The Cost of a Week in Los Angeles and San Diego

Last Monday, I flew from Seattle to Los Angeles to read short fiction about Mars at a show called Space Time, and then we took our Space Time show on the road to San Diego to perform it during Comic-Con weekend. (During the second show, I got to interview Bobak Ferdowsi about the possibility of finding space whales on Europa. It was pretty great.)

I stayed in three different living spaces over the course of that week; first with a friend, then in a hotel, then in a group Airbnb rental in San Diego. For the most part, all meals were eaten at restaurants, and aside from a Del Taco, they were the expected restaurant or café price point. (I ended up buying seven meals for friends, and had three meals bought for me. Friends also spotted me on rides, so I hope it all came out fair enough.)

How much do I think I spent, in total? My rough guess is going to be $1,200. But let’s tally it up:

Los Angeles:

— Flight from SEA-LAX: $222.50

— In-flight internet (for work purposes): $8.00

— Meals and drinks: $240.85

San Diego:

— Hotel cost: $118.88

— Airbnb cost: $333.33

— Meals and drinks: $93.79 (interesting that four days of food in San Diego is so much less expensive than three days in Los Angeles)

— Lyft rides, once I finally got my phone working: $47.86

— Flight from SAN-SEA: $5.60 because of Southwest Rapid Rewards (and I did not use in-flight internet this time, since I didn’t need to write any articles on the flight)

Total cost: $1,070.81

A little less than $1,200, then, but not all that much. One more day of Los Angeles restaurants and I probably would have blown right by that estimation.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. I’d do it again next year, and I probably will.

San Diego photo credit: peasap

Space Time photo credit: Carol Elaine

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