I do a moderate amount of travelling for my job (in the federal gov't), and DC is one place that I find very, very hard to make things like meals fit within the prescribed allowance. Bay Area? no problem eating on the cheap, even right around where I need to be (e.g. moffet field). DC? it's usually much harder.

Lodging, on the other hand, is one where the Bay Area seems to be happy to compete with DC's expense levels...