Originally Posted by
yevlesh2
There is just no way that Silicon Valley is more expensive then Tokyo or NYC (or dozens of other cities). Hotels are way cheaper in Santa Clara, food is way cheaper as well. Not sure about the entertainment part - there really isn't any .
Although not definitive, federal per diem rates are at least a rough indicator of the cost of visiting various cities. For the examples you cite in April 2012 they are as follows:
Silicon Valley $121 lodging / $56 meals+incidentals
NYC $241 lodging / $71 meals + incidentals
Tokyo $257 lodging / $233 meals + incidentals