Average Electric Bill in California
The average electric bill in California is about $302.49 a month — roughly $3629.88 a year — at the state average rate of 33.61 ¢/kWh. That's about $1652.40 a year more than the typical U.S. household pays. That's based on 900 kWh of monthly use at the all-in average rate — delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already inside it; locally billed taxes vary by area.
Key metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| California average rate | 33.61 ¢/kWh |
| Estimated monthly bill | $302.49 |
| Estimated annual bill | $3629.88 |
| 500 kWh example | $168.05 |
| 1,500 kWh example | $504.15 |
California vs U.S. average bill
California's typical residential bill estimate is higher than the U.S. average by $137.70 per month (83.6%).
Is this what you'll actually pay?
It's a fair benchmark, not a forecast. We take California's average rate of 33.61 ¢/kWh and apply it to 900 kWh a month at the all-in average rate, which comes to $302.49. That rate already includes delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees; locally billed taxes vary by area.
Your own bill can land well above or below that, depending on how much you run the air conditioning, how you heat your home and water, your home's size, and how your utility designs its rates.
Rates are the EIA's July 2026 residential averages; this page's figures were last refreshed Sep 28, 2026 (UTC).
Average electric bill by home size in California
The 900 kWh benchmark sits between an apartment and a medium home. At California's rate, an apartment using 650 kWh runs about $225.17 a month and a large home using 1,600 kWh about $518.98.
| Home size | Typical usage | Monthly bill | Annual bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment in California | 650 kWh/month | $225.17 | $2702.08 |
| Small Home in California | 900 kWh/month | $302.49 | $3629.88 |
| Medium Home in California | 1,200 kWh/month | $395.27 | $4743.24 |
| Large Home in California | 1,600 kWh/month | $518.98 | $6227.72 |
Rows other than the benchmark use a two-part model, a fixed monthly charge plus a per-kWh rate, that matches the statewide average exactly at the benchmark usage. Open a profile for the assumptions behind it.
Usage-level bill examples in California
| Monthly usage | Estimated cost | Canonical page |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $168.05 | How much does 500 kWh cost in California? |
| 1,000 kWh | $336.10 | How much does 1,000 kWh cost in California? |
| 1,500 kWh | $504.15 | How much does 1,500 kWh cost in California? |
| 2,000 kWh | $672.20 | How much does 2,000 kWh cost in California? |
These pages answer fixed-usage questions like "how much does 1,000 kWh cost?"
What usually moves a household bill?
In practice, the biggest bill drivers are air conditioning, space heating, electric water heating, laundry, EV charging, and the length of time high-wattage appliances run each month.
Want to see where your money actually goes? The usage-cost pages show what a whole-home kWh pattern costs, and the appliance pages break down how individual devices add up.
If this month's bill jumped, start with why is my electric bill so high?, which separates rate causes from usage causes line by line.
Rate design is the other half: Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)'s standard residential tariff adds a $24.15 fixed monthly charge before the first kilowatt-hour. See the itemized charges for California.
Average electric bills in California cities
City pages apply the same 900 kWh benchmark to each city's modeled rate.
- Average electric bill in Fresno, California
- Average electric bill in Long Beach, California
- Average electric bill in Los Angeles, California
- Average electric bill in Oakland, California
- Average electric bill in Sacramento, California
- Average electric bill in San Diego, California
- Average electric bill in San Francisco, California
- Average electric bill in San Jose, California
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electric bill in California?
California households pay about $302.49 a month ($3629.88 a year) at the state average of 33.61 ¢/kWh, based on 900 kWh of monthly use and the EIA's July 2026 residential data. The rate is all-in: delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already inside it; locally billed taxes vary by area.
How does California compare with the U.S. average electric bill?
The U.S. average bill at 900 kWh is about $164.79 (18.31 ¢/kWh, EIA). California's $302.49 is about $137.70 a month more — roughly 84% above the U.S. average.
How much is the electric bill for an apartment vs a house in California?
At California's average rate, about $225.17 for an apartment (650 kWh), $302.49 for a small home (900 kWh), $395.27 for a medium home (1,200 kWh), $518.98 for a large home (1,600 kWh) per month. Figures for usage other than the benchmark use a two-part model, a fixed monthly charge plus a per-kWh rate, that matches the statewide average exactly at the benchmark usage.
Why is my California electric bill higher than the average?
Usage is the biggest reason: air conditioning, electric heat, and water heating can push a home far past 900 kWh a month. Rate design matters too. In California, Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)'s standard residential tariff carries a $24.15 fixed monthly charge plus 24.23¢/kWh in riders, so a low-usage home pays more per kWh than the average implies and a high-usage home pays less.
See your exact bill in California
Set your own usage to match your home — fees included. Then see savings options for California.
Know when California rates change
California rates move with each monthly EIA update. Get an email when electricity costs in California gets cheaper — or more expensive.
California appliance electricity examples
- Space Heater cost in California — See what 1,500 W of typical space heater usage looks like at 33.61 ¢/kWh.
- Heat Pump cost in California — See what 3,000 W of typical heat pump usage looks like at 33.61 ¢/kWh.
- Electric Fireplace cost in California — See what 1,400 W of typical electric fireplace usage looks like at 33.61 ¢/kWh.
State cost and bill pathways for California
- Average power price in California — What a kWh of electricity costs in California
- California electricity rates — Core authority page with statewide pricing context
- Electricity cost in California — State-level cost, affordability, and value overview
- Electricity cost in Los Angeles, California — City electricity page with methodology notes where city coverage is available
- California average electric bill — What a typical monthly bill looks like
- Electric bill estimator scenarios in California — Estimate your bill from your monthly usage
Historical and trend pages
- Historical electricity prices in California — Historical context and trend interpretation
- Electricity inflation in California — State electricity inflation analysis
- California electricity price volatility — Volatility and rate movement profile
Fixed-usage and calculator pathways
- Electricity cost for 800 kWh in California — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- 1,000 kWh cost in California — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Electricity cost for 750 kWh in California — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Custom usage calculator for California — Custom kWh and scenario cost calculation
Appliance and estimator pathways
- Refrigerator cost in California — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Refrigerator calculator in California — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
- Space Heater cost in California — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Space Heater calculator in California — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
- Window Ac cost in California — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Window Ac calculator in California — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
State comparison pathways for California
- Compare California with other states — State-to-state comparison hub
- California vs Alabama electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
- California vs Alaska electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
Discovery and navigation hubs
- California electricity hub — Guide to this state's electricity rate, usage, comparison, and tool pages
- Electricity cost scenario hub — Entry point for residential and industry scenario pages
- California electricity cost overview — State-level electricity cost page with rates and typical bill context
- Average electric bill in California — Typical monthly bill estimate using a standard household usage assumption
- California electricity bill estimator — Household profile bill scenarios for this state
- Electricity usage hubs — Browse cost pages by common household usage tiers
Consumer electricity drivers
- Price drivers in California — Understand what influences state electricity prices
Source & Method
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Retail Sales of Electricity. Updated: July 2026. Estimates use the EIA all-in average residential rate — energy, delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees together, not just the electricity itself. Fees are inside the rate, not an extra on top; how your own bill splits fixed versus per-kWh charges varies by utility. For what's inside the all-in rate, see hidden electricity fees; for how rates and estimates are defined, see the methodology hub.