Per Diem Calculator
Budget a business trip. Add up lodging and meal per diem across your travel days, with the standard 75% first- and last-day meal rule.
Example: with Number of days 4 · Lodging rate / night? 150 · Meals & incidentals / day? 79 → Total per diem: $727.
Computed by the calculator below using its default values. Change any input to see your own numbers.
Expense tracking and travel tools
Learn moreHow per diem adds up
Per diem reimburses travel without itemized receipts: a fixed lodging rate per night plus a meals & incidentals (M&IE) rate per day. Travel days — your first and last — get only 75% of the meal rate, since you’re not away for the whole day.
How it’s calculated & sources
Lodging = nights (days − 1) × nightly rate. M&IE = full rate for interior days plus 75% for the first and last day. Total = lodging + M&IE.
Benchmark: GSA per diem structure — lodging plus M&IE, with first/last travel days at 75% of the meal rate (U.S. GSA).
Results update as you type and are general estimates, not personalized financial, tax, medical or legal advice. Verify with a professional.
Worked example
A 4-day trip at $150 lodging and $79 M&IE is $450 lodging (3 nights) plus about $277 in meals — roughly $727 total.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my city’s rate?
The GSA publishes locality lodging and M&IE rates at gsa.gov; high-cost cities run well above the standard rate.
Is per diem taxable?
Reimbursements up to the federal rate under an accountable plan are generally tax-free; amounts above the rate can be taxable income.