[gojomo]

It's plausible; a $40k new gas-powered car in California would owe about $600 in annual registration fees in San Francisco.

Texas's electricity rates are about half of those in California, so 3 summer months' AC costs in Dallas could be notably less, especially for a small/single-person residence.

(And, Calfornia's gas costs about 40% more per gallon than in Texas, due to both taxes & other supply-limiting regulations - which one might reasonably consider an extra tax on having a car in California.)