California electricity rates and average bill
Residential price, August 2026
Homes in California paid an average of 29.75¢ per kWh in August 2026, 64% above the U.S. average of 18.16¢. That is the 4th highest among the 50 states and D.C. The price is down 3.8% vs August 2025.
- Electricity used per month
- 507 kWh
- U.S. average home
- 875 kWh
- Average monthly bill
- $163.81
Same usage at the Aug 2026 price$150.73
Bills are revenue divided by customers, so they include the fixed charges and fees utilities collect.
Price over the last 36 months
Show the monthly numbers
| Month | Price |
|---|---|
| August 2026 | 29.75¢ |
| July 2026 | 33.61¢ |
| June 2026 | 34.74¢ |
| May 2026 | 33.25¢ |
| April 2026 | 35.29¢ |
| March 2026 | 33.28¢ |
| February 2026 | 33.22¢ |
| January 2026 | 30.29¢ |
| December 2025 | 29.95¢ |
| November 2025 | 32.03¢ |
| October 2025 | 33.62¢ |
| September 2025 | 31.89¢ |
| August 2025 | 30.92¢ |
| July 2025 | 31.72¢ |
| June 2025 | 32.43¢ |
| May 2025 | 32.51¢ |
| April 2025 | 27.76¢ |
| March 2025 | 31.59¢ |
| February 2025 | 31.57¢ |
| January 2025 | 30.13¢ |
| December 2024 | 30.62¢ |
| November 2024 | 30.18¢ |
| October 2024 | 32.45¢ |
| September 2024 | 31.83¢ |
What everyday things cost in California
At 29.75¢ per kWh, before any fixed monthly charge:
| Item | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 kWh a round reference amount | 1,000 kWh | $297.50 |
| Central air conditioner 3.5 kW running 8 hours a day for 30 days | 840 kWh | $249.90 |
| Space heater 1.5 kW running 8 hours a day for 30 days | 360 kWh | $107.10 |
| Electric car, 1,000 miles 3.5 miles per kWh with 10% charging losses | 317 kWh | $94.44 |
| Electric clothes dryer 3 kW, twelve one-hour loads | 36 kWh | $10.71 |
| LED TV 100 W for 5 hours a day for 30 days | 15 kWh | $4.46 |
Thermostat-controlled appliances cycle on and off, so real use is often lower. Price your own appliance.
Rooftop solar in California
A 1 kW rooftop system near Los Angeles produces about 1,677 kWh a year, according to the NLR PVWatts model. At California's average price that output is worth about $499 a year per kW. A typical 7 kW system would make about 11,740 kWh, worth about $3,493 a year.
The 30% federal tax credit for solar you buy (Section 25D) ended on December 31, 2025. Work out payback with your own quote.
Estimate your California bill
Enter your usage to see the estimate.
Tools with California prices loaded
- Electric bill calculatorEstimate a monthly bill from your usage and your state's current rate.
- Appliance energy cost calculatorWhat an AC, space heater or dryer costs to run per hour and per month.
- EV charging cost calculatorHome charging cost per month and per 100 miles, compared with a gas car.
- Solar payback calculatorYears to pay back a rooftop system, using NLR PVWatts output for your state.
California compared with the West
| State | Price | Average bill |
|---|---|---|
| Nevada | 12.72¢ | $122 |
| Utah | 13.31¢ | $104 |
| Idaho | 13.37¢ | $116 |
| Wyoming | 14.43¢ | $115 |
| Washington | 14.63¢ | $132 |
| Arizona | 15.05¢ | $162 |
| Montana | 15.57¢ | $115 |
| Oregon | 15.92¢ | $131 |
| New Mexico | 16.51¢ | $98 |
| Colorado | 17.17¢ | $113 |
| Alaska | 29.41¢ | $158 |
| California | 29.75¢ | $164 |
| Hawaii | 47.18¢ | $228 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), residential retail sales, latest month August 2026. Average bill and usage: 12 months to August 2026, computed from EIA revenue, sales and customer counts.
Solar: PVWatts v8 by the National Laboratory of the Rockies, 1 kW fixed roof system, 20° tilt, facing south, 14% losses.
How we calculate. Page updated 2026-11-15.