How Much Does 500 kWh Cost in California?
This usage-based electricity page estimates the energy-only cost of 500 kWh in California using the latest statewide residential average rate.
California average rate
31.14 ¢/kWh
Estimated 500 kWh cost
$155.70
U.S. average cost
$87.85
Key metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| California average rate | 31.14 ¢/kWh |
| Estimated 500 kWh cost | $155.70 |
| U.S. average cost | $87.85 |
Compared to U.S. average
California (500 kWh)
$155.70
U.S. (500 kWh)
$87.85
Difference
+$67.85
500 kWh in California is more expensive by $67.85 compared to the U.S. average.
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Explore savings options, plan types, and provider offers for California.
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State cost and bill pathways for California
- Average power price in California — Residential rate benchmark used in scenario estimates
- California electricity overview — Core authority page with statewide pricing context
- Electricity cost in California — State-level cost, affordability, and value overview
- Electricity cost in Los Angeles, California — Rollout-gated city electricity context page with deterministic methodology disclosure
- California monthly electricity bill estimate — Bill-focused context for household usage
- Electric bill estimator scenarios in California — Deterministic household-profile bill scenarios
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
- 1,000 kWh cost in California — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- Electricity cost for 1,500 kWh in California — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- Electricity cost for 2,000 kWh in California — Usage-tier estimate for the same state
- Custom usage calculator for California — Custom kWh and scenario cost calculation
Appliance and estimator pathways
- Refrigerator cost in California — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Refrigerator calculator in California — Calculator-intent scenario page for this appliance
- Space Heater cost in California — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Space Heater calculator in California — Calculator-intent scenario page for this appliance
- Window Ac cost in California — Canonical appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Window Ac calculator in California — Calculator-intent scenario page 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 — Discovery hub for this state's price, usage, comparison, and tool pages
- Electricity cost scenario hub — Entry point for residential and industry scenario pages
- California electricity cost authority — Canonical state electricity cost cluster page
- California average electricity bill benchmark — Canonical benchmark bill cluster page
- California electricity bill estimator — Canonical estimator cluster page
- 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. Last dataset period: February 2026. Costs are energy-only estimates and exclude delivery charges, taxes, and fixed utility fees.