Energy costs in California (CA)
Every figure we hold for California, on one page. Each links to the working behind it.
A heating state
California runs about 2,300 heating degree days against 1,200 cooling ones, so the heating system does most of the work and is where an upgrade pays off. Its electricity bill peaks in September.
Electricity
33.61¢
per kWh
Gas $2.06/therm ›
Typical bill
$161
a month
Peaks at $202 ›
Air conditioning
$409
a year
$0.71 an hour ›
Heating
$895
a season
Gas furnace is cheaper ›
Solar payback
3.7 yrs
on a 6 kW system
Generates at 5.4¢/kWh ›
Cities in California
Prices are the same statewide, but solar production is not — each city page models it at that city's own coordinates.
Common questions
How much does energy cost in California?
Electricity is 33.61¢ per kilowatt hour and natural gas $2.06 per therm. A typical household pays about $161 a month for electricity.
Does California spend more on heating or cooling?
Heating. California runs about 2,300 heating degree days against 1,200 cooling ones, so winter dominates and the heating system is where money is worth spending.
For your own home
Everything above describes a 1,800 square foot home at California average prices. The calculators take your ZIP code and your own numbers.
Open the calculatorsPrices from the US Energy Information Administration, 2026-07. Solar production modelled by NREL. Heating and cooling loads estimated from California's degree days. Estimates, not quotes.