Fuel cost in California

In California, fueling a 2026 Honda CR-V costs about $3,070 a year, 38% above the 49-jurisdiction average of $2,230. It ranks #49 of 49 where 1 is the cheapest to fuel.

Regular gasoline averages $5.92/gal (Sep 2026; EIA state series for California). A Tesla Model Y costs about $1,340 a year to charge on California's residential electricity price of 33.6¢/kWh (Jul 2026), which is $1,730 less than the Honda CR-V.

Honda CR-V per year

$3,070/yr

#49 of 49

Regular gas

$5.92/gal

Sep 2026 · EIA state series

Electricity

33.6¢/kWh

Jul 2026 · residential

Tesla Model Y to charge

$1,340/yr

$1,730 less than the Honda CR-V

EPA/DOE fueleconomy.gov, file of 2026-09-29 · Regular gasoline: EIA state series for California, Sep 2026 ($5.92/gal) · EIA residential electricity, California, Jul 2026 (33.6¢/kWh) · 15,000 miles a year · Costs rounded to $10

Annual cost of six reference vehicles in California

Each vehicle is the 2026 configuration with the median EPA combined rating. Rank 1 is the cheapest to fuel; ranks come from the rounded costs. Percentages compare with the average of the jurisdictions ranked.

Annual fuel cost, cost per 100 miles, rank and difference from average for six vehicles in California
Vehicle	Type	EPA combined	Per year	Per 100 mi	Rank	vs average
2026 Honda CR-V Gas · 29 MPG	Gas	29 MPG	$3,070	$20.43	#49 of 49	+38%
2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid · 41 MPG	Hybrid	41 MPG	$2,180	$14.51	#49 of 49	+38%
2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid · 46 MPG	Hybrid	46 MPG	$1,920	$12.83	#49 of 49	+38%
2026 Ford F-150 Gas · 19 MPG	Gas	19 MPG	$4,720	$31.46	#49 of 49	+38%
2026 Chevrolet Silverado Gas · 17 MPG	Gas	17 MPG	$5,250	$34.97	#49 of 49	+38%
2026 Tesla Model Y Electric · 127 MPGe	Electric	127 MPGe 26.5 kWh/100 mi	$1,340	$8.91	#50 of 51	+74%

15,000 miles a year, residential electricity price for EVs (Jul 2026), gasoline Sep 2026.

EV vs gas in California

Same EPA size class (Small SUVs). In California, a 2026 Tesla Model Y costs about $1,340 a year to charge at home and a gas 2026 Honda CR-V about $3,070: the EV saves $1,730 a year, 56% less, at 15,000 miles a year. Across the 49 jurisdictions with a gas price the average saving is $1,490.

Gas Honda CR-V

$3,070/yr

Tesla Model Y (electric)

$1,340/yr

Saving per year

$1,730/yr

Home charging at the residential price; public fast charging would cost more. Try your own mileage and prices in the EV vs gas calculator.

Prices used in California

Fuel prices used for California with period and source, next to the U.S. average
Fuel	California	U.S. average	Period	Source
Regular gasoline	$5.92/gal	$4.36/gal	Sep 2026	EIA state series for California
Midgrade gasoline	$6.20/gal	$4.96/gal	Sep 2026	EIA state series for California
Premium gasoline	$6.39/gal	$5.36/gal	Sep 2026	EIA state series for California
Diesel	$8.06/gal	$6.29/gal	Sep 2026	EIA state series for California
Residential electricity	33.6¢/kWh	18.3¢/kWh	Jul 2026	California residential average (EIA)

Prices are EIA monthly averages. Cars that need premium or diesel are priced at those lines.

California and its neighbors

For the 2026 Honda CR-V, California costs $3,070 a year; its neighbors range from $2,620 in Arizona to $2,620 in Oregon.

Arizona $2,620
Nevada $2,620
Oregon $2,620
California $3,070

Annual cost of the 2026 Honda CR-V in California and nearby states · Costs rounded to $10

Neighboring states

California against the regions

California is in the West Census region: for the Honda CR-V it is $600 a year above the regional average of $2,470.

Average annual cost by U.S. Census region for two reference vehicles
Region	Honda CR-V	Tesla Model Y
California	$3,070	$1,340
Northeast region average	$2,240	$1,070
Midwest region average	$2,160	$680
South region average	$2,110	$650
West region average	$2,470	$790
All jurisdictions	$2,230	$770

Regional figures are means of the rounded state costs, ranked jurisdictions only.

California fuel cost: questions

How much does it cost to fuel a car in California per year?

At 15,000 miles a year: Honda CR-V $3,070, Toyota RAV4 $2,180, Toyota Camry $1,920, Ford F-150 $4,720, Chevrolet Silverado $5,250, Tesla Model Y $1,340. These are the 2026 configurations with the median EPA rating, priced with California's dated EIA prices.

Why are fuel prices different in California?

Regional supply, taxes and fuel blends move gasoline prices, and each state's generation mix and rates move electricity prices. We apply EIA's published averages to the same cars, so the difference you see comes only from price. For California, the gasoline price is $5.92/gal (EIA state series for California, Sep 2026). Residential electricity is 33.6¢/kWh (Jul 2026).

How do you price premium gas and diesel in California?

Each car is priced at the fuel EPA lists for it. In California that is $6.39/gal for premium and $8.06/gal for diesel (EIA state series for California), next to $5.92/gal for regular. The six reference vehicles run on regular gasoline or electricity.

Is the EV charging cost for home or public charging?

Home charging only. We use California's average residential electricity price, 33.6¢/kWh (Jul 2026). Public fast charging often costs more per kWh, so a driver who charges mostly away from home will pay more than shown. That is an assumption, not a measurement.

How were the six vehicles chosen?

They are a fixed list: Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 (hybrid), Toyota Camry (hybrid), Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and Tesla Model Y. For each we take the latest full model year (2026) and the configuration with the median EPA combined rating; see the state overview for the full rule.

How does California compare with its neighbors?

For the 2026 Honda CR-V, California costs $3,070 a year; its neighbors range from $2,620 (Arizona) to $2,620 (Oregon).