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California

Cheap Car Hire in California from R577

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 14/4 and drop-off date of 28/4. 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
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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 25 March 2026.

Most popular company

Budget

Most common car type

Standard

Average price per day

R1 149

Cheapest price per day

R577
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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 25 March 2026.
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There are 372 hire agencies servicing California. These agencies, altogether, have 17 567 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? medium car is the cheapest car type to hire in California with prices from R577 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 6 car types you can hire in California:

Economy

Economy

R764+

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Compact

Compact

R592+

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Intermediate

Intermediate

R577+

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Standard

Standard

R604+

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Full-size

Full-size

R604+

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SUV

SUV

R850+

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People carrier

People carrier

R967+

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Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

R1 222+

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Premium

Premium

R1 189+

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Passenger van

Passenger van

R1 695+

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Luxury

Luxury

R909+

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Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

R635+

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Compact SUV

Compact SUV

R659+

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Standard SUV

Standard SUV

R685+

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Supplier choice

Supplier choice

R862+

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Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

R1 004+

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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:

Honda JazzR592/day
4
M
A/C
Honda Jazz
Found 03/24/26
Volkswagen PoloR592/day
4
M
A/C
Volkswagen Polo
Found 03/23/26
Toyota YarisR764/day
2
M
A/C
Toyota Yaris
Found 03/24/26

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 R837. Data was last updated on 25 March 2026.
Audi A3R577/day
5
4
M
A/C
Audi A3
Found 03/24/26
Audi A3R580/day
5
4
M
A/C
Audi A3
Found 03/23/26
Toyota Corolla QuestR592/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla Quest
Found 03/24/26

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 R741/day – about 1 347% less than the yearly average.

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What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

Budget is currently the cheapest car hire company in California with deals as low as R609,32/day found in the past two weeks. Hertz is another inexpensive option with rates as low as R855,08/day.

What is the best car rental company in California?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in California is Alamo (rated 8.6/10). Enterprise Rent-A-Car (rated 7.6/10) is also highly rated by our users.

Alamo
Alamo
8.6
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
7.6
Sixt
Sixt
7.4
Avis
Avis
6.3

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 R752. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R966 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 R752. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R966 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

R752

February

R860

March

R849

April

R822

May

R843

June

R897

July

R966

August

R949

September

R803

October

R904

November

R823

December

R962

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), Economy cars (Hyundai Venue 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 106 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Hertz has the second-highest number of locations in California at 76.

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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 25 March 2026.

Alamo

14 locations
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car

106 locations
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Sixt

20 locations
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Avis

57 locations
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Midway

17 locations
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Budget

56 locations
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Hertz

76 locations
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Thrifty

41 locations
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Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 25 March 2026.

  • 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 R7 035 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.

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 25 March 2026.
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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 (R47+).

Electric

Electric

R57+

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Hybrid

Hybrid

R60+

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Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

R47+

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