California · GSA non-standard area · FY2027
Santa Monica per diem rates
Federal travelers to Santa Monica (GSA area: City limits of Santa Monica) can claim up to $283 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidental expenses in FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027). That is $170 above the standard CONUS lodging rate of $113.
Lodging cap by month, FY2027
FY2027 rates by season
Exactly as listed in GSA's FY2027 per diem file. Season dates are inclusive; the lodging cap applies to the night that begins on each date.
| Season | Lodging | M&IE | Max per day |
|---|---|---|---|
| All year | $283 | $92 | $375 |
Meals, incidentals and a worked trip
| Breakfast | $23 |
| Lunch | $26 |
| Dinner | $38 |
| Incidental expenses | $5 |
| M&IE, full day | $92 |
| First and last day of travel (75%) | $69.00 |
GSA's breakdown of the $92 M&IE tier, used to deduct meals provided by the government or included in a registration fee (FTR §301-11.21). Meals on a common carrier and complimentary hotel breakfasts are not deducted. All tiers
Worked example · November
A 4-night trip (5 travel days) in November:
| Lodging, 4 nights × $283 | $1,132 |
| M&IE, first and last day at 75% (2 × $69.00) | $138.00 |
| M&IE, 3 full days × $92 | $276 |
| Maximum for the trip | $1,546.00 |
Lodging is reimbursed up to the cap for actual cost (taxes are claimed separately on CONUS trips, FTR §301-11.16). The 75% first-and-last-day rule is FTR §301-11.20. Use the trip calculator for your own dates.
History, FY2015 to FY2027
Listed in every GSA file since FY2015.
Santa Monica: lodging and M&IE by fiscal year
Each fiscal year runs October to September. Dashed line: the standard CONUS lodging rate.
| Fiscal year | Lodging | M&IE | Max/day | Peak change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2027 | $283 | $92 | $375 | +3.7% |
| FY2026 | $273 | $92 | $365 | 0% |
| FY2025 | $273 | $92 | $365 | −8.4% |
| FY2024 | $270 – $298 | $79 | $377 | +4.9% |
| FY2023 | $239 – $284 | $79 | $363 | 0% |
| FY2022 | $239 – $284 | $79 | $363 | 0% |
| FY2021 | $239 – $284 | $76 | $360 | −5.6% |
| FY2020 | $248 – $301 | $76 | $377 | +0.7% |
| FY2019 | $247 – $299 | $76 | $375 | −2.6% |
| FY2018 | $253 – $307 | $64 | $371 | +9.3% |
| FY2017 | $237 – $281 | $64 | $345 | +11.5% |
| FY2016 | $217 – $252 | $64 | $316 | +9.6% |
| FY2015 | $190 – $230 | $71 | $301 | – |
How it compares
Peak FY2027 lodging cap: Santa Monica among all 295 non-standard areas
Rank #22 nationally and #3 of 32 in California. All California rates · National rankings
Where this rate applies
GSA defines this area as City limits of Santa Monica in California. Under GSA's rules a non-standard area includes "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties" (GSA per diem FAQs).
5 ZIP codes map to Santa Monica in GSA's FY2027 ZIP code file
90401 90402 90403 90404 90405
Other California destinations
| Destination | Peak lodging | M&IE |
|---|---|---|
| San FranciscoSan Francisco | $325 | $92 |
| MontereyMonterey | $293 | $92 |
| Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara | $277 | $92 |
| NapaNapa | $266 | $92 |
| South Lake TahoeEl Dorado | $262 | $86 |
| San DiegoSan Diego | $249 | $86 |
| Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San JoseSanta Clara | $218 | $92 |
| San Mateo / Foster City / BelmontSan Mateo | $217 | $86 |
Questions
- What is the per diem rate for Santa Monica in FY2027?
- Lodging up to $283 a night, plus $92 a day for meals and incidental expenses, for travel from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
- How much M&IE do I get on the first and last day?
- 75% of the M&IE rate: $69.00 on the day you leave and the day you return (FTR §301-11.20, as published in the eCFR).
- Are hotel taxes included in the lodging rate?
- No. For CONUS travel, lodging taxes on the reimbursable room cost are claimed separately as a miscellaneous expense (FTR §301-11.16(a)).
Source: U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), per diem rates and per diem files. Not affiliated with GSA. All sources