California

Cheap Car Hire in California from R475

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 1/11 and drop-off date of 14/11. 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 hires 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 15 septiembre 2025.

Most popular company

Hertz

Most common car type

Full-size

Average price per day

R790

Cheapest price per day

R475

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 15 septiembre 2025.

There are 361 hire agencies servicing California. These agencies, altogether, have 17 537 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? small car is the cheapest car type to hire in California with prices from R475 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 6 car types you can hire in California:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

SUV

SUV

R1 024+

People carrier

People carrier

R1 146+

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

Premium

Premium

Luxury

Luxury

Convertible

Convertible

R1 007+

Pick-up truck

Pick-up truck

R1 656+

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

R1 171+

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

R4 759+

Compare car hire deals in California by type

Here are the best California small car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California medium car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California large car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California SUV hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Here are the best California luxury car hire prices found by Cheapflights users in the past 7 days:

Hyundai AccentR475/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai Accent
GWM Ora Good CatR475/day
2
M
A/C
GWM Ora Good Cat
Volkswagen PoloR515/day
2
M
A/C
Volkswagen Polo

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 002. Data was last updated on 15 septiembre 2025.
Hyundai AccentR475/day
4
M
A/C
Hyundai Accent
GWM Ora Good CatR475/day
2
M
A/C
GWM Ora Good Cat
Toyota CorollaR489/day
5
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla

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 R722/day – about 1 351% less than the yearly average.

What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

Avis is currently the cheapest car hire company in California with deals as low as R476,59/day found in the past two weeks. Dollar is another inexpensive option with rates as low as R488,40/day.

What is the best car rental company in California?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in California is Budget (rated 6.3/10 with 1 133 reviews). Hertz (rated 6.1/10 with 1 221 reviews) 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 R719. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R998 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 R719. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R998 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

R719

February

R749

March

R798

April

R833

May

R867

June

R910

July

R998

August

R965

September

R840

October

R883

November

R867

December

R939

What car do most people hire in California?

The most popular types of cars to hire in California are the following: SUV cars (Chevrolet Trax or similar), Intermediate cars (Kia Sportage or similar), and Convertible cars (Ford Mustang Convertible or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in California?

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has 105 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Hertz has the second-highest number of locations in California at 74.

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 397 pickup locations in California to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 15 septiembre 2025.

Out of all the popular cities in California, Oakland is the cheapest city to hire a car (R525/day). Other popular cities in California to get a cheap car hire are: Sacramento (R530/day), Los Angeles (R547/day), and San Francisco (R1 172/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 15 septiembre 2025.

Budget

6,3
Okay
1133 reviews57 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,1

Comfort

7,1

Overall

6,3

Pick-up/drop-off

6,4

Value

6,4

Hertz

6,1
Okay
1221 reviews82 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6,9

Comfort

6,8

Overall

6,1

Pick-up/drop-off

6,1

Value

6,2

Alamo

8,5
Very Good
202 reviews14 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8,9

Comfort

8,8

Overall

8,5

Pick-up/drop-off

8,6

Value

8,2

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7,5
Good
426 reviews108 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,9

Comfort

7,8

Overall

7,5

Pick-up/drop-off

7,5

Value

7,5

Sixt

7,4
Good
334 reviews17 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8,0

Comfort

7,9

Overall

7,4

Pick-up/drop-off

7,4

Value

7,3

Avis

6,2
Okay
661 reviews57 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,0

Comfort

7,0

Overall

6,2

Pick-up/drop-off

6,2

Value

6,4

Midway

6,2
Okay
486 reviews16 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,1

Comfort

6,8

Overall

6,2

Pick-up/drop-off

5,8

Value

6,7

Dollar

5,6
Fair
537 reviews46 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6,9

Comfort

6,6

Overall

5,6

Pick-up/drop-off

5,6

Value

5,9

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 15 septiembre 2025.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in California?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R1 176/day when booking a car hire in California. The absolute best deal a user found was for R706/day from Avis, booked on Sep. 7.

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

    From Dollar you can hire a car in California from about R4 979 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 R21 340. 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, Hybrid cars are the cheapest to rent in California. Deals were last updated on 15 septiembre 2025.

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Hybrid being the cheapest (R30+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

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