California

Cheap Car Hire in California from R638

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 10/7 and drop-off date of 26/7. 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: 25-65
Here’s why our users search for rental cars through Cheapflights

Price trackingHolding out for a great deal? Get notified when prices are reduced.

Customized resultsFilter by rental agency, car type, price range and more.

Unlimited free useSearch as many times as you want with no hidden charges or fees.

California car hires in 2026

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 7 June 2026.

Most popular company

Budget

Most common car type

Intermediate

Average price per day

R913

Cheapest price per day

R638

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 7 June 2026.

There are 371 hire agencies servicing California. These agencies, altogether, have 17 913 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? medium car is the cheapest car type to hire in California with prices from R638 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 5 car types you can hire in California:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

People carrier

People carrier

R1 137+

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

R1 342+

Passenger van

Passenger van

R2 949+

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

R1 439+

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

R1 105+

Best car hire deals found in California

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hiredeals in California. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect rental option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in California with an average daily rate of R1 120. Data was last updated on 7 June 2026.
Toyota CorollaR638/day
5
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla
Ford FusionR638/day
5
M
A/C
Ford Fusion
Volkswagen T-ROCR709/day
5
M
A/C
Volkswagen T-ROC

Cheapflights insights for California car hires

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in California, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in California?

For the best savings on car hire in California, make your reservation 7 days before pickup. The average price then is just R758/day – about 1 326% less than the yearly average.

What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

Yesaway is currently the cheapest car hire company in California with deals as low as R25,09/day found in the past two weeks. Budget is another inexpensive option with rates as low as R39,72/day.

What is the best car rental company in California?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in California is Avis (rated 6.4/10). Budget (rated 6.1/10) is also highly rated by our users.

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in California?

At California, the best time to hire a car is in January, with an average daily rate of just R718. Conversely, August is the priciest month, averaging R963 per day. Below youll find the monthly average car hire prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.|1#In California, the best time to hire a car is in January, with an average daily rate of just R718. Conversely, August is the priciest month, averaging R963 per day. Below youll find the monthly average car hire prices. Note that costs can fluctuate depending on availability, booking time, and vehicle type.

January

R718

February

R827

March

R907

April

R911

May

R912

June

R910

July

R962

August

R963

September

R793

October

R892

November

R790

December

R951

What car do most people hire in California?

The most popular types of cars to hire in California are the following: Compact cars (Kia K4 or similar), SUV cars (Class Intermediate SUV or similar), and Standard cars (Volkswagen Jetta or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in California?

Avis has 55 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. NextCar has the second-highest number of locations in California at 2.

What are the car hire prices for popular cities in California?

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 209 pickup locations in California to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 7 June 2026.

Out of all the popular cities in California, Oakland is the cheapest city to hire a car (R499/day). Other popular cities in California to get a cheap car hire are: Sacramento (R514/day), Los Angeles (R539/day), and San Diego (R565/day).

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 7 June 2026.

Avis

55 locations

Budget

54 locations

Hertz

73 locations

NextCar

2 locations

National

15 locations

Rhodium

5 locations

Bandago

2 locations

Los Angeles Van Rentals

3 locations

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 7 June 2026.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in California?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R859/day when booking a car hire in California. The absolute best deal a user found was for R561/day from Yesaway, booked on Jun. 1.

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

    From Budget you can hire a car in California from about R6 546 per week on average.

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

    Yes, hiring a vehicle in California for a month is certainly possible.

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

    The average cost of a car hire in California for a month is R28 053. Check Cheapflights to compare pricing and options for your rental car.

Car hires by fuel type in California

Browse car hires by fuel type in California. Currently, Petrol/Diesel cars are the cheapest to rent in California. Deals were last updated on 7 June 2026.

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Petrol/Diesel being the cheapest (R58+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.

Best Car Hire Deals

We make it easy and fast to find and compare deals from 70,000+ car hire locations and hundreds of agencies.

No surprises

Prices shown to you will be final, without any hidden charges or fees.

Free Cancellation

Plans change – we get it. And that’s why you can search and book car hire on Cheapflights from agencies that offer free cancellation