California electricity cost calculator
In August 2026, households in California paid an average of 29.75¢ per kWh, one of the most expensive among the 51 states and DC (rank 4, where 1 is the most expensive). That is 63.8% above the U.S. residential average of 18.16¢. The price was lower than August 2025 (30.92¢; change -3.8%). Averaged over August 2026 year to date, the residential price was 32.58¢ versus 31.11¢ a year earlier (+4.7%). Year-to-date averages smooth out single-month swings such as summer air-conditioning peaks. In 2024 the average California household used 503 kWh a month and paid $160.86 (EIA annual data). At the August 2026 price, the same usage would cost about $149.64 in energy charges. For that amount of electricity, the California price means paying about $58.30 a month more than at the U.S. average price.
Calculate your cost
Pre-filled with the California residential average for August 2026. Change it to the rate on your bill.
Cost = watts × hours × days ÷ 1,000 × price. Real bills also include fixed charges, taxes and tiered or time-of-use rates, which this estimate does not model unless you enter a fixed charge.
What common loads cost in California
| Load | Cost at 29.75¢/kWh |
|---|---|
| 100 W for 1 hour | $0.03 |
| 1,000 W for 1 hour | $0.30 |
| 1,500 W for 1 hour | $0.45 |
| 500 kWh in a month | $148.75 |
| 1,000 kWh in a month | $297.50 |
Check the watt rating on the device label; many devices draw less than their rating most of the time.
Prices by sector in California, August 2026 (¢/kWh)
| Residential | 29.75 |
| Commercial | 30.02 |
| Industrial | 24.12 |
| All sectors | 29.02 |
Pacific Contiguous comparison (residential ¢/kWh)
| State | August 2026 | August 2025 | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 29.75 | 30.92 | 4 |
| Oregon | 15.92 | 15.85 | 29 |
| Washington | 14.63 | 13.65 | 40 |
Questions
Why is my bill different from the state average?
The state figure is an average across all utilities and rate plans. Your bill depends on your utility, whether you have tiered or time-of-use rates, fixed monthly customer charges, taxes and fees, and how much you used in that billing period. Divide the total on your bill by the kWh used to get your own all-in price, then enter it in the calculator.
Where do I find the watts of a device?
Look for a label or plate on the back or bottom of the device, on its power adapter, or in the manual. If it lists amps and volts instead, multiply them: watts = volts × amps. Devices with thermostats or standby modes run at full power only part of the time, so actual use is often lower than the rating times hours.
How often are these prices updated?
EIA publishes Electric Power Monthly about once a month, roughly two months after the data month. This site checks for a new release automatically and rebuilds every page when one appears.
Data: EIA Electric Power Monthly, released October 23, 2026; next release November 24, 2026. Page rebuilt 2026-11-15. Table 5.6.A · Table 5.6.B · Table 5A