233 |
| Orlando | FL | $153 | $80 | $233 |
| Bend | OR | $146 | $86 | $232 |
| Salt Lake City | UT | $152 | $80 | $232 |
| Saratoga Springs / Schenectady | NY | $151 | $80 | $231 |
| Annapolis | MD | $150 | $80 | $230 |
| Cody | WY | $156 | $74 | $230 |
| Missoula | MT | $156 | $74 | $230 |
| Boulder / Broomfield | CO | $149 | $80 | $229 |
| Eureka / Arcata / McKinleyville | CA | $143 | $86 | $229 |
| Tacoma | WA | $143 | $86 | $229 |
| Athens | GA | $154 | $74 | $228 |
| Las Vegas | NV | $142 | $86 | $228 |
| Lincoln City | OR | $136 | $92 | $228 |
| Parsippany | NJ | $148 | $80 | $228 |
| West Sacramento / Davis | CA | $148 | $80 | $228 |
| Conway | NH | $147 | $80 | $227 |
| Gulf Breeze | FL | $153 | $74 | $227 |
| Kingston | NY | $141 | $86 | $227 |
| Portsmouth | NH | $153 | $74 | $227 |
| Somerset | NJ | $147 | $80 | $227 |
| Colorado Springs | CO | $140 | $86 | $226 |
| Hartford | CT | $146 | $80 | $226 |
| Durango | CO | $145 | $80 | $225 |
| Ithaca | NY | $145 | $80 | $225 |
| Ocean Shores | WA | $139 | $86 | $225 |
| Buffalo | NY | $144 | $80 | $224 |
| Mackinac Island | MI | $138 | $86 | $224 |
| Milwaukee | WI | $144 | $80 | $224 |
| Pittsburgh | PA | $144 | $80 | $224 |
| Virginia Beach | VA | $150 | $74 | $224 |
| Charlotte | NC | $143 | $80 | $223 |
| Lewes | DE | $149 | $74 | $223 |
| San Antonio | TX | $149 | $74 | $223 |
| Charlottesville | VA | $142 | $80 | $222 |
| Fresno | CA | $136 | $86 | $222 |
| Myrtle Beach | SC | $148 | $74 | $222 |
| Richland / Pasco | WA | $136 | $86 | $222 |
| Wallops Island | VA | $154 | $68 | $222 |
| Brentwood / Franklin | TN | $135 | $86 | $221 |
| Kayenta | AZ | $147 | $74 | $221 |
| Springfield / Cranford / New Providence | NJ | $141 | $80 | $221 |
| Ann Arbor | MI | $140 | $80 | $220 |
| Centreville | MD | $146 | $74 | $220 |
| Daytona Beach | FL | $140 | $80 | $220 |
| Glens Falls | NY | $134 | $86 | $220 |
| Huntsville | AL | $146 | $74 | $220 |
| Indianapolis / Carmel | IN | $140 | $80 | $220 |
| Point Arena / Gualala | CA | $134 | $86 | $220 |
| Worcester | MA | $140 | $80 | $220 |
| Albany | NY | $133 | $86 | $219 |
| Atlantic Beach / Morehead City | NC | $145 | $74 | $219 |
| Grand Canyon / Flagstaff | AZ | $139 | $80 | $219 |
| Kansas City | MO | $139 | $80 | $219 |
| Kansas City / Overland Park | KS | $139 | $80 | $219 |
| Rochester | MN | $139 | $80 | $219 |
| Beaverton | OR | $138 | $80 | $218 |
| Columbus | OH | $138 | $80 | $218 |
| Pensacola | FL | $144 | $74 | $218 |
| Tahoe City | CA | $132 | $86 | $218 |
| Andover | MA | $137 | $80 | $217 |
| Clackamas | OR | $137 | $80 | $217 |
| Oakhurst | CA | $137 | $80 | $217 |
| Panama City | FL | $137 | $80 | $217 |
| Raleigh | NC | $142 | $74 | $216 |
| Rochester | NY | $136 | $80 | $216 |
| Syracuse / Oswego | NY | $136 | $80 | $216 |
| Visalia | CA | $136 | $80 | $216 |
| Barstow / Ontario / Victorville | CA | $129 | $86 | $215 |
| Birmingham | AL | $135 | $80 | $215 |
| Helena | MT | $140 | $74 | $214 |
| Nyack / Palisades | NY | $134 | $80 | $214 |
| Oxford | MS | $146 | $68 | $214 |
| Everett / Lynnwood | WA | $127 | $86 | $213 |
| Houston | TX | $133 | $80 | $213 |
