The amount of the $275 high rate and $185 low rate that is treated as paid for meals is $68 for travel to any high-cost locality and $57 for travel to any other locality within the continental United States. Notice 2015-63 also lists the high-cost localities that have a federal per diem rate of $230 or more.he special per diem rates for 2015-16 that taxpayers can use for substantiating the amount of ordinary and necessary business expenses incurred while traveling away from home were set by the IRS on Sept. 16. Advertisement. The new per diem rates will go into effect on Oct. 1.