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Santa Barbara

Cheap Car Hire in Santa Barbara

Driver's age: 25-65
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Cheapflights insights for Santa Barbara car hires

Get relevant, data-driven information to help you hire a car in Santa Barbara, including pricing trends, ideal booking times, and more.

How far in advance should I hire a car in Santa Barbara?

Book your car hire in Santa Barbara 73 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car hire prices are around $70/day on average when booked 73 days ahead, which saves you 6% off the average price.

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What is the cheapest car hire company in Santa Barbara?

In Santa Barbara, the most affordable car hire company right now is Budget, offering prices from just $63.02/day over the past two weeks. Another budget-friendly choice is Dollar, with rates starting at $83.06/day.

What is the best car rental company in Santa Barbara?

Based on Cheapflights user feedback, the highest-rated car hire company in Santa Barbara is Budget (rated 6.9/10 with 46 reviews). Avis (rated 8.6/10 with 17 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.

Budget
Budget
6.9
Avis
Avis
8.6
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.4
Dollar
Dollar
8.0

What is the cheapest month to hire a car in Santa Barbara?

Planning to hire a car in Santa Barbara? January is the cheapest month, costing about $79 per day. In contrast, July is the most expensive, with an average daily rate of $100. Monthly average car hire prices are listed below. Remember, prices can change based on when you book, the type of car, and availability.

January

$79

February

$89

March

$89

April

$89

May

$87

June

$98

July

$100

August

$96

September

$100

October

$100

November

$94

December

$96

What car do most people hire in Santa Barbara?

SUV cars (Jeep Compass or similar) are the most popular option for those visiting Santa Barbara. Economy cars (Jeep Compass or similar) are also a popular choice, followed by Intermediate cars (Jeep Compass or similar).

Which car hire company has the most locations in Santa Barbara?

Enterprise Rent-A-Car has 3 locations throughout the area, more than any other company. Avis has the second-highest number of locations in Santa Barbara at 2.

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Top hire agencies in Santa Barbara

Explore the leading car hire agencies in Santa Barbara known for their outstanding service and extensive range of vehicles to choose from. There are currently 7 car hire companies in Santa Barbara. Reviews were last updated on 28 February 2026.

Budget

6.9
Okay
46 reviews•2 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

7.4

Comfort

7.5

Overall

6.9

Pick-up/drop-off

7.2

Value

7.1

Avis

8.6
Very Good
17 reviews•2 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

9.2

Comfort

8.9

Overall

8.6

Pick-up/drop-off

8.7

Value

8.3

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.4
Very Good
15 reviews•3 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

8.3

Comfort

8.3

Overall

8.4

Pick-up/drop-off

8.2

Value

7.8

Dollar

8.0
Very Good
9 reviews•2 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

8.0

Comfort

8.0

Overall

8.0

Pick-up/drop-off

6.0

Value

8.0

Alamo

7.2
Good
8 reviews•1 location
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

7.1

Comfort

7.6

Overall

7.2

Pick-up/drop-off

7.4

Value

7.4

Hertz

1 location
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Overview

Cleanliness

7.2

Comfort

6.9

Overall

6.3

Pick-up/drop-off

6.2

Value

6.3

National

6.0
Okay
2 reviews•1 location
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

10.0

Comfort

10.0

Overall

6.0

Pick-up/drop-off

5.0

Value

6.0

Car hire FAQs

Find answers to frequently asked questions about car hires in Santa Barbara, including policies, requirements, and more. FAQs were last updated on 28 February 2026.

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in Santa Barbara for a week from Budget?

    Budget is a popular option for travellers looking for car hire in Santa Barbara. You can expect the average cost of car hire to be about $644 per week.

  • Can I rent a car for a month in Santa Barbara?

    Yes, hiring a vehicle in Santa Barbara for a month is certainly possible.

Car hires by fuel type in Santa Barbara

Browse car hires by fuel type in Santa Barbara. Currently, Electric cars are the cheapest to rent in Santa Barbara. Deals were last updated on 28 February 2026.
All deals

Browse through car hire deals by fuel type in Santa Barbara. There are currently 2 fuel types to choose from with Electric being the cheapest ($39+).

Electric

Electric

$39+

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Hybrid

Hybrid

$69+

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Travelling to a place near Santa Barbara?

Hire a car at Santa Barbara if you plan to visit one of these locations
West Hollywood
Costa Mesa
Newport Beach
Malibu
Culver City
Hermosa Beach
Simi Valley
Monrovia
Universal City
Irvine
El Segundo
San Juan Capistrano
Laguna Beach
Monterey Park
Beverly Hills
Moreno Valley
Santa Clarita
San Pedro
Arcadia
Inglewood

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