| Plano | TX | $133 | $80 | $213 |
| Punta Gorda | FL | $139 | $74 | $213 |
| Malvern / Frazer / Berwyn | PA | $132 | $80 | $212 |
| Midland | MI | $138 | $74 | $212 |
| New Haven | CT | $132 | $80 | $212 |
| Spokane | WA | $126 | $86 | $212 |
| Wilmington | NC | $138 | $74 | $212 |
| Deadwood / Spearfish | SD | $131 | $80 | $211 |
| Stockton | CA | $137 | $74 | $211 |
| Asheville | NC | $130 | $80 | $210 |
| Manchester | NH | $136 | $74 | $210 |
| Midland / Odessa | TX | $136 | $74 | $210 |
| Chester / Radnor / Essington | PA | $129 | $80 | $209 |
| Fort Collins / Loveland | CO | $129 | $80 | $209 |
| Memphis | TN | $135 | $74 | $209 |
| Montgomery | PA | $129 | $80 | $209 |
| Troy | NY | $129 | $80 | $209 |
| West Point | NY | $129 | $80 | $209 |
| Durham | NH | $134 | $74 | $208 |
| Flemington | NJ | $128 | $80 | $208 |
| Madison | WI | $128 | $80 | $208 |
| Omaha | NE | $128 | $80 | $208 |
| Plymouth / Taunton / New Bedford | MA | $127 | $80 | $207 |
| South Padre Island | TX | $133 | $74 | $207 |
| Bloomington | IN | $132 | $74 | $206 |
| Lafayette / West Lafayette | IN | $132 | $74 | $206 |
| State College | PA | $132 | $74 | $206 |
| Hamilton | OH | $131 | $74 | $205 |
| Holland | MI | $131 | $74 | $205 |
| Lexington | KY | $125 | $80 | $205 |
| Marietta | GA | $131 | $74 | $205 |
| Sandusky | OH | $137 | $68 | $205 |
| Springfield | MA | $131 | $74 | $205 |
| Poughkeepsie | NY | $124 | $80 | $204 |
| Provo | UT | $130 | $74 | $204 |
| Sturgeon Bay | WI | $124 | $80 | $204 |
| Williamsburg / York | VA | $124 | $80 | $204 |
| Edison / Piscataway | NJ | $123 | $80 | $203 |
| Harrisburg | PA | $129 | $74 | $203 |
| Hot Springs | SD | $129 | $74 | $203 |
| Knoxville | TN | $129 | $74 | $203 |
| Oakbrook Terrace | IL | $123 | $80 | $203 |
| Augusta | GA | $128 | $74 | $202 |
| Columbia | MD | $116 | $86 | $202 |
| Des Moines | IA | $122 | $80 | $202 |
| Niagara Falls | NY | $122 | $80 | $202 |
| Rapid City | SD | $128 | $74 | $202 |
| Taos | NM | $128 | $74 | $202 |
| Big Spring | TX | $133 | $68 | $201 |
| Binghamton | NY | $127 | $74 | $201 |
| Bucks | PA | $121 | $80 | $201 |
| Concord | NH | $127 | $74 | $201 |
| Cortez | CO | $127 | $74 | $201 |
| Loudoun | VA | $121 | $80 | $201 |
| Oklahoma City | OK | $121 | $80 | $201 |
| Starkville | MS | $133 | $68 | $201 |
| Tallahassee | FL | $121 | $80 | $201 |
| Wilmington | DE | $127 | $74 | $201 |
| Douglas | CO | $120 | $80 | $200 |
| Grand Rapids | MI | $120 | $80 | $200 |
| Mobile | AL | $126 | $74 | $200 |
| Pontiac / Auburn Hills | MI | $120 | $80 | $200 |
| Southaven | MS | $132 | $68 | $200 |
| Lancaster | PA | $125 | $74 | $199 |
| Pecos | TX | $125 | $74 | $199 |
| Roanoke | VA | $125 | $74 | $199 |
| Durham | NC | $124 | $74 | $198 |
| Greensboro | NC | $124 | $74 | $198 |
| Dallas | IA | $117 | $80 | $197 |
| Fayetteville | NC | $129 | $68 | $197 |
| Charles Town | WV | $128 | $68 | $196 |
| Galveston | TX | $122 | $74 | $196 |
| Reading | PA | $122 | $74 | $196 |
| Cherry Hill / Moorestown | NJ | $115 | $80 | $195 |
| Blacksburg | VA | $126 | $68 | $194 |
| Chattanooga | TN | $120 | $74 | $194 |
