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Santa Barbara

Cheap Car Hire in Santa Barbara from £26

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a Cheapflights user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car hire in Santa Barbara with a pick-up date of 22/8 and drop-off date of 29/8. Fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of hire. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
Driver's age: 25-65
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Santa Barbara car hires in 2026

Get helpful information to start your search for the perfect car hire in Santa Barbara. The average price data is based on the last 12 months and was last updated on 11 August 2026.

Most popular company

AVIS

Price of gas per litre

£0.87

Average price per day

£42

Cheapest price per day

£26
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Popular car types in Santa Barbara

Explore the most popular car models available for hire in Santa Barbara and choose the one that suits your needs. The price data is sourced from various car hire companies and was last updated on 11 August 2026.
All deals

large car is the cheapest car type you can hire in Santa Barbara this past week from 12 hire locations out of 8 hire agencies. Prices for a Santa Barbara large car hire start from £26/day. Check out available deals for 6 car types currently offered at listed car hire agencies here:

Economy

Economy

£26+

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Compact

Compact

£26+

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Intermediate

Intermediate

£28+

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Full-size

Full-size

£26+

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People carrier

People carrier

£52+

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Full-size SUV

Full-size SUV

£54+

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Luxury

Luxury

£56+

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Supplier choice

Supplier choice

£24+

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Best car hire deals found in Santa Barbara

Browse through a selection of recently found affordable car hire deals in Santa Barbara. Plan your trip with ease and find the perfect hire option for your needs. There are currently 8 hire car agencies in Santa Barbara with an average daily rate of £37. Data was last updated on 11 August 2026.
BMW 4 Series Coupé£26/day
BMW 4 Series Coupé
Found 08/10/26
Citroen C3£26/day
Citroen C3
Found 08/10/26
Hyundai i10£26/day
Hyundai i10
Found 08/10/26

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 88 days before your pickup date to maximise your savings. Car hire prices are around £37/day on average when booked 88 days ahead, which saves you 45% off the average price.

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What is the cheapest car hire company in Santa Barbara?

Avis is currently the cheapest car hire company in Santa Barbara with deals as low as £29.13/day found in the past two weeks. Budget is another inexpensive option with rates as low as £29.33/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 42 reviews). Avis (rated 9.0/10 with 15 reviews) is also highly rated by our users.

Budget
Budget
6.9
Avis
Avis
9.0
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
8.7
Alamo
Alamo
8.1

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

The cheapest month to hire a car in Santa Barbara is January, when you can expect to pay £41/day on average. The most expensive month to hire a car in Santa Barbara is September (£53/day on average). The average daily car hire price for each month is shown below. Keep in mind that prices will vary based on availability, when you book, and the type of car you hire.

January

£41

February

£49

March

£53

April

£48

May

£48

June

£50

July

£47

August

£50

September

£53

October

£53

November

£50

December

£50

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 8 car hire companies in Santa Barbara. Reviews were last updated on 11 August 2026.

Budget

6.9
Okay
42 reviews•2 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

7.6

Comfort

7.7

Overall

6.9

Pick-up/drop-off

7.3

Value

7.1

Avis

9.0
Wonderful
15 reviews•2 locations
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Overview

Cleanliness

9.3

Comfort

9.1

Overall

9.0

Pick-up/drop-off

9.1

Value

8.5

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

8.7
Very Good
12 reviews•3 locations
Check prices
Overview

Cleanliness

8.7

Comfort

8.5

Overall

8.7

Pick-up/drop-off

8.3

Value

8.4

Alamo

8.1
Very Good
5 reviews•1 location
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Overview

Cleanliness

7.9

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.1

Pick-up/drop-off

7.9

Value

7.8

Hertz

1 location
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Overview

Cleanliness

7.4

Comfort

6.9

Overall

6.2

Pick-up/drop-off

6.2

Value

6.5

National

6.0
Okay
2 reviews•1 location
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Overview

Cleanliness

10.0

Comfort

10.0

Overall

6.0

Pick-up/drop-off

5.0

Value

6.0

Thrifty

1 location
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Dollar

5.0
Fair
6 reviews•1 location
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Overview

Cleanliness

5.0

Comfort

5.0

Overall

5.0

Pick-up/drop-off

4.0

Value

5.0

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 11 August 2026.

  • What is the cheapest hire car found in Santa Barbara?

    In the past two weeks, Cheapflights users have found many deals under £42/day when booking a car hire in Santa Barbara. The absolute best deal a user found was for £30/day from Thrifty, booked on Aug. 8.

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

    Avis is one of the top picks in Santa Barbara. They can have you in a hire car for about £239 per week on average.

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

    The length of time you can book a car hire for is subject to the inventory of the supplier. When renting a vehicle from Santa Barbara it should be possible to hire a car for a whole month if needed.

  • How much does it cost to rent a car in Santa Barbara for a month?

    The average cost of a car hire in Santa Barbara for a month is £1,023. Check Cheapflights to compare pricing and options for your rental car.

  • How much is a car hire in Santa Barbara for a weekend?

    Car hire prices in Santa Barbara are typically £0 for the weekend. On Cheapflights, you’ll be able to find great car hire deals on any type of vehicle. However, consider hiring a Supplier choice to save money on your trip to £0. Our users have found prices for Supplier choice car hire in September to be on average £0 per day.

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 11 August 2026.
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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 (£41+).

Electric

Electric

£41+

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Hybrid

Hybrid

£46+

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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
Huntington Beach
San Pedro
Laguna Hills
Pasadena
Riverside
Laguna Beach
Torrance
Beverly Hills
Chino Hills
Carlsbad
Manhattan Beach
Simi Valley
Cerritos
Temecula
West Hollywood
Glendale
Calabasas
Artesia
Dana Point
Yorba Linda

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