Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose Per Diem Rate (FY2026)
Santa Clara · California · Official U.S. GSA federal per diem
For fiscal year 2026, the GSA per diem rate for Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose is $92/day for meals & incidental expenses (M&IE) and $192/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
$192
Flat all year
Lodging peak
$192
Flat all year
Full daily (peak)
$284
Lodging + M&IE
Example trip
A 4-night business trip to Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose in January totals $1,182 — $768 lodging (4 nights) + $414 M&IE (5 days, first & last day at 75%).
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Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose lodging rate by month (FY2026)
Nightly lodging caps for Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose. M&IE is flat at $92/day and does not change by month.
| Month | Lodging / night | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | $192 | · |
| Feb | $192 | · |
| Mar | $192 | · |
| Apr | $192 | · |
| May | $192 | · |
| Jun | $192 | · |
| Jul | $192 | · |
| Aug | $192 | · |
| Sep | $192 | · |
| Oct | $192 | · |
| Nov | $192 | · |
| Dec | $192 | · |
Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose per diem FAQ
- What is the per diem rate for Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose?
- For FY2026, the GSA per diem rate for Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose, California is $92 per day for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) and $192/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 Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose?
- Tax-free housing and meal stipends for travel nurses are capped at the GSA per diem for the assignment location. In Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose the full daily cap is up to $284 (peak-month lodging + $92 M&IE). A stipend at or below the GSA rate is tax-free; anything above is taxable wages.
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