| Dayton / Fairborn | OH | $120 | $74 | $194 |
| Bolingbrook / Romeoville / Lemont | IL | $119 | $74 | $193 |
| Lynchburg | VA | $124 | $68 | $192 |
| Muskegon | MI | $124 | $68 | $192 |
| Aberdeen / Bel Air / Belcamp | MD | $117 | $74 | $191 |
| South Haven | MI | $122 | $68 | $190 |
| Columbia | SC | $115 | $74 | $189 |
| Gettysburg | PA | $120 | $68 | $188 |
| Boone | KY | $119 | $68 | $187 |
| Alexandria / Leesville / Natchitoches | LA | $118 | $68 | $186 |
| Charleston | WV | $117 | $68 | $185 |
| Hot Springs | AR | $115 | $68 | $183 |
How the numbers are built: avg lodging is the nightly GSA ceiling averaged over every day of FY2027 (Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027), so seasonal rates are weighted by their days, then rounded. Per day = avg lodging + full-day M&IE. Alaska and Hawaii are not covered (set by the Department of Defense).
Business travel cost FAQ
What is the average business travel cost per day?
The US government's FY2027 benchmark (Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027) for a business-travel day is $181 in standard locations: $113 lodging plus $68 meals and incidentals. 295 listed locations have higher rates, up to $420 per day in Key West, FL (annual average). These are GSA per diem ceilings, not surveyed averages of what travelers actually pay, and they exclude airfare and ground transport.
What is the average hotel cost for business travel?
The GSA lodging ceiling is $113 per night in standard locations. Across the 295 separately listed locations the annual average ceiling runs from $115 to $334 per night, and many resort and big-city rates change by season. Actual hotel prices on a given night can be higher or lower than the ceiling.
What does a typical business trip cost?
For a 3-night trip to a standard-rate location the FY2027 ceilings add up to $577: $339 lodging (3 x $113) plus $238 meals and incidentals (4 travel days, 75% on the first and last day). That is about $144 per travel day, before airfare, rental car or taxis.
Does per diem include airfare?
No. GSA per diem covers only lodging and meals and incidentals (M&IE). Airfare, rental cars, taxis, parking, baggage and conference fees are separate costs, so add them to the budget on top of the per diem figure. The calculator above has fields for airfare and ground transport.
How can a small business track actual business travel costs?
Compare the per diem budget with real spending: log each expense and receipt during the trip, group them by trip and category, and export one expense report at the end. Easy Trip Expenses does this and your first trip report is free.
Track what the trip really cost
A benchmark is the budget; receipts are what you actually spent. Log real trip expenses in Easy Trip Expenses and export a PDF or Excel report. Your first report is free.
Related: per diem calculator, business trip cost calculator.
Data: GSA FY2027 per diem rates, effective Oct 1, 2026 (public domain; source gsa.gov). Last checked Sat, Oct 31, 2026. Easy Trip Expenses is not affiliated with GSA. Figures are maximum allowances, not a guarantee of what any employer pays or what hotels charge.