California electricity running costs
Electricity in California costs about 35.25¢/kWh (U.S. EIA, April 2026). At that rate, boiling a kettle costs ~5.3¢, a tumble-dryer cycle ~$1.32, running a fridge-freezer for a day ~$1.27, and a full home charge of a Tesla Model 3 RWD (60 kWh) about $23.50.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State), residential sector, April 2026 — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a (public domain). Figure period April 2026. Updated June 2026.
California electricity: 35.25¢/kWh — +87% vs the U.S. average. Published by U.S. EIA for April 2026. See the full California price page →
What it costs to run 34 appliances in California
At California's electricity unit rate of 35.25¢/kWh. "Per typical use" applies an indicative run time for each appliance; "per hour" is the cost of one hour of use.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Cost per use | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric shower | 9,000 W | 0.17 h | 53.9¢ | $3.17 |
| Immersion heater | 3,000 W | 1 h | $1.06 | $1.06 |
| Kettle | 3,000 W | 0.05 h | 5.3¢ | $1.06 |
| Tumble dryer | 2,500 W | 1.5 h | $1.32 | 88.1¢ |
| Electric heater | 2,500 W | 3 h | $2.64 | 88.1¢ |
| Oven | 2,100 W | 1 h | 74.0¢ | 74.0¢ |
| Washing machine | 2,100 W | 1.5 h | $1.11 | 74.0¢ |
| Oil-filled radiator | 2,000 W | 4 h | $2.82 | 70.5¢ |
| Hairdryer | 2,000 W | 0.17 h | 12.0¢ | 70.5¢ |
| Hob (electric ring) | 2,000 W | 0.5 h | 35.3¢ | 70.5¢ |
| Dishwasher | 1,800 W | 2 h | $1.27 | 63.4¢ |
| Grill | 1,500 W | 0.33 h | 17.4¢ | 52.9¢ |
| Iron | 1,500 W | 0.5 h | 26.4¢ | 52.9¢ |
| Air fryer | 1,500 W | 0.5 h | 26.4¢ | 52.9¢ |
| Coffee machine | 1,200 W | 0.1 h | 4.2¢ | 42.3¢ |
| Toaster | 1,000 W | 0.05 h | 1.8¢ | 35.3¢ |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 0.1 h | 3.5¢ | 35.3¢ |
| Vacuum cleaner | 900 W | 0.5 h | 15.9¢ | 31.7¢ |
| Slow cooker | 250 W | 8 h | 70.5¢ | 8.8¢ |
| Dehumidifier | 500 W | 6 h | $1.06 | 17.6¢ |
| Towel rail | 450 W | 2 h | 31.7¢ | 15.9¢ |
| Plasma TV | 350 W | 4 h | 49.3¢ | 12.3¢ |
| Fridge-freezer | 150 W | 24 h | $1.27 | 5.3¢ |
| Electric blanket | 150 W | 1 h | 5.3¢ | 5.3¢ |
| Fridge | 100 W | 24 h | 84.6¢ | 3.5¢ |
| Chest freezer | 100 W | 24 h | 84.6¢ | 3.5¢ |
| Desktop PC | 140 W | 4 h | 19.7¢ | 4.9¢ |
| LCD TV | 120 W | 4 h | 16.9¢ | 4.2¢ |
| Games console | 120 W | 2 h | 8.5¢ | 4.2¢ |
| Laptop | 50 W | 4 h | 7.0¢ | 1.8¢ |
| TV box / DVD player | 40 W | 4 h | 5.6¢ | 1.4¢ |
| Extractor fan | 20 W | 1 h | 0.7¢ | 0.7¢ |
| Broadband router | 10 W | 24 h | 8.5¢ | 0.4¢ |
| Phone charger | 5 W | 2 h | 0.4¢ | 0.2¢ |
Wattages are typical/indicative — real appliances vary by model. Source: Heatable — How much energy do appliances use (typical ratings; draws on Energy Saving Trust / Centre for Sustainable Energy). Running cost = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × 35.25¢/kWh.
EV home charging cost in California
Cost of a full home charge for popular EVs, at California's unit rate of 35.25¢/kWh. Full charge ≈ (useable battery kWh ÷ 0.9) × unit rate.
| EV | Useable battery | Full home charge |
|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 60 kWh | $23.50 |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | 60 kWh | $23.50 |
| Nissan Leaf (Standard Range, 52 kWh) | 52.9 kWh | $20.72 |
| Volkswagen ID.3 (58 kWh) | 58 kWh | $22.72 |
| MG MG4 (Long Range, 64 kWh) | 61.7 kWh | $24.17 |
| Kia EV6 (Standard Range) | 60 kWh | $23.50 |
| Hyundai IONIQ 5 (84 kWh) | 80 kWh | $31.33 |
| BYD Dolphin (60.4 kWh) | 60.48 kWh | $23.69 |
| Renault 5 E-Tech (52 kWh) | 52 kWh | $20.37 |
| Polestar 2 Long Range | 79 kWh | $30.94 |
| Ford Mustang Mach-E (Extended Range RWD) | 88 kWh | $34.47 |
| Vauxhall Corsa Electric (54 kWh) | 50.8 kWh | $19.90 |
Useable battery capacities from EV Database — Useable battery capacity of full electric vehicles (cheatsheet). Home-charge cost assumes 0.9 AC charging efficiency. Public charging is priced separately.
California energy running costs — FAQ
How much does electricity cost in California?
Electricity in California costs about 35.25¢/kWh as of April 2026, per U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State), residential sector, April 2026 — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a (public domain). (Our owned dataset for California publishes the unit rate; any fixed daily/standing charge varies by supplier and is not included here.)
What does it cost to run appliances in California?
Cost to run = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × the unit rate (35.25¢/kWh). For example, a 2,000 W appliance run for one hour costs about 70.5¢ in California. The table on this page lists 34 common appliances at this rate.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in California?
A full home charge ≈ (useable battery kWh ÷ 0.9 charging efficiency) × 35.25¢/kWh. A Tesla Model 3 RWD (60 kWh useable) costs about $23.50 to charge fully at home in California.
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Sources & method
The California electricity unit rate is from U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A (Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector, by State), residential sector, April 2026 — https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a (public domain). Appliance power ratings are from Heatable — How much energy do appliances use (typical ratings; draws on Energy Saving Trust / Centre for Sustainable Energy); EV useable-battery capacities from EV Database — Useable battery capacity of full electric vehicles (cheatsheet). Appliance and EV figures are physical product properties applied at California's real unit rate — running cost = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × unit rate, and a full EV charge ≈ (useable kWh ÷ 0.9) × unit rate. U.S. EIA · Appliance ratings · EV Database.