Taking an Uber? Fresno has most expensive rides in California, new study says
Taking an Uber in Fresno?
The Central Valley city has some of the most expensive rideshare trips in the nation, according to online lender NetCredit.
NetCredit recently calculated average prices of Uber rides in 100 of the United States’ largest cities in 2025, comparing those costs to local hourly wages to discover which places offer the cheapest and priciest rideshares.
The online lender also determined which U.S. states have the most affordable and least affordable Uber rides.
According to NetCredit, Seattle Uber drivers charged the most overall for rides — $60 for a 30-minute trip —while those in Indianapolis and Fort Worth, Texas, charged the least for trips at $28.33.
On average, a 30-minute Uber ride in the United States costs $28.33, according to the NetCredit study, published May 19.
Although “customers are looking into cheaper ways to get around town,” NetCredit said, ”Surge pricing makes it difficult to budget, counteracting the ‘convenience’ of app- and network-based services like Uber and Airbnb.”
Here’s how much an Uber ride costs in Fresno and other California cities:
How much does an Uber ride cost in Fresno?
According to Net Credit, a 30-minute Uber ride through Fresno cost an average of $40.71 in 2025.
That’s 190.2% of the local median hourly wage of $21.41, the NetCredit study found, making Fresno the seventh least affordable city in the nation in terms of rideshare trips.
Although local rideshare customers can expect to pay high prices, they can also look forward to short commute times.
In 2024, Fresno was fourth on Lyft’s list of the U.S. cities with the quickest commutes with an average commuting time of 22.9 minutes, The Fresno Bee previously reported. The average speed during commuting hours is 26.2 mph, “
In Fresno County, the average travel time to work is 23 minutes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey.
How do Fresno rideshare costs compare to other California cities?
In California, the average 30-minute Uber ride costs $40.03 — or 154 % of the statewide median hourly wage of $25.98, according to NetCredit.
After Fresno, San Diego and Los Angeles had the priciest Uber rides compared to local wages.
On average, a 30-minute Uber ride in San Diego cost $45, about 176% of the local median hourly wage of $25.52, according to NetCredit.
Los Angeles Uber drivers charged $42.63 for a 30-minute ride. That’s nearly 176% of the local median hourly wage, $27.35, the study found.
Meanwhile, a 30-minute Uber ride in Sacramento cost $42 on average, 158% of the the local median hourly wage of $26.58, the study found.
What are U.S. cities with most expensive Uber rides?
These 10 U.S. cities had the highest overall prices for a 30-minute Uber ride on average, according to NetCredit:
- Seattle: $60
- Cheyenne, Wyoming: $51
- Reno, Nevada: $47.50
- New York: $47.37
- San Diego: $45
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana: $45
- Newark, New Jersey: $45
- Anchorage, Alaska: $43.64
- San Jose: $43.13
- Portland, Oregon: $43.13
Where can I find cheapest Uber rides in the US?
According to NetCredit, these 10 cities had the most affordable 30-minute Uber rides on average in the nation in 2025:
- Indianapolis: $28.33
- Fort Worth, Texas: $28.33
- Tucson, Arizona: $30
- Mesa, Arizona: $30
- Omaha, Nebraska: $30
- Miami: $30
- Oklahoma City: $30
- Raleigh, North Carolina: $30
- Houston: $30
- Memphis: $31.88
How can I save money on Uber rides?
Want to save money on Uber? NetCredit recommends following these tips to get cheaper rides:
- Try closing the Uber app and waiting for a couple minutes before reopening it. This may reset automatic price surging, according to travel blogger Wandering Earl.
- Consider using UberX Share, a ride-pooling option within the app.
- If traveling with friends, set the Uber app to split your fare automatically so you don’t forget to exchange cash after the trip.
- Avoid using Uber on weekend evenings and during peak weekday commuting hours to get around price surging.
How did NetCredit come up with its rankings?
To determine which U.S. cities have the highest Uber costs, NetCredit created a list that included the 100 most populated cities across America and the three most populated cities by state.
The online lender then recorded Uber’s average price estimates for each place.
To determine the affordability of 30-minute rides in every state and city, NetCredit calculated the price as a percentage of the median local hourly wage according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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