Due to the federal budget impasse, data for the CPI was not collected in October, affecting the calculations for the September California CPI.  This data will be updated as the federal data continues to resume.

The December average price per gallon of regular gasoline in California eased 29 cents from November to $4.34.  The California regulatory and tax premium above the average for the US other than California ($2.76) eased to $1.58, a 57.1% difference.

In December, California had the highest gasoline price among the contiguous states and DC.  Californians paid $2.05 a gallon more than consumers in Oklahoma, the state with the lowest price.

As discussed in prior reports, the Energy Commission has not updated their fuel tax and fee calculations since March 2025, and in spite of arguing that they required the data to properly monitor fuel pricing through SB 1322 (2022), has not updated their fuel net margin analysis since March 2024. In the absence of current Energy Commission data, we are making our own estimates using the Commission factors and the new OPIS data. In December, $1.42 (32.8%) of the price of a gallon of regular gasoline was paid to cover state, local, and federal taxes and fees.

The December average price per gallon of diesel in California eased 18 cents from November to $4.97.  The California regulatory and tax premium above the average for the US other than California ($3.51) eased to $1.47, a 41.8% difference.

In December, California had the highest diesel price among the contiguous states and DC.

The cost premium above the US (other than California) average price for regular gasoline ranged from $1.44 in the Central Valley Region (average December price of $4.20), to $1.75 in San Diego/Imperial Region (average December price of $4.51).

California average Residential Price for the 12 months ended October 2025 was 32.04 cents/kWh, 96.7% higher than the US average of 16.29 cents/kWh for all states other than California.  California's residential prices were the highest among the contiguous states and DC.

For the 12 months ended October 2025, the average annual Residential electricity bill in California was $1,876, or 88.7% higher ($882) than the comparable bill in 2010 (the year the AB 32 implementation began with the Early Action items).  In this same period, the average US (less CA) electricity bill for all the other states grew only 31.3% ($427).

In 2010, California had the 9th lowest residential electricity bill among the contiguous states and DC.  In the latest data as portions of the nation experienced higher winter costs, it tied with Delaware for the 16th highest.

Residential bills, however, vary widely by region.  Transforming the 2022 data from the Energy Commission, estimated annual household usage is as much as 82% higher in the interior regions compared to the milder climate coastal areas, and substantially higher when comparing across counties.

For the 12 months ended October 2025, California's higher electricity prices translated into Residential ratepayers paying $13.1 billion more than the average ratepayers elsewhere in the US using the same amount of energy.  Compared to the lowest cost state, California households paid $17.0 billion more.

California average Commercial Price for the 12 months ended October 2025 was 25.81 cents/kWh, 109.8% higher than the US average of 12.30 cents/kWh for all states other than California.  California's commercial prices were the  highest among the contiguous states and DC.

California average Industrial Price for the 12 months ended October 2025 was 21.64 cents/kWh, 171.9% higher than the US average of 7.96 cents/kWh for all states other than California.  California's industrial prices were the highest among the contiguous states and DC.

For the 12 months ended October 2025, California's higher electricity prices translated into Commercial & Industrial ratepayers paying $21.2 billion more than ratepayers elsewhere in the US using the same amount of energy.  Compared to the lowest rate states, Commercial & Industrial ratepayers paid $27.6 billion more.