Utility rates & providers in Alameda County, CA

Representative example: Oakland (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Alameda County spans dense inner East Bay cities, hillside suburbs, and industrial waterfront. Most residential electric meters on our Oakland and Berkeley pages are served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) under CPUC-reviewed schedules; community choice aggregation (CCA) programs such as East Bay Community Energy can replace generation charges while PG&E continues delivery and maintenance.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$629.25

Estimated average monthly utilities in Oakland are ~$629.25 (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal assumptions). Average water bill estimate: ~$79.55/mo at 5,000 gallons.

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-22. County overview narrative last verified 2026-04-13.

Data freshness: 2026-03-22
  • Electric $440.00 (70%)
  • Water $79.55 (13%)
  • Sewer $37.15 (6%)
  • Trash $72.55 (12%)

Utilities here are about 20% higher than the California city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In California, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.
  • Trash is provided by private haulers; residents choose their own. Our estimate reflects typical rates for the area—contact haulers for exact pricing.

Drinking water and wastewater are not uniform: Oakland and Berkeley publish municipal water and sewer charges for accounts they bill, while many East Bay properties also interact with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) supply, capacity, and drought rates depending on service agreements. Match the legal provider printed on your bill before applying any volumetric table.

Utility breakdown by service

Line-item style summary for Alameda County—figures are from the county overview below, not copied from a single city page. Jurisdiction notes, narrative, and official sources follow in each card.

Electricity

Confirmed

Confirmed — PG&E residential schedules for modeled Oakland/Berkeley addresses; CCA may alter generation line items.

PG&E’s tariff materials list residential tiered and time-of-use options; baseline allocations depend on climate zone and dwelling type.

If your bill shows both PG&E delivery and a CCA generation charge, budget using the sum of both sections—wildfire mitigation and public purpose programs may still appear on the PG&E portion.

Official sources

Water

Confirmed

Confirmed — Multiple retailers; Oakland/Berkeley city utilities vs EBMUD regional schedules.

Oakland and Berkeley each adopt water and sewer rates through city processes; stormwater or lateral charges may appear as separate line items.

EBMUD publishes wholesale and capacity charges that can influence East Bay bills when the district is the retailer or when capacity contracts apply—open EBMUD’s current rate sheet for your account class.

Official sources

Sewer / wastewater

Confirmed

Confirmed — Sewer follows the city or district billing your wastewater service.

Sanitary sewer charges are usually paired with the potable water retailer for city accounts, but consent-decree or capital surcharges can stack differently.

Septic and private treatment systems are still common in hillside pockets—confirm connection before using city sewer volumetrics.

Official sources

Trash & recycling

Confirmed

Confirmed — City franchise haulers and county disposal programs differ by jurisdiction.

Oakland, Berkeley, and other cities franchise solid-waste collection; SB 1383 organics requirements affect cart sizing and fees.

Multi-family buildings may bundle trash with common-area assessments—ask the manager when you do not see a direct municipal refuse line item.

Official sources

Summaries use CPUC consumer hubs, the utility links cited in each card, and the anchor city’s modeled tariffs on this site as of the overview date. Community choice aggregation, CARE/FERA, medical baseline, franchise fees, and parcel-specific surcharges can change your statement—confirm on your bill.

Check Internet pricing & availability in Alameda County

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$629.25

Oakland

What changes your bill most?

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1,000 kWh/month
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical bill or PSC comparative statistic; not every meter will match.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Full line-item breakdown: Oakland utility page. County overview cards above cite additional regional sources.

Wondering if solar makes sense for you? Try our solar payback calculator to find out.

Cities in Alameda County

Estimated monthly utility totals

Totals use each city's modeled usage and tariffs on file—see the city page for electric, water, sewer, and trash breakdowns.

CityEst. total/mo
Berkeley$656.95
Oakland (illustrative pattern)$629.25

More in California

California utility costsElectric providers in CaliforniaOakland utility page

FAQ

We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider and municipal sources for each city in Alameda County. Electric may reference a CPUC-regulated investor-owned schedule (PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E), a municipal utility (for example LADWP, SMUD, or a city PUD), or another published tariff; water, sewer, and trash follow city, district, or franchise programs. Each city page shows assumed usage (kWh, gallons) and outbound links to primary sources.
California counties typically include many jurisdictions. Electric delivery territory, community choice aggregation enrollment, water/sewer enterprise boundaries, and solid-waste programs all follow the provider that serves your meter—not the county name on your mail. Compare city pages and match the legal name printed on your bill.
Open the county internet providers page at /california/county/alameda-county-utility-costs/internet-providers for FCC-backed research merged for cities we model here, plus an address-level comparison tool. Availability is still specific to your building and unit.
Each city page shows a 'last verified' date and links to official sources. Enriched county overviews add CPUC and utility hubs below. Confirm current rates on the utility’s or government’s primary tariff page before making decisions.
EBCE is a community choice aggregator serving many Alameda County addresses. It may procure electricity while PG&E delivers power and maintains the grid. Read both the CCA and PG&E portions of your statement when comparing rates.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Oakland with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.