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California

Cheap Car Rentals in California from $38

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in California with a pick-up date of 4/5 and drop-off date of 7/5. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
Driver's age: 26-65
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California car rentals in 2025

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in California. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 12 April 2025.

Most popular company

Alamo

Most common car type

Intermediate

Average price per day

$102

Cheapest price per day

$38

California car rental prices in popular cities

Discover the price range for hiring a car in popular cities across California, helping you budget and make informed decisions for your upcoming travel. There are 331 pickup locations in California to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 12 April 2025.

Price

$35 - $73

What is the cheapest time to rent a car in California?

Discover the most affordable period to rent a car in California and save money on your trip. The monthly average price data is based on historical data over the last year and was last updated on 12 April 2025.

January

$62

February

$62

March

$67

April

$79

May

$72

June

$74

July

$87

August

$84

September

$75

October

$79

November

$70

December

$87

Currently, the cheapest month to rent a car in California is January. The most expensive time to rent a car is July. The cheapest prices for each month are shown above, but prices will vary based on availability, how far out you book your rental car, and of course, car type.

Popular car types in California

Explore the most popular car models available for hire in California and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 12 April 2025.

There are, in total, 17,312 car hire locations in California that are operated by 347 companies. In the past week, small car is the cheapest car type users can hire (cheapest price last found: $38/day). Explore 6 car types currently offered from California hire providers:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

People mover

People mover

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

Premium

Premium

Luxury

Luxury

Convertible

Convertible

Pick-up truck

Pick-up truck

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

Supplier choice

Supplier choice

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

Compare available car types for rental in California

Compare and contrast the various car types offered for hire in California to find the perfect fit for your trip. Price data is based on averages over the last 12 months and was last updated on 12 April 2025.

Small cars

$72 - $112

All Car Types

$93 - $126

To hire a small car in California, you would pay an average price of $88/day. September is the cheapest month to hire a small car in California (~$72/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is April (~$112/day). In fact, September is about 19% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a small car hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a small car saves you 22% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

To hire a medium car in California, you would pay an average price of $95/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a medium car in California (~$75/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is July (~$122/day). In fact, November is about 22% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a medium car hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a medium car saves you 16% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California medium car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

To hire a large car in California, you would pay an average price of $138/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a large car in California (~$110/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is March (~$160/day). In fact, November is about 21% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a large car hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a large car is 19% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California large car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

To hire a SUV in California, you would pay an average price of $110/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a SUV in California (~$93/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is July (~$127/day). In fact, November is about 16% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a SUV hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a SUV saves you 2% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

To hire a van in California, you would pay an average price of $156/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a van in California (~$117/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is August (~$187/day). In fact, November is about 25% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a van hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a van is 29% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a pickup truck in California, you would pay an average price of $45/day. December is the cheapest month to hire a pickup truck in California (~$69/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is April (~$125/day). In fact, December is about 53% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a pickup truck hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a pickup truck saves you 60% in costs. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California pickup truck hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

To hire a luxury car in California, you would pay an average price of $114/day. February is the cheapest month to hire a luxury car in California (~$103/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is July (~$233/day). In fact, February is about 10% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a luxury car hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a luxury car is 2% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity.

To hire a convertible in California, you would pay an average price of $153/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a convertible in California (~$93/day), while the most expensive month to hire that same car type is March (~$181/day). In fact, November is about 40% cheaper than prices during the rest of the year to book a convertible hire for California. When comparing with other car types available for hire in California, hiring a convertible is 28% more expensive. Please note that average prices are based on historical data and can vary depending on how early you book, availability for your travel dates, and vehicle popularity. Here are the best California convertible hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Holden Barina$38/day
2
M
A/C
Holden Barina
Hyundai i20$39/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai i20
Holden Barina$53/day
2
M
A/C
Holden Barina

Top rental agencies in California

Explore the leading car hire agencies in California known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 8 car hire companies in California. Reviews were last updated on 12 April 2025.
Browse through some of the top rental car agencies in California, including pickup locations serving Los Angeles, San Francisco and Anaheim. See what past customers have to say, compare prices, and review other key details before deciding.

Hertz

5.8
Fair
1049 reviews75 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.7

Comfort

6.6

Overall

5.8

Pick-up/drop-off

5.8

Value

6.0

Alamo

8.5
Very Good
144 reviews8 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8.8

Comfort

8.6

Overall

8.5

Pick-up/drop-off

8.6

Value

8.1

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7.6
Good
328 reviews94 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.8

Comfort

7.8

Overall

7.6

Pick-up/drop-off

7.5

Value

7.5

Sixt

7.3
Good
373 reviews16 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.9

Comfort

7.8

Overall

7.3

Pick-up/drop-off

7.2

Value

7.2

Avis

6.2
Okay
441 reviews43 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.0

Comfort

7.0

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

6.3

Value

6.3

Midway

6.2
Okay
491 reviews11 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7.1

Comfort

6.8

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

5.8

Value

6.7

Budget

6.1
Okay
741 reviews45 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.9

Comfort

7.0

Overall

6.1

Pick-up/drop-off

6.2

Value

6.2

Dollar

5.5
Fair
425 reviews39 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6.8

Comfort

6.5

Overall

5.4

Pick-up/drop-off

5.4

Value

5.8

Best California car rental deals found

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in California. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in California with an average daily rate of $101. Data was last updated on 12 April 2025.
Have a look at some of the deals we've found on rental cars in California including options serving Los Angeles, San Francisco and Anaheim. Come back soon if you don't find what you're looking for as deals are updated often.
Holden Barina$38/day
2
M
A/C
Holden Barina
Hyundai i20$39/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai i20
Volkswagen Passat$41/day
5
M
A/C
Volkswagen Passat

Car rental FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 12 April 2025.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in California?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under $108/day when booking a car hire in California. The absolute best deal a user found was for $72/day from Economy Rent a Car, booked on Apr. 6.

  • What car hire company is typically the cheapest in California?

    According to our data, users have found the cheapest deals when booking a rental car in California from the following companies over the past two weeks: Economy Rent a Car ($38/day), Thrifty ($58/day), and Hertz ($65/day).

  • Which car hire company is considered to be the best in California?

    Taking our users’ ratings and reviews into consideration, Resla (10.0 rating), Silvercar (9.0 rating) and Alamo (8.4 rating) seem to be the best car hire companies in California.

  • What are petrol prices like in California?

    The average price of petrol in California is $1.56/litre over the past month, costing you anywhere between $70 and $101 to fill up a car’s fuel tank.

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in California for a week from Alamo?

    Alamo is one of the most popular car hire companies in California, offering car hire for around $998 per week on average.

  • How far in advance should I hire a car in California for the best price?

    Booking in advance not only ensures a better chance of getting your vehicle of choice, it can save you up to 36% on your car hire. For a below average price in California, Cheapflights recommends booking your car hire at least 7 days in advance.

  • Can I rent a car for a month in California?

    Yes, cars are available to be rented out for an entire month in California.

  • How much does it cost to rent a car in California for a month?

    The monthly cost of a car rental in California is $4,277 ($143/day) on average.

Car rentals by fuel type in California

Browse car rentals by fuel type in California. Currently, Electric cars are the cheapest to rent in California. Deals were last updated on 12 April 2025.

Browse through car rental deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Electric being the cheapest ($32+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

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