LillyRobeson

Can I ask your help? Trying to figure out our budget - what's your electric and gas bill averaged over the year. It'd be helpful if you could tell what region you live in, the size of your house and how many people live there.

Thanks!!

100weight

Our averages for 2011 were
gas - $93
electric - $85

two adults in 2100 sqft, outside Detroit Michigan.

CWT

Bob

Different parts of the country and different usage, kind of makes this all a tad moot.

You'd be better off ringing the utility company that services the area you are interested in living and asking them, giving them the address for the houses or apartments you're considering.

They will give you at minimum the last 12 month low/high/average and possibly the last 3-5 years worth too.

But for shits and giggles, current place can't say as we've only been here since the summer, but the gas bill hasn't been more than $100 a month during winter, tops, usually around $80, but during summer was $20 and this is gas for water too and the electric is around $50.

Last place, under 1K sq/ft was electric only and was a newish condo, about $100 during summer, $200 in winter.

Previous place, upper two floors of a Victorian house and electric was around $100 and the oil during winter around $300-400 and during the summer it was quarterly and $250 a go.

2 adults, a 4 yr old and a baby....tele, computer, few window AC units and fans in the summer, kind of thing.

penguinsix

It's really kind of hard to answer this with any accuracy as everybody's house is a bit different. For example some may have a/c units and some may have heat pumps, others may have gas fired water heaters and some may have electric.

You should contact the electric company in the area you will be living an ask them for some averages. In some places, you can even get an average for a specific building or address which might help narrow it down a bit.

Our beach house in the US is about 3,000sq feet and is totally electric in a rather expensive utility area. Monthly rates are between $200-$700, depending on the outside temperature yeah, that's not a typo--$700 a month in the winter months when we have to kick in the backup electric heater). But the climate where we live is nothing like Florida, which is nothing like Wisconsin, which is nothing like Kansas, etc. Really all depends.

Yorkieabroad

4 year old already - time flies!!

Yorkieabroad

5000 sqft west of Houston, TX
Average over the last year - gas 45/month, electric 145/month.

It is going to vary massively not only on area, but on your own style. I reckon neighbours will be running easily 3 times our cost. You go into their houses and they are fridges in summer, and ovens in winter.
I'm home alone during the day, and run a/c at 85, but with ceiling fans everywhere. Occasionally I drop it down a few degrees, but not often.
I drop down to around 80 for the kids coming home.

HarryTheSpider

Phoenix, AZ

5 bed, 2900sq ft, pool. Electric averages $200 a month, $400 worst case, $70 in winter. Gas around $30 in summer, $90 in winter. Water around $45 in winter, $110 in summer.

Have patio mist system, set a/c to 82 in day, 77 at night in summer. In winter a/c is off.

Bink

85???!!!!

I'm afraid I'm one of those that has a fridge! I run mine at 71. I can't sleep if it's above 74. I keep it a steady temp too. I don't allow it to go up during the day.

I have a 3,600 sqft house in West Houston. This month my bill is circa $130. In summer it can hit $250 possibly $300 if it's really hot. My gas bill is a constant $20/month and rarely fluctuates much. I have a gas stove and a fire but we rarely use the fire to be honest.

My average electricity bill is about $160ish.

RICH

1200ft house. Electric about $100 average a month. No gas. 1 person occupying. Tampa, FL

If i helps, I grabbed my lecky bill - 1st 1000 kwh are 6.275cents per kwh energy charge +4.86 per kwh fuel charge
i used 630kwh in april.
$81.00

over1000 kwh 7.366 energy + 5.86 fuel

tonrob

Rather than have people chiming in from all over the country it would be helpful if you could remind us where you are moving to. It's pointless people telling you how much they spend in Michigan if you're moving to Arizona - as the bills simply won't provide a valid comparison.

Bob

4 going on 16, already, yeah time flies

WEBlue

Pointless perhaps for the OP, but IMHO it's rather interesting for some of the rest of us. I'm interested in comparing what I pay for utilities in New England & how high/low I set my thermostat. And as a newbie shocked at some of the myriad costs here in the US, I find every one of these details from around the country fascinating.

But yes, OP, tell us where you'll be living . . . .

LillyRobeson

I'll be in New York. We're renting a 4 bed house and may get bills included (water,gas electricity) and landlord thinks $400 is reasonable. Seems high to me. We're not big on ac and fairly frugal with heating. i thought if people in Arizona say what they spend on AC it might help get the range of what to expect in the summer here.

Bob

Water is standard. Gas, possibly if it's shared property and only one meter, but electricity is pretty rare. Oil heat up in Maine usually included, but not else where.

$400 all in, probably isn't that bad because the winter is brutal, our huge bills were keeping the place cold at 62F and using window AC units in the summer to keep the heat at 80-85F.

It's not so much the heat though, but the humidity that gets you and running a dehumidifier 24/7 isn't entirely insignificant either and then using a humidifier in the winter months.

Noorah101

I'm in Phoenix, Arizona. I live in a 1,090 SF condo (bottom floor). Water and garbage pickup is included in the associate fee, which is $145/month. Electricity runs about $35 - $45 per month in the winter and about $75 - $85 in the summer. I pay nothing for gas, as everything in the condo is electric. So the electric bill includes AC and running of all appliances. Oh, and it's mostly only me in the condo, except about 5 days a month when I have either my husband or my sister here for the weekend.

Rene