I'll use a dry Sauvignon Blanc, Fume Blanc, or Chablis 90% of the time. However if I'm cooking Italian I'll try to use a Pinot Grigio or Italian Chardonnay. The other 10% of the time will be recipe specific i.e. a Sherry, Champagne, Riesling, etc.
I generally don't prefer California Chards unless there's nothing else available because of the big oakiness that the majority of them tend to have. Chards from Australia, New Zealand, South America, etc. tend to be more minerally so becareful when using those as well.
If you're looking for a specific price range, I would say that anything in the $10-15 range would be fine for normal, everyday cooking. Of course you should try the wine as well, and if you don't like the taste you may not like it in your food either.