The average price of a 7-day trip to San Francisco is $1,132 for a solo traveler, $2,033 for a couple, and $3,811 for a family of 4. San Francisco hotels range from $36 to $156 per night with an average of $57, while most vacation rentals will cost $20 to $300 per night for the entire home. Average worldwide flight costs to Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) are between $586 and $1,051 per person for economy flights and $1,839 to $3,298 for first class. Depending on activities, we recommend budgeting $22 to $60 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 San Francisco, CR
On average, these will be the cheapest dates to fly to SJO and stay in a San Francisco hotel:
- January 8th to March 4th (except the week of February 12th)
- May 14th to May 27th
- August 6th to December 9th (except the week of November 19th)
The absolute cheapest time to take a vacation in San Francisco is usually late September.
Average San Francisco Trip Costs
Average Solo Traveler
The average cost for one person to visit San Francisco for a week is $750-$1,679($107-$240 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $22 to $60 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $374 to $851 for economy
Lodging: $38 to $68 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $37 to $45 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Couple’s Trip
The average cost for a couple to visit San Francisco for a week is $1,702-$3,350($243-$479 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $44 to $120 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $748 to $1,702 for economy
Lodging: $38 to $68 per night for one 2 or 3-star hotel room
or $37 to $45 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Average Family Vacation
The average cost for 4 people to visit San Francisco for a week is $2,466-$5,900($352-$843 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $88 to $240 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,496 to $3,404 for economy
Lodging: $76 to $136 per night for two 2 or 3-star hotel rooms
or $59 to $72 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Traveling Cheap to San Francisco
How cheap can you make a vacation to San Francisco? The cheapest trip to San Francisco is about $84 per person per day for travelers willing to take standby flights, deal with inconvenience, and otherwise limit travel expenses. About 23% of rentals are available in the $0 to $100 range for an entire place, and vacation rentals can be booked for as low as $20 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 $30.
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 San Francisco for a week is $585-$1,393($84-$199 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $13 to $26 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $374 to $851 for economy
Lodging: $30 to $36 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $60 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Couple’s Trip
The lowest cost for a couple to visit San Francisco for a week is $1,050-$2,426($150-$347 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $26 to $52 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $748 to $1,702 for economy
Lodging: $30 to $36 per night for one 1-star hotel room
or $20 to $60 per night for a 1-bed vacation rental
Budget Family Vacation
The lowest cost for 4 people to visit San Francisco for a week is $2,028-$4,672($290-$667 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $52 to $104 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,496 to $3,404 for economy
Lodging: $60 to $72 per night for two 1-star hotel rooms
or $28 to $90 per night for a 2-bed vacation rental
Overall it is easy to travel to San Francisco cheaply.
The Cost of a Luxury San Francisco Trip
There is no true ceiling on the cost of a luxury trip, so our estimates are based on what most people do in San Francisco.
Luxury Solo Traveler
The high-end price for one person to visit San Francisco for a week is $2,066-$6,560($295-$937 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $48 to $126 per day for one person’s daily expenses
Flights: $1,118 to $1,898 for first class
Lodging: $102 to $156 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $300 to $630 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Couple’s Trip
The high-end price for a couple to visit San Francisco for a week is $3,520-$9,340($503-$1,334 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $96 to $252 per day for two people’s daily expenses
Flights: $2,236 to $3,796 for first class
Lodging: $102 to $156 per night for one 4 or 5-star hotel room
or $300 to $630 per night for a preferred vacation rental
Luxury Family Vacation
The high-end price for 4 people to visit San Francisco for a week is $7,040-$16,790($1,006-$2,399 per day)
Food, Travel, and Sightseeing: $192 to $504 per day for four people’s daily expenses
Flights: $4,472 to $7,592 for first class
Lodging: $204 to $312 per night for two 4 or 5-star hotel rooms
or $480 to $945 per night for a preferred vacation rental
San Francisco Hotel Prices
The cost of staying in San Francisco is lower than the average city. On average vacation rentals are less expensive than hotels. Luxury hotels are more expensive in San Francisco due to hotel employees. The graphs below show how much cost can vary depending on the type of experience you’re looking for.
San Francisco 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 San Francisco 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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There are a healthy amount of vacation rentals serving all budgets in San Francisco.
Flight Costs to San Francisco
Averaging flights around the world, prices go from a high of $1,051 average in late December to a low of $586 in late September. Median flight price is $633. These prices are based on millions of flights. For San Francisco our data includes 297 originating airports, and 123 airlines. The area has more variance in price compared with other locations. Flying to San Francisco from an airport like Samos (SMI) in Samos (Greece) for an average $6,003 trip fare will obviously cost a lot more than from an airport like La Aurora International (GUA) in Guatemala City (Guatemala) at an average of just $162.
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 San Francisco, the difference between the cheapest and the most expensive week is about $466, so you can easily save about 80% 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 San Francisco can easily cost $190 per person or more, while a standard nice meal might be about $13 per person. Private tours can cost $390 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.