Cheapest EV Charging in California
Where is EV charging cheapest in California?
As of April 29, 2026, the city with the cheapest average EV charging in California is Auburn at Free per kWh on average across 3 priced stations. We rank 125 California cities by their average published $/kWh below.
City figures are the average $/kWh as of April 29, 2026 across stations with published pricing. Charging costs change frequently — confirm at the station before charging.
Cities Ranked by Average EV Charging Price in California
| # | City | Avg $/kWh | Cheapest | Priced Stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 2 | Canoga Park | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 3 | Chatsworth | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 4 | Claremont | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 5 | Davis | Free | Free | 8 8 free |
| 6 | EL Cajon | Free | Free | 6 6 free |
| 7 | Elk Grove | Free | Free | 4 4 free |
| 8 | Eureka | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 9 | Huntington Beach | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 10 | Little River | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 11 | Manhattan Beach | Free | Free | 10 10 free |
| 12 | Mission Hills | Free | Free | 4 4 free |
| 13 | North Hollywood | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 14 | Northridge | Free | Free | 9 9 free |
| 15 | Oxnard | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 16 | Palmdale | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 17 | Paso Robles | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 18 | Placerville | Free | Free | 8 8 free |
| 19 | Richmond | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 20 | San Luis Obispo | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 21 | San Pedro | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 22 | Santee | Free | Free | 5 5 free |
| 23 | St. Helena | Free | Free | 3 3 free |
| 24 | Thousand Oaks | Free | Free | 7 7 free |
| 25 | Turlock | Free | Free | 4 4 free |
| 26 | Winchester | Free | Free | 4 4 free |
| 27 | Palm Springs | $0.03/kWh | Free | 20 19 free |
| 28 | Oakland | $0.03/kWh | Free | 6 5 free |
| 29 | San Rafael | $0.04/kWh | Free | 4 3 free |
| 30 | Carson | $0.06/kWh | Free | 8 7 free |
| 31 | Vacaville | $0.06/kWh | Free | 11 10 free |
| 32 | Ventura | $0.06/kWh | Free | 6 4 free |
| 33 | Simi Valley | $0.06/kWh | Free | 5 4 free |
| 34 | Riverside | $0.07/kWh | Free | 5 4 free |
| 35 | Carlsbad | $0.09/kWh | Free | 4 3 free |
| 36 | Santa Cruz | $0.09/kWh | Free | 7 6 free |
| 37 | San Francisco | $0.10/kWh | Free | 24 19 free |
| 38 | Healdsburg | $0.10/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 39 | Fremont | $0.10/kWh | Free | 4 3 free |
| 40 | Merced | $0.11/kWh | Free | 4 3 free |
| 41 | Pasadena | $0.11/kWh | Free | 24 17 free |
| 42 | Buena Park | $0.12/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 43 | Goleta | $0.12/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 44 | Pomona | $0.12/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 45 | Fresno | $0.12/kWh | Free | 8 5 free |
| 46 | Camarillo | $0.13/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 47 | Montclair | $0.13/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 48 | Santa Monica | $0.14/kWh | Free | 21 12 free |
| 49 | Fairfield | $0.14/kWh | Free | 5 4 free |
| 50 | Santa Barbara | $0.14/kWh | Free | 10 6 free |
| 51 | Newark | $0.15/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 52 | Corona | $0.15/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 53 | Gardena | $0.15/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 54 | San Dimas | $0.15/kWh | Free | 6 4 free |
| 55 | Palo Alto | $0.15/kWh | Free | 18 7 free |
| 56 | Santa Maria | $0.15/kWh | Free | 6 3 free |
| 57 | Novato | $0.16/kWh | Free | 5 2 free |
| 58 | Sacramento | $0.17/kWh | Free | 27 15 free |
| 59 | SF | $0.17/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 60 | Culver City | $0.17/kWh | Free | 10 7 free |
