Energy Calculators

California electric bill calculator

Estimate a monthly electricity bill in California from your usage and the state’s average residential price.

A California household using the state average of 494 kWh a month (2025) would pay about $146.97 a month at the August 2026 average price of 29.75¢/kWh (EIA).

Pre-fills the average price (Aug 2026) and typical use (EIA).

kWh

Average for California: 494 kWh/month (2025, EIA). Your bill shows your actual use.

¢/kWh
Estimated monthly bill
$146.97
Per year
$1,764
Monthly bill at 29.75¢/kWh
Monthly useBill
500 kWh$148.75
750 kWh$223.13
1,000 kWh$297.50
1,500 kWh$446.25
2,000 kWh$595.00

Formula: monthly bill = kWh used × average price per kWh. EIA’s average price already includes fixed monthly charges, spread over all kWh.

Inputs used: use: 494 kWh/month; rate: 29.75¢/kWh; state: California.

These are estimates, not financial advice.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Aug 2026). About our data

Typical monthly bill
$146.97494 kWh × 29.75¢/kWh
vs U.S. typical bill
−7.4%U.S.: $158.72
Rank (1 = highest bill)
33rdof 51

California bills at common usage levels

Monthly useBill at 29.75¢/kWh
500 kWh$148.75
750 kWh$223.13
1,000 kWh$297.50
1,500 kWh$446.25
2,000 kWh$595.00

Average monthly bill over the last 12 months

California average residential electric bill per customer by monthCalifornia average bill: $200 in Sep 2025, $235 in Aug 2026. Low $133, high $235.$100$150$200$250Nov 2025Feb 2026May 2026Aug 2026
· dollars per customer per month
Show data table
MonthCalifornia average bill
Aug 2026$235
Jul 2026$192
Jun 2026$165
May 2026$136
Apr 2026$138
Mar 2026$154
Feb 2026$140
Jan 2026$183
Dec 2025$140
Nov 2025$133
Oct 2025$151
Sep 2025$200

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Aug 2026). About our data

States with similar typical bills

How we calculate

bill = kWh × average price per kWh. Typical use is California’s 2025 residential sales divided by residential customers and 12 months. The monthly chart uses each month’s sales per customer × that month’s price.

See the methodology for details.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average electric bill in California?

About $146.97 a month for a household using the California average of 494 kWh (2025) at the August 2026 price of 29.75¢/kWh. That is −7.4% versus the U.S. figure calculated the same way ($158.72).

When are California electric bills highest?

Over the last 12 months with published data, the average residential bill was highest in August 2026 ($234.83) and lowest in November 2025 ($133.22), based on EIA sales, customers and prices.

Does this include fixed charges and taxes?

EIA’s average price is total residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so fixed customer charges are included, spread over all kWh. Taxes and fees collected on behalf of governments may not be fully included, so actual bills can be somewhat higher.

Data last updated: