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California

Cheap Car Hire in California from R483

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 24/5 and drop-off date of 31/5. 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 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 30 April 2025.

Most popular company

Dollar

Most common car type

Full-size

Average price per day

R749

Cheapest price per day

R483

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 30 April 2025.

January

R667

February

R667

March

R722

April

R871

May

R778

June

R797

July

R945

August

R908

September

R815

October

R852

November

R760

December

R945

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 30 April 2025.

There are 347 hire agencies servicing California. These agencies, altogether, have 17 355 hire locations available. Need an affordable hire? medium car is the cheapest car type to hire in California with prices from R483 a day in the previous 7-day period. Here are 4 car types you can hire in California:

Economy

Economy

Compact

Compact

Intermediate

Intermediate

Standard

Standard

Full-size

Full-size

People carrier

People carrier

R1 157+

Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

R1 085+

Premium

Premium

Convertible

Convertible

R1 148+

Premium SUV

Premium SUV

R1 298+

Supplier choice

Supplier choice

Compact SUV

Compact SUV

Intermediate SUV

Intermediate SUV

Standard SUV

Standard SUV

Luxury SUV

Luxury SUV

R1 166+

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 30 April 2025.

Small cars

R478 - R1 778

All Car Types

R819 - R1 761

To hire a small car in California, you would pay an average price of R990/day. January is the cheapest month to hire a small car in California (~R478/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is February (~R1 778/day). In fact, January is about 52% 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, renting a small car saves you 15% 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 R938/day. February is the cheapest month to hire a medium car in California (~R699/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is July (~R1 506/day). In fact, February is about 26% 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, renting a medium car saves you 19% 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 R1 428/day. August is the cheapest month to hire a large car in California (~R1 065/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is January (~R4 862/day). In fact, August is about 26% 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, renting a large car is 20% 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 R1 047/day. February is the cheapest month to hire a SUV in California (~R641/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is September (~R1 427/day). In fact, February is about 39% 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, renting a SUV saves you 10% 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 luxury car in California, you would pay an average price of R1 208/day. August is the cheapest month to hire a luxury car in California (~R952/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is January (~R4 862/day). In fact, August is about 22% 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, renting a luxury car is 5% 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 R1 226/day. November is the cheapest month to hire a convertible in California (~R1 053/day), while the most expensive month to rent that same car type is September (~R4 565/day). In fact, November is about 15% 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, renting a convertible is 6% 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.

Toyota Corolla QuestR483/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla Quest
Hyundai i20R541/day
2
M
A/C
Hyundai i20
Toyota Corolla QuestR576/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla Quest

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 30 April 2025.
Book your reservation with one of the top car hire agencies located in California, including those serving the greater Los Angeles, San Francisco and Redding area. Helpful information on each car hire agency is available, including reviews, pricing, pickup location, and more.

Hertz

5,9
Fair
1160 reviews87 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6,8

Comfort

6,7

Overall

5,9

Pick-up/drop-off

5,9

Value

6,1

Alamo

8,3
Very Good
174 reviews13 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8,7

Comfort

8,6

Overall

8,3

Pick-up/drop-off

8,4

Value

8,0

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7,6
Good
392 reviews107 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,9

Comfort

7,8

Overall

7,6

Pick-up/drop-off

7,6

Value

7,5

Sixt

7,4
Good
360 reviews15 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

8,0

Comfort

7,9

Overall

7,3

Pick-up/drop-off

7,3

Value

7,2

Budget

6,3
Okay
852 reviews51 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,0

Comfort

7,1

Overall

6,3

Pick-up/drop-off

6,3

Value

6,3

Avis

6,3
Okay
500 reviews50 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,1

Comfort

7,1

Overall

6,3

Pick-up/drop-off

6,4

Value

6,4

Midway

6,2
Okay
492 reviews11 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

7,0

Comfort

6,8

Overall

6,2

Pick-up/drop-off

5,8

Value

6,7

Dollar

5,5
Fair
455 reviews46 locations
Overview

Cleanliness

6,8

Comfort

6,6

Overall

5,5

Pick-up/drop-off

5,5

Value

5,9

Best California car hire deals found

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 R922. Data was last updated on 30 April 2025.
We've found these great deals on car hires in California, including options within the Los Angeles, San Francisco and Redding area. To make sure you find the deal you're looking for, verify the details of the hire, such as car type, price, and pickup address.
Audi A3R483/day
5
4
M
A/C
Audi A3
Toyota Corolla QuestR483/day
4
M
A/C
Toyota Corolla Quest
Volkswagen PoloR541/day
2
M
A/C
Volkswagen Polo

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in California, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 30 April 2025.
  • 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 R600/day from Dollar, booked on Apr. 27.

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

    According to our data, users have found the cheapest deals when booking a car hire in California from the following companies over the past two weeks: Yesaway (R483/day), Dollar (R541/day), and Avis (R603/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 R16,69/litre over the past month, costing you anywhere between R751 and R1 084 to fill up a car’s fuel tank.

  • 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 R6 224 per week on average.

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

    Booking early almost always ensures you have more options of car models to choose from, as well as prices reduced by up to 36% to make it a great deal in California. Try to book at least 7 days prior to when you need the car hire to close on a rate below the 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 R26 673. 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 30 April 2025.

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in California. There are currently 3 fuel types to choose from with Electric being the cheapest (R32+).

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