| 61 | Pacific Palisades | $0.17/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 62 | Van Nuys | $0.18/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 63 | Long Beach | $0.18/kWh | Free | 12 6 free |
| 64 | Clovis | $0.18/kWh | Free | 5 3 free |
| 65 | Newport Beach | $0.18/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 66 | Visalia | $0.18/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 67 | Pismo Beach | $0.19/kWh | Free | 5 3 free |
| 68 | Woodland Hills | $0.19/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 69 | Newbury Park | $0.19/kWh | Free | 4 3 free |
| 70 | Santa Clara | $0.20/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 71 | South Lake Tahoe | $0.20/kWh | Free | 3 2 free |
| 72 | Citrus Heights | $0.20/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 73 | Hayward | $0.21/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 74 | Woodland | $0.21/kWh | Free | 10 5 free |
| 75 | Malibu | $0.21/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 76 | San Jose | $0.21/kWh | Free | 18 9 free |
| 77 | Modesto | $0.21/kWh | Free | 5 2 free |
| 78 | Pleasanton | $0.21/kWh | Free | 5 2 free |
| 79 | Chula Vista | $0.22/kWh | Free | 11 6 free |
| 80 | Watsonville | $0.22/kWh | $0.22/kWh | 4 |
| 81 | Redding | $0.22/kWh | Free | 5 3 free |
| 82 | Roseville | $0.22/kWh | Free | 9 3 free |
| 83 | Downey | $0.23/kWh | Free | 8 4 free |
| 84 | Dublin | $0.23/kWh | Free | 6 2 free |
| 85 | Anaheim | $0.24/kWh | Free | 16 4 free |
| 86 | Glendale | $0.25/kWh | Free | 5 2 free |
| 87 | Sunnyvale | $0.25/kWh | Free | 9 3 free |
| 88 | Costa Mesa | $0.26/kWh | Free | 7 3 free |
| 89 | San Diego | $0.26/kWh | Free | 62 28 free |
| 90 | Escondido | $0.27/kWh | Free | 11 3 free |
| 91 | Tustin | $0.28/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 92 | Milpitas | $0.28/kWh | $0.16/kWh | 5 |
| 93 | Burlingame | $0.28/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 94 | Vista | $0.28/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 95 | South San Francisco | $0.29/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 96 | Kerman | $0.29/kWh | Free | 4 1 free |
| 97 | EL Monte | $0.29/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 98 | West Hollywood | $0.29/kWh | Free | 5 1 free |
| 99 | Temecula | $0.30/kWh | Free | 5 2 free |
| 100 | Stockton | $0.31/kWh | Free | 9 4 free |
| 101 | West Covina | $0.32/kWh | Free | 4 1 free |
| 102 | Torrance | $0.32/kWh | Free | 11 3 free |
| 103 | Carmichael | $0.32/kWh | Free | 3 1 free |
| 104 | San Bernardino | $0.32/kWh | Free | 4 1 free |
| 105 | Santa Ana | $0.34/kWh | Free | 8 1 free |
| 106 | Lancaster | $0.35/kWh | Free | 6 1 free |
| 107 | Los Angeles | $0.35/kWh | Free | 360 50 free |
| 108 | Irvine | $0.36/kWh | Free | 10 2 free |
| 109 | LA Jolla | $0.37/kWh | Free | 6 2 free |
| 110 | Santa Clarita | $0.37/kWh | $0.15/kWh | 4 |
| 111 | Campbell | $0.37/kWh | Free | 7 1 free |
| 112 | Bakersfield | $0.37/kWh | Free | 13 2 free |
| 113 | Chico | $0.38/kWh | Free | 6 1 free |
| 114 | Santa Rosa | $0.38/kWh | $0.35/kWh | 3 |
| 115 | Westlake Village | $0.39/kWh | Free | 5 1 free |
| 116 | Ontario | $0.39/kWh | Free | 4 1 free |
| 117 | Palm Desert | $0.40/kWh | Free | 5 1 free |
| 118 | Fullerton | $0.40/kWh | $0.35/kWh | 3 |
| 119 | Aliso Viejo | $0.42/kWh | $0.42/kWh | 3 |
| 120 | Mountain View | $0.42/kWh | Free | 4 1 free |
| 121 | San Ramon | $0.42/kWh | $0.39/kWh | 3 |
| 122 | Napa | $0.43/kWh | $0.25/kWh | 5 |
| 123 | Marina Del Rey | $0.45/kWh | $0.45/kWh | 3 |
| 124 | Lodi | $0.46/kWh | Free | 4 2 free |
| 125 | Chino Hills | $0.48/kWh | $0.45/kWh | 3 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which city has the cheapest EV charging in California?
As of April 29, 2026, Auburn has the lowest average published rate at Free per kWh across 3 priced stations.
How are California cities ranked for charging cost?
Each city's figure is the average of every station with a published $/kWh price in that city (cities need at least 3 priced stations to be ranked). Cities are sorted cheapest to most expensive.