Electricity Bill for a All-electric family house in Australia (2026)

A family of four whose heating and hot water are electric, with a heat pump or resistance heating and an electric water heater. Heating and hot water are the bill; appliances are a minority.

A all-electric family house uses about 7,311 kWh of electricity a year. At Australia prices of 35.0¢ per kWh (source: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27, Jul 2026), that is A$213.24 per month, or A$2,559 per year.

Benchmark: Australian Energy Regulator, Residential energy consumption benchmarks (Frontier Economics, December 2020), temperate climate zone (Sydney), households without a swimming pool: 4 people. Data as of 2020-12. It covers all electricity use including cooling and any electric heating; cool-climate zones (Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart) run 10 to 60% higher. Australia statistics do not separate this household from family of four in a house, so they share the same official figure.

Where the electricity goes

Heating & cooling: 2,924 kWh, 40%, A$1,024 per year. Heating & cooling40% · 2,924 kWhWater heating: 1,535 kWh, 21%, A$537.36 per year. Water heating21% · 1,535 kWhRefrigeration & freezing: 709 kWh, 10%, A$248.21 per year. Refrigerator, Chest FreezerRefrigeration & freezing10% · 709 kWhRefrigerator, Chest FreezerOther appliances: 665 kWh, 9%, A$232.86 per year. Hair Dryer ×2, Vacuum Cleaner, Electric Lawn Mower9%Lighting: 439 kWh, 6%, A$153.53 per year. LED Light Bulb ×18, Outdoor Security FloodlightLighting6% · 439 kWhLED Light Bulb ×18, Outdoor Security FloodlightTV, computing & network: 424 kWh, 6%, A$148.41 per year. Desktop Computer, Television ×2, Laptop ×26%Washing, drying & dishwashing: 409 kWh, 6%, A$143.30 per year. Clothes Dryer, Dishwasher, Washing MachineWashing, drying & dishwashing6% · 409 kWhClothes Dryer, Dishwasher, Washing MachineCooking: 205 kWh, 3%, A$71.65 per year. Induction Cooktop, Electric Oven, Air FryerCooking3% · 205 kWh
End usePer yearCostShare
Heating & cooling2,924 kWhA$1,02440%
Water heating1,535 kWhA$537.3621%
Refrigeration & freezing709 kWhA$248.2110%
Cooking205 kWhA$71.653%
Washing, drying & dishwashing409 kWhA$143.306%
TV, computing & network424 kWhA$148.416%
Lighting439 kWhA$153.536%
Other appliances665 kWhA$232.869%

End-use shares: Australian Government YourHome: heating and cooling about 40% and water heating 15 to 27% of household energy, lighting 5 to 10%. Appliance sub-split derived from US RECS proportions. These are energy shares, not electricity shares, and are approximate. Some of these shares are derived rather than published; see the note.

Through the day

kW0.81.6Heating & cooling: 8.0 kWh a day, peak around 18:00Water heating: 4.2 kWh a day, peak around 7:00Refrigeration & freezing: 1.9 kWh a day, peak around 0:00Cooking: 0.6 kWh a day, peak around 18:00Washing, drying & dishwashing: 1.1 kWh a day, peak around 19:00TV, computing & network: 1.2 kWh a day, peak around 19:00Lighting: 1.2 kWh a day, peak around 18:00Other appliances: 1.8 kWh a day, peak around 18:000003060912151821
Illustrative shape of a typical day: each band's area equals that end use's share of 20.0 kWh a day, peaking around 19:00. The timing is a standard household pattern, not a measurement, and it changes with season and habits.

What drives this household's bill

Appliance by appliance

Each end-use bucket above is spread over this household's appliances in proportion to their typical use, never at more than twice that use or more hours than the appliance can realistically run. What the listed appliances cannot account for appears as "not listed" rows, so the table still adds up to the official figures. Hours are implied, not measured.

ApplianceEnd useTypicalHours/dayPer yearCost
RefrigeratorRefrigeration & freezing150 W7.8 h426 kWhA$148.93
LED Light Bulb ×18Lighting9 W5.4 h320 kWhA$112.04
Chest FreezerRefrigeration & freezing100 W7.8 h284 kWhA$99.28
Clothes DryerWashing, drying & dishwashing3,000 W13 min234 kWhA$81.88
Hair Dryer ×2Other appliances1,800 W9 min197 kWhA$68.98
Desktop ComputerTV, computing & network150 W2.3 h127 kWhA$44.40
Outdoor Security FloodlightLighting30 W10.8 h119 kWhA$41.49
DishwasherWashing, drying & dishwashing1,500 W13 min117 kWhA$40.94
Vacuum CleanerOther appliances1,000 W15 min91 kWhA$31.94
Television ×2TV, computing & network100 W1.2 h85 kWhA$29.60
Laptop ×2TV, computing & network45 W2.3 h76 kWhA$26.64
Induction CooktopCooking1,800 W7 min73 kWhA$25.54
Electric OvenCooking2,500 W4 min68 kWhA$23.65
Washing MachineWashing, drying & dishwashing500 W19 min58 kWhA$20.47
Gaming Console (PS5, Xbox)TV, computing & network180 W52 min57 kWhA$19.98
Computer MonitorTV, computing & network30 W2.3 h25 kWhA$8.88
Wi-Fi RouterTV, computing & network10 W7.0 h25 kWhA$8.88
Electric Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery)Other appliances1,200 W6 min22 kWhA$7.56
Air FryerCooking1,500 W2 min20 kWhA$7.09
Electric Kettle ×2Cooking2,000 W1 min16 kWhA$5.68
Smart Speaker ×2TV, computing & network3 W7.0 h15 kWhA$5.33
Coffee Maker (Drip)Cooking1,000 W2 min14 kWhA$4.73
MicrowaveCooking1,000 W2 min10 kWhA$3.55
Phone Charger ×4TV, computing & network10 W35 min8 kWhA$2.96
ToasterCooking1,000 W1 min4 kWhA$1.42
Garage Door OpenerOther appliances500 W1 min4 kWhA$1.28
Streaming Stick or Box ×2TV, computing & network4 W1.2 h3 kWhA$1.18
Printer (Inkjet or Laser)TV, computing & network30 W9 min2 kWhA$0.56
Small appliances, standby and items not listedOther appliances––352 kWhA$123.10

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The same household in other countries

CountryOfficial benchmarkPer yearPer month
United States (average)13,073 kWh$2,398$199.80
United Kingdom6,100 kWh£1,606£133.79
Germany4,700 kWh€1,739€144.92
France13,290 kWh€2,659€221.61
Australia7,