How much does an electric car cost per month in California?

About $106 a month, assuming 3,800 kWh a year at 33.61¢/kWh.

How many kilowatt-hours does an electric car use?

Roughly 3,800 kWh a year under these assumptions.

Is that expensive compared with other states?

California has the 2nd most expensive average residential rate in the country, so this appliance costs more here than the U.S. average of $696 a year.

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Cost to run an electric car in California (July 2026 rates)

At 33.61¢ per kilowatt-hour — California's average residential price in July 2026 — running an electric car costs $1,277 a year. That is 84% more than the national average of $696. California's residential rate is up 2.9% from July 2025, which moves this appliance from $1,241 to $1,277 a year.

Per day: $3.50
Per month: $106
Per year: $1,277

Assumption: 3,800 kWh a year. 12,000 miles a year at roughly 3.5 miles per kWh, plus about 10% charging losses, on home Level 2 charging. Use the calculator to swap in the numbers from your own model.

How California compares

California pays 33.61¢/kWh, the 2nd most expensive residential electricity of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions EIA reports. For this appliance that works out to $581 more a year than the typical U.S. household pays for the same use. Running the same electric car costs $483 a year in Louisiana and $1,824 in Hawaii, so where you live changes this bill by $1,341 a year.

State	Rate	Per month	Per year
New York	29.90¢	$94.68	$1,136
Massachusetts	30.49¢	$96.55	$1,159
Maine	32.41¢	$103	$1,232
California	33.61¢	$106	$1,277
Hawaii	48.00¢	$152	$1,824

States ranked by average residential price, cheapest first. See all 51 states for an electric car.

What else costs about the same in California

Electric water heater$1,176 a year in CA Hot tub$840 a year in CA Central air conditioner$791 a year in CA

Cutting the number down

Charging on an off-peak or EV rate plan is usually the single largest lever, and it costs nothing but a schedule setting.
Charging losses are real: the meter sees noticeably more than the battery receives, especially in cold weather.
Cost per mile, not cost per charge, is the number that compares cleanly against a tank of gasoline.

Questions

How much does an electric car cost per month in California?: About $106 a month, assuming 3,800 kWh a year at 33.61¢/kWh.
How many kilowatt-hours does an electric car use?: Roughly 3,800 kWh a year under these assumptions.
Is that expensive compared with other states?: California has the 2nd most expensive average residential rate in the country, so this appliance costs more here than the U.S. average of $696 a year.