Cost guides › Interior painting › California
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Interior painting cost in California
Most homeowners pay $2,800 – $4,700 (mid-range, typical $3,600, before sales tax), 20% above the national average.
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Price levels in California
| Typical | Labour | Materials | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $2,050 $1,600 – $2,650 | $1,782 | $255 |
| Mid-range | $3,600 $2,800 – $4,700 | $3,171 | $427 |
| Premium | $7,800 $6,050 – $10,100 | $7,269 | $518 |
Why prices in California are different
Labour makes up about 88% of a mid-range interior painting job, around 95 hours of trade work. Tradespeople in California cost about 24% more than the national average (official wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics), while materials are priced much the same across the country. That is why the total comes out 20% above the national figure.
California ranks 6 of 51 states for this job, from most to least expensive.
By area
| Location | Basic | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $2,250 | $4,050 | $8,750 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $2,200 | $3,900 | $8,400 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $2,200 | $3,850 | $8,350 |
| Vallejo, CA | $2,100 | $3,750 | $8,150 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $2,100 | $3,700 | $8,100 |
| Salinas, CA | $2,100 | $3,700 | $8,000 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $2,100 | $3,700 | $8,050 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $2,100 | $3,650 | $7,950 |
| Napa, CA | $2,050 | $3,650 | $7,950 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $2,100 | $3,650 | $7,950 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $2,050 | $3,600 | $7,850 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $2,050 | $3,600 | $7,850 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $2,050 | $3,600 | $7,800 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $2,000 | $3,550 | $7,700 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $2,000 | $3,450 | $7,500 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $1,950 | $3,450 | $7,400 |
| Merced, CA | $1,950 | $3,400 | $7,400 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $1,900 | $3,400 | $7,350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $1,950 | $3,400 | $7,400 |
| El Centro, CA | $1,900 | $3,350 | $7,300 |
| Modesto, CA | $1,850 | $3,350 | $7,100 |
| Redding, CA | $1,900 | $3,350 | $7,200 |
| Fresno, CA | $1,850 | $3,300 | $7,100 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $1,850 | $3,300 | $7,050 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $1,850 | $3,300 | $7,050 |
| Yuba City, CA | $1,900 | $3,300 | $7,150 |
| Chico, CA | $1,750 | $3,150 | $6,650 |
| Visalia, CA | $1,600 | $2,850 | $6,050 |
Next to it in the price ranking
Other home projects in California
Frequently asked questions
How much does interior painting cost in California?
A mid-range job typically costs $3,600 before sales tax, with most homeowners paying between $2,800 and $4,700. A basic job is about $2,050 and a premium one about $7,800.
Is interior painting more expensive in California than the national average?
California: 20% above the national average. Labour makes up about 88% of a mid-range interior painting job, around 95 hours of trade work. Tradespeople in California cost about 24% more than the national average (official wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics), while materials are priced much the same across the country. That is why the total comes out 20% above the national figure.
How much of the price is labour in California?
About 88% at the mid-range level, around 95 hours of work at local rates. The rest is materials, equipment and disposal, which vary much less between regions.
Where in California is it most expensive?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is the most expensive area at about $4,050 for a mid-range job, and Visalia, CA the least expensive at about $2,850.