The average price of a 7-day trip to Big Sur is $4,132 for a solo traveler, $7,421 for a couple, and $13,912 for a family of 4. Big Sur hotels range from $59 to $269 per night with an average of $104, while most vacation rentals will cost $860 to $1000 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) are between $760 and $1,028 per person for economy flights and $2,385 to $3,226 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $49 to $106 per person per day for transportation and enjoying local restaurants.
See below for average, budget, and luxury trip costs. You can also look up flight costs from your airport for more tailored flight pricing.
The Cheapest Times to Visit Big Sur, CA, US
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to MRY and stay in a Big Sur hotel:
- January 8th to February 25th
- April 16th to April 29th
- May 14th to June 10th
- August 20th to November 18th (except the week of October 15th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in Big Sur is usually early to mid September.
Average Big Sur Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit Big Sur for a week is $1,292-$7,305($185-$1,044 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $49 to $106 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $499 to $833 for economy
Lodging: $75 to $99 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $781 to $955 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit Big Sur for a week is $2,656-$9,270($379-$1,324 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $98 to $212 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $998 to $1,666 for economy
Lodging: $75 to $99 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $781 to $955 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit Big Sur for a week is $4,268-$14,898($610-$2,128 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $196 to $424 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,996 to $3,332 for economy
Lodging: $150 to $198 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $1,093 to $1,433 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to Big Sur
How cheap can you make a vacation to Big Sur? The cheapest trip to Big Sur is about $137 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 0% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $860 per night. These inexpensive rentals must be booked as early as possible and may not be in the most desirable areas. 1-star hotels are more likely to be available, with rooms starting at around $51.
Even cheaper trips are possible depending on where you live and whether you can drive. Check the cheapest times to fly for more saving ideas.
Budget Solo Traveler
The lowest cost for one person to visit Big Sur for a week is $959-$6,428($137-$918 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $22 to $45 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $499 to $833 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $59 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $860 to $880 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit Big Sur for a week is $1,612-$7,576($230-$1,082 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $44 to $90 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $998 to $1,666 for economy
Lodging: $51 to $59 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $860 to $880 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit Big Sur for a week is $3,224-$11,984($461-$1,712 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $88 to $180 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,996 to $3,332 for economy
Lodging: $102 to $118 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $1,376 to $1,232 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is harder to travel to Big Sur cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury Big Sur Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in Big Sur.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit Big Sur for a week is $2,677-$15,985($382-$2,284 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $108 to $223 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,123 to $2,424 for first class
Lodging: $133 to $269 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $2,000 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit Big Sur for a week is $4,556-$19,970($651-$2,853 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $216 to $446 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,246 to $4,848 for first class
Lodging: $133 to $269 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $1,000 to $2,000 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit Big Sur for a week is $9,112-$33,940($1,302-$4,849 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $432 to $892 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,492 to $9,696 for first class
Lodging: $266 to $538 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $1,500 to $3,000 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Big Sur Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in Big Sur is higher than the average city. On average hotels are less expensive than vacation rentals. Luxury vacation rentals are more expensive in Big Sur due to very high property costs. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
Big Sur Lodging Cost by Star Status
The average price for the class of hotel is on the (y) axis. The hotel class (out of 5 stars) is on the (x) axis.
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Prices are based on Big Sur hotel averages and may not reflect current prices. In some cases, we extrapolate prices to estimate costs, and hotels with your desired star rating may not be available.
Vacation Rental Prices
The percent of vacation rentals in the price range is on the left (y) axis. Price range is on the bottom (x) axis.
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While there are a few options for vacation rentals here, the selection is somewhat limited in Big Sur.
Flight Costs to Big Sur
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,028 average in early August to a low of $760 in early to mid September. Median flight price is $717. These prices are based on millions of flights. For Big Sur our data includes 410 originating airports, and 111 airlines. The area has average variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to Big Sur from an airport like Shevchenko (SCO) in Aktau (Kazakhstan) for an average $6,634 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like San Diego International (SAN) in San Diego, CA (the United States) at an average of just $238.
Average Flight Cost by Season
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Average Flight Cost by Day of Week
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The cheapest day to fly in is typically Tuesday, and the cheapest day to fly back is usually Tuesday. Click here to see data for the cost of flights from your airport. In Big Sur, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $268, so you can easily save about 35% simply by using our free flight guides and booking in advance.
Daily Expenses Budget
Daily vacation expenses vary more based on what you’re interested in doing. A fine dining restaurant with drinks around Big Sur can easily cost $340 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $22 per person. Private tours can cost $670 per day, but self-guided tours to see the outdoor sights can be free. Costs vary wildly, so recommendations are made based on the cost of living and averages we see for this type of vacation.