California

Cheap Car Hire in California from R581

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 16/5 and drop-off date of 10/6. 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 10 May 2026.

Most popular company

Europcar

Most common car type

Standard

Average price per day

R904

Cheapest price per day

R581

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 10 May 2026.

There are 366 hire agencies servicing California. These agencies, altogether, have 17 868 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? small car is the cheapest car type to hire in California with prices from R581 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

SUV

SUV

R1 073+

People carrier

People carrier

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

R1 031+

Luxury

Luxury

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

R1 737+

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Supplier choice

Supplier choice

Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

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 JazzR581/day
4
M
A/C
Honda Jazz
Nissan AlmeraR698/day
2
M
A/C
Nissan Almera
Toyota YarisR868/day
2
M
A/C
Toyota Yaris

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 R954. Data was last updated on 10 May 2026.
Toyota CorollaR581/day
5
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla
Volkswagen PoloR581/day
4
M
A/C
Volkswagen Polo
Toyota CorollaR600/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 R734/day – about 1 304% less than the yearly average.

What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

Alamo is currently the cheapest car hire company in California with deals as low as R524,88/day found in the past two weeks. Avis is another inexpensive option with rates as low as R541,90/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 8.7/10). Enterprise Rent-A-Car (rated 7.6/10) 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 R726. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R932 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 R726. Conversely, July is the priciest month, averaging R932 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

R726

February

R828

March

R902

April

R891

May

R828

June

R869

July

R932

August

R915

September

R775

October

R870

November

R794

December

R925

What car do most people hire in California?

The most popular types of cars to hire in California are the following: Economy cars (Toyota Yaris or similar), SUV cars (Class Intermediate SUV or similar), and Intermediate cars (Toyota Camry or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in California?

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has 78 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Hertz has the second-highest number of locations in California at 53.

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 299 pickup locations in California to choose from. Price data has been averaged over the last 12 months and was last updated on 10 May 2026.

Out of all the popular cities in California, Oakland is the cheapest city to hire a car (R495/day). Other popular cities in California to get a cheap car hire are: Sacramento (R510/day), Los Angeles (R549/day), and San Diego (R560/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 10 May 2026.

Alamo

8 locations

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

78 locations

Sixt

17 locations

Avis

42 locations

Midway

20 locations

Budget

42 locations

Hertz

53 locations

Dollar

39 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 10 May 2026.
  • What is the cheapest hire car found in California?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under R749/day when booking a car hire in California. The absolute best deal a user found was for R540/day from Fox, booked on May 6.

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

    From Europcar you can hire a car in California from about R6 877 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 R29 475. 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, Electric cars are the cheapest to rent in California. Deals were last updated on 10 May 2026.

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Electric being the cheapest (R39+).

Electric

Electric

Hybrid

Hybrid

Petrol/Diesel

Petrol/Diesel

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