Average electricity bill for 2 people
Across the four cities below, a two-person household uses between 13.3 and 14.3 kWh a day. Where you live moves that figure more than almost anything else you can control.
| City | kWh a day | kWh a year | Estimated yearly bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 13.8 | 5,046 | $2,944 |
| Sydney | 14.3 | 5,237 | $2,516 |
| Melbourne | 13.3 | 4,840 | $1,925 |
| Brisbane | 14.0 | 5,126 | $2,215 |
Benchmark source published: December 2020 How we work this out
What is different about a two-person household
Two people is the most common Australian household and the one most "average electricity bill" figures are quietly describing. Adding a second person lifts total use by about 60%, not 100%, because heating, cooling, refrigeration and standby load are already being paid for.
Because two-person households vary so little in their fixed loads, a two-person bill that sits well above the benchmark usually points at something specific: electric hot water, a pool pump, or a second fridge or freezer still running in a garage.
Season by season
Kilowatt hours per quarter for 2 people.
| City | Summer | Autumn | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | 1,225 | 1,188 | 1,526 | 1,107 |
| Sydney | 1,278 | 1,232 | 1,565 | 1,162 |
| Melbourne | 1,112 | 1,125 | 1,493 | 1,110 |
| Brisbane | 1,393 | 1,281 | 1,250 | 1,202 |