EV Charging Cost by City (2026)
How much does it cost to charge an EV where you live? Electricity rates vary from 9¢/kWh in Spokane to 34¢/kWh in San Diego — a 3.8× difference in monthly charging costs. We track 99 US cities.
Cities Tracked
99
Avg Monthly Savings
$72
EV vs. gas
Rate Range
9–34¢
per kWh
Best Cities for EV Savings in 2026
Highest annual fuel savings vs. a 28 MPG gas car (12,000 mi/yr)
| City | EV Monthly | Gas Monthly | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim, CA | $64/mo | $173/mo | $1,307/yr |
| Seattle, WA | $30/mo | $138/mo | $1,293/yr |
| Tacoma, WA | $29/mo | $136/mo | $1,287/yr |
| Spokane, WA | $28/mo | $135/mo | $1,284/yr |
| Bellevue, WA | $31/mo | $138/mo | $1,280/yr |
Cheapest Cities to Charge an EV
Lowest monthly home charging cost (12,000 mi/yr)
| City | Rate (¢/kWh) | EV Monthly | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane, WA | 9.8¢ | $28/mo | $1,284/yr |
| Tacoma, WA | 10.2¢ | $29/mo | $1,287/yr |
| Seattle, WA | 10.4¢ | $30/mo | $1,293/yr |
| Salt Lake City, UT | 10.7¢ | $31/mo | $1,099/yr |
| Bellevue, WA | 10.8¢ | $31/mo | $1,280/yr |
All 99 Cities: EV Charging Cost
Why EV Costs Vary So Much by City
The single biggest driver of EV cost variation is the local electricity rate. Seattle City Light charges 10¢/kWh (hydro-powered municipal utility). San Diego Gas & Electric charges 34¢/kWh. For a driver putting 12,000 miles/year on an EV at 3.5 mi/kWh efficiency, that's the difference between $37/month and $98/month in fuel costs — the same car, same mileage, 2.6× the bill.
Gas prices add the second variable. California's $4.85–$4.90/gallon makes an EV especially attractive in Los Angeles and San Diego despite high electricity rates. Oklahoma's $2.88/gallon narrows the EV advantage even with cheap electricity. The cities with the biggest EV savings tend to combine two factors: cheap electricity AND expensive gas — the Pacific Northwest leads here (Seattle, Spokane, Portland, Tacoma).
Understanding Your Local EV Incentives
The federal $7,500 EV tax credit applies in all cities for qualifying vehicles. On top of that, roughly 30 states offer additional rebates or tax credits ranging from $1,500 (Rhode Island) to $7,500 (Colorado, Oregon). Washington state combines a sales tax waiver worth $3,000–$5,000 with a direct rebate for lower-income buyers — one of the most powerful incentive stacks in the country.