King vs California King: Which One Is Better for You?

Let me say it straight away:

The difference between King vs California King mattresses is in their dimensions. A standard King mattress measures 76 x 80 inches, which makes it the widest option available. A California King bed, on the other hand, is the longest option and measures 72 x 84 inches.

Now, this difference in dimensions might not seem so drastic but in some cases, a couple of inches can play a huge role in your comfort.

So, let’s see who will benefit the most from each of these two mattress sizes.

Key Takeaways:

• The main difference between a King (76 x 80 inches) and a California King (72 x 84 inches) mattress is that a King is wider, while a California King is taller.
• King mattresses tend to be helpful for couples or families, while California King mattresses tend to be helpful if you’re taller or have a narrower room.

King vs California King Side by Side

Similarities Between King and Cal King Mattresses

Before we dive into the differences between the largest mattress sizes on the market, let’s check out what they have in common.

Weight

People often overlook mattress weight when shopping, and that’s easy to understand:

Most mattresses arrive at your doorstep in a compressed state, and their weight is lower than advertised until you rip off the seal on the plastic and let the mattress inflate.

However, since every mattress needs basic care like rotation and regular cleaning, large weight can be an obstacle for doing it single-handedly.

And both King and California King mattresses are among the heaviest on the market. Especially if you go for a thick hybrid. 

King and Cal King mattresses, on average, weigh between 130 and 180 pounds. That’s the average weight of an adult human!

Adding the bulkiness of the mattress, you will probably need to ask your spouse or relative to help you rotate it.

Also Read: How Much Does a Mattress Weigh

Price

Along with being the heaviest mattresses on the market, both King and Cal King sizes are usually the priciest. Most manufacturers have the same pricing for these mattresses, while others may add a couple of hundreds of bucks to a Cal King due to its lower market demand. 

But the average price point of a medium-quality King mattress starts at $1,200 and goes up to $3,000-4,000 for lux brands. You can find King and Cal King mattresses lower than $1000 but their quality might be questionable.

Also Read: Alaskan King Bed: Price, Buyer's Guide, and Where To Buy One Online

King vs California King: Main Differences

It’s not a surprise that people keep confusing King-sized mattresses and their California cousins because they both look pretty similar, even despite the difference in dimensions.

But looks can be deceiving, you know.

That’s why I’ll try to familiarize you with the main features of both bed sizes right below so that you’ll be more confident when shopping for a new mattress.

Surface Area

You already know that the main difference between King and California King mattresses is in their dimensions. Basically, you get a California King mattress by subtracting 4 inches from the width of a standard King mattress and add them to the length.

Turns out that this simple shuffle affects the total mattress surface area.

Let me do the math here:

King mattress: 76 x 80 inches = 6080 square inches or 42.2 square feet;

Cal King mattress: 72 x 84 inches = 6048 square inches or 42 square feet.

See?

Cal King appears to be even a bit smaller than King!

Still, the difference in surface area between the two sizes is tiny. But things get more interesting when it comes to space per person.

Space Per Person

Despite almost identical surface area with Cal King, a King mattress gives you 38 x 80 inches of space per person, which is an equivalent of a Twin XL mattress. Cal King, on the other hand, is slightly narrower and longer than that, measuring 36 x 84 inches per single sleeper. 

Although Cal King gives some extra space for legs, the width might not be sufficient for some sleepers.

If you are considered co-sleeping with a small child as well as your partner, looking at an Alaskan King versus a California King may be worth it. It is good to consider all mattress sizes before going ahead with any particular one, as sleeping alone or coupled will impact how comfortably you can sleep, depending on the mattress size.

In my experience, I have found the few extra inches at the end of the bed are enough to properly stretch out, especially since I’m slightly taller than average (6.5”). However, I do prefer the extra inches of width on King mattresses when I am not sleeping alone.

Motion Transfer

This aspect is often overlooked, but motion transfer is crucial for partnered sleepers (especially if one of them tends to be restless). 

Now, mattresses that give each person more space perform better in terms of motion isolation. In other words, wider mattresses allow for less motion transfer. Therefore, it’s easy to assume that standard King beds would perform better in this case, as they are slightly wider than Cal King models. Yes, the difference isn’t that big, but it may still play a role when it comes to partnered sleep.

