Santa Monica Per Diem Rate (FY2026)
City limits of Santa Monica · California · Official U.S. GSA federal per diem
For fiscal year 2026, the GSA per diem rate for Santa Monica is $92/day for meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) and $273/night for lodging, compared with the standard $178/day CONUS rate ($110 lodging + $68 M&IE).
M&IE / day
$92
Flat all year
Lodging low
$273
Flat all year
Lodging peak
$273
Flat all year
Full daily (peak)
$365
Lodging + M&IE
Example trip
A 4-night business trip to Santa Monica in January totals $1,506 — $1,092 lodging (4 nights) + $414 M&IE (5 days, first & last day at 75%).
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Santa Monica lodging rate by month (FY2026)
Nightly lodging caps for Santa Monica . M&IE is flat at $92/day and does not change by month.
| Month | Lodging / night | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $273 | · |
| Feb | $273 | · |
| Mar | $273 | · |
| Apr | $273 | · |
| May | $273 | · |
| Jun | $273 | · |
| Jul | $273 | · |
| Aug | $273 | · |
| Sep | $273 | · |
| Oct | $273 | · |
| Nov | $273 | · |
| Dec | $273 | · |
Santa Monica per diem FAQ
- What is the per diem rate for Santa Monica ?
- For FY2026, the GSA per diem rate for Santa Monica , California is $92 per day for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) and $273/night for lodging. The standard CONUS rate, for comparison, is $178 per day ($110 lodging + $68 M&IE).
- What is the tax-free travel nurse stipend cap in Santa Monica ?
- Tax-free housing and meal stipends for travel nurses are capped at the GSA per diem for the assignment location. In Santa Monica the full daily cap is up to $365 (peak-month lodging + $92 M&IE). A stipend at or below the GSA rate is tax-free; anything above is taxable wages.
Other California per diem areas
Antioch / Brentwood / ConcordBakersfield / RidgecrestBarstow / Ontario / VictorvilleDeath ValleyEureka / Arcata / McKinleyvilleFresnoLos AngelesMammoth LakesMill Valley / San Rafael / NovatoMontereyNapaOakhurstOaklandPalm SpringsPoint Arena / GualalaSacramentoSan DiegoSan FranciscoSan Luis ObispoSan Mateo / Foster City / BelmontSanta BarbaraSanta CruzSanta RosaSouth Lake TahoeStandard RateStockton Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San JoseTahoe CityTruckeeVisaliaWest Sacramento / DavisYosemite National Park