Sunprint
At a glance
Averaged over every home in the state, a California electric bill was about $155 a month in 2025, for about 494 kWh. That's not high use by national standards; it's the price. At 31.4 cents per kWh in 2025, California's home electricity cost 1.6 times what it did in 2019.
| Year | Average bill a month | Use a month | Price per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $102 | 532 kWh | 19.2¢ |
| 2020 | $117 | 572 kWh | 20.4¢ |
| 2021 | $124 | 542 kWh | 22.8¢ |
| 2022 | $138 | 535 kWh | 25.8¢ |
| 2023 | $145 | 491 kWh | 29.5¢ |
| 2024 | $161 | 503 kWh | 32.0¢ |
| 2025 | $155 | 494 kWh | 31.4¢ |
| 2026 (Jan to Aug) | $168 | 515 kWh | 32.6¢ |
California residential customers, all utilities. Source: EIA Form 861M.
Since 2019: the price did it
Average monthly bill, every month since 2019
California homes, all utilities, dollars per month
Revenue from residential customers divided by the number of customers, each month. 2026 figures are preliminary and may be revised. Source: EIA Form 861M.
Use per home actually fell a little over those years, from 532 to 494 kWh a month; the price per kWh rose from 19.2 to 31.4 cents. In 2025 the average dipped a little from 2024, and the three big utilities lowered rates again in 2026: PG&E's average fell 3.7% in March and SDG&E's 2% in June, according to the CPUC's Public Advocates Office. The Base Services Charge that started in late 2025 and early 2026 moved part of the bill from the kWh price to a fixed $24 a month; the utilities say it isn't an added fee.
Summer and winter
Bills rise every summer with air conditioning and fall in spring. In final EIA data, the highest monthly average since 2019 was $226 in Jul 2024; preliminary numbers put Aug 2026 at $235. The lowest was $69 in Apr 2019. PG&E customers also get the California Climate Credit on their bills twice a year.
What homes pay, by utility
Utilities differ more than any other factor. City and irrigation district utilities charge far less per kWh than PG&E, SCE and SDG&E, so their customers can use more and still pay less:
What homes used, paid per kWh and paid a month, 2024
PG&E, SCE, SDG&ECity and district utilitiesBigger dot, bigger bill. Across: kWh a month. Up: price per kWh.
Homes that buy power from the utility itself ("bundled" service) in 2024. Homes whose power comes from a community choice provider pay part of their bill to that provider and aren't included. Source: EIA Form 861, 2024.
| Utility, 2024 | Bill a month | kWh a month | Price per kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| IID | $208 | 1,159 | 17.9¢ |
| PG&E | $198 | 500 | 39.6¢ |
| Modesto ID | $176 | 808 | 21.8¢ |
| SCE | $164 | 506 | 32.4¢ |
| SDG&E | $159 | 365 | 43.6¢ |
| Riverside | $129 | 637 | 20.2¢ |
| SMUD | $126 | 702 | 17.9¢ |
| LADWP | $116 | 485 | 23.8¢ |
| Anaheim | $80 | 467 | 17.1¢ |
SDG&E's customers used the least power of the big three in 2024 and still paid nearly as much as SCE's, because SDG&E's price per kWh was the highest; the CPUC's Public Advocates Office put SDG&E's average at 45.5 cents in June 2026, against 33.7 at PG&E and 34.4 at SCE. IID's customers used the most, at a low price.
What it means for solar
A high price per kWh is what makes solar pay in California: every kWh your panels make and you use at home is a kWh you don't buy at that price. That's why payback is shortest at SDG&E and longest at low-price city utilities like SMUD, as our payback guide shows. For your own bill, see why it's high at PG&E, SCE or SDG&E.
What a free quote call gets you
- One verified local installer
- The installed price for your roof
- Your payback years from that price
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See what solar could save you
About a minute, and no phone number needed. If the number looks good, a free quote call gets you the exact price.
Common questions
What is the average electric bill in California?
About $155 a month in 2025 and $168 a month from January to August 2026, averaged across all California homes in federal EIA data. The average home used about 494 kWh a month in 2025.
What is the average price of electricity in California?
31.4 cents per kWh for homes in 2025 and 32.6 cents from January to August 2026 on average, up from 19.2 cents in 2019, in EIA data. PG&E, SCE and SDG&E charge more than that; most city utilities charge less.
What is the average PG&E bill?
PG&E customers who bought their power from PG&E averaged about $198 a month in 2024 for about 500 kWh, in EIA data. Customers of community choice providers in PG&E's area pay part of their bill to the provider.
Why are California electric bills so high?
Mostly the price per kWh, not usage. The average California home used about 494 kWh a month in 2025, while the average price was 31.4 cents per kWh, 1.6 times the 2019 level.
Which California utility has the lowest bills?
Among the utilities in our table, Anaheim's customers had the lowest average bill in 2024, and city and district utilities such as SMUD, LADWP and IID charged far less per kWh than PG&E, SCE and SDG&E.
Related guides
- California solar calculator
- Why is my PG&E bill so high?
- Why is my SCE bill so high?
- Why is my SDG&E bill so high?
- The Base Services Charge
- Is solar worth it in California?
EIA figures are averages across many homes; your bill depends on your use, rate plan and utility. 2026 data is preliminary. Sources: EIA Form 861M · EIA Form 861 · CPUC Public Advocates Office. Reviewed October 2026.
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