If you’re consider you want more motion isolation, and need the size that a California King mattress provides, you could consider a Split California King mattress, and see what works better for you.

In my experience, King mattresses work better for motion isolation as the extra width put more space between my wife and I, and I noticed less disturbances during the night overall.

Required Bedroom Space

Another important thing you should consider when choosing between King and California King is whether your bedroom is actually able to fit such a large bed in.

Fortunately, the required bedroom space is an equal parameter for both mattress sizes:

To comfortably place a King or Cal King bed in your bedroom and still have enough space to walk around and lay out your furniture, your room should measure at least 13 x 13 feet.

A California King mattress technically can fit into narrower spaces, such as 13 x 12 feet. However, it’s advisable to downsize the mattress if you live in a small apartment so that the bedroom won’t look disproportionate and cluttered.

“Speaking of the cost, both King and California King beds tend to be the priciest. However, thanks to the diverse mattress market, today you can easily find a decent Cal King or King mattress under $1,000 that will serve you for years.”

Room Decor Options

One of the main differences between a King and a California King mattress is in their customization options for your bedroom, as a King mattress has over 11 times more options for bed frames than a California King. As an example, googling “king bed frame” brings back over 429 million results, while “california king bed frame” only brings back 37 million. That means if you have a particular style and design for your bedroom, you are much more likely to find the perfect bed frame to suit it if you choose a King mattress instead of a California King mattress.

Foundation

The foundation or bedframe is slightly different between king and California king mattresses, as king-size mattresses are more popular and therefore have more manufacturers making foundations in its size. California king mattresses are not as popular, so they may not have as wide of a selection of bedframes to choose from.

The Pros and Cons of King vs Cal King

Now, it’s obvious that King and Cal King mattresses were designed with different users in mind. So, let me outline the main features and drawbacks of each size so that you would understand which one is better for you personally.

Pros and Cons of King

So, what does a King mattress holds for us?

I’ll start with the good:

• Comfortable for couples and families. The surface of a King mattress can easily accommodate two adults, and even if your little one asks to sleep with you, you will still feel comfortable.
• Suits heavy sleepers. Due to a wider surface, King mattresses can accommodate larger sleepers more comfortably and give them more room to move.
• Easy to find sheets and accessories for. Most of the bedding brands have King-sized sheets in their lineup, so making your bed shouldn’t be a problem.
• More affordably priced. King mattresses are, for the most part, less expensive than California King mattresses due to them being a more standard size. This can be helpful if you’re on a budget.

And now, the bad:

• Requires a larger bedroom. If your bedroom is a bit smaller than 13 x 13 feet, a King mattress might look disproportionate in it, so California King could be a better option to avoid feeling cramped. 
• May not work for taller people. If you’re a tall individual who loves to curl up in the fetal position, then a King mattress may offer you enough space. In other cases, your legs might uncomfortably hang off of the bed.

“Both King and California King are often available in a Split configuration. That means you can buy two separate halves of a mattress and customize each one for each sleeper personally.”

Pros and Cons of California King

Now, let’s look at Cal King beds.

First, the pros:

• Great for taller individuals. If you’re 5’5’’ and higher, then definitely choose a Cal King bed. Some extra space for legs will really pump up your comfort.
• Perfect for those who sleep in the log position. If you don’t toss and turn much, or prefer to tightly hug your partner during sleep, then less space per person than what King offers won’t bother you.
• Good for narrower bedrooms. Technically, a Cal King mattress can fit into a 13 x 12 feet bedroom — as long as you keep other furniture minimalistic and don’t clutter the room.
• May work for taller, lighter-weight couples. A California King mattress can be a great option for couples who are taller but don’t need a lot of widths to be comfortable.

And here are the weak points:

• Harder to find sheets and accessories for. Some major bedding brands still consider Cal King a non-standard mattress size, so they might simply not offer sheets of this size. 
• Offers less space per person. Larger sleepers and those who toss a lot might find a California King mattress less comfortable.
• More expensively priced. California King mattresses tend to be more expensive than King mattresses as they are larger in size, and are a more uncommon mattress size.