Electricity Price per kWh in California
In California, residential electricity costs about 35.25 ¢/kWh — about 83% above the national average of 19.32 ¢/kWh. At a typical 900 kWh of monthly use, that comes to about $317.25 a month at the all-in average rate — delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already inside it; locally billed taxes vary by area.
Current average rate
35.25 ¢/kWh
Estimated 900 kWh cost
$317.25
Data period
April 2026
Published monthly
Key metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Current average rate | 35.25 ¢/kWh |
| Estimated 900 kWh cost | $317.25 |
| Data period | April 2026 |
Is electricity in California cheaper than the national average?
California rate
35.25 ¢/kWh
U.S. average
19.32 ¢/kWh
Difference
+82.5%
Category
much higher than national average
That's 15.93¢ more on every kilowatt-hour than the U.S. average.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is electricity per kWh in California?
- Residential electricity in California costs about 35.25 ¢/kWh on an all-in basis — delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already included — about 83% above the national average of 19.32 ¢/kWh.
- Is electricity in California cheaper than the national average?
- California electricity is about 83% more expensive than the U.S. average of 19.32 ¢/kWh (35.25 ¢/kWh in California).
- How much does 1,000 kWh of electricity cost in California?
- At California's average rate of 35.25 ¢/kWh, 1,000 kWh of electricity costs about $352.50.
Compare electricity options in California
Explore savings options, plan types, and provider offers for California.
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 monthly electricity bill estimate — 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 100 kWh in California — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Electricity cost for 300 kWh in California — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Electricity cost for 500 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
- California average electricity bill benchmark — 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: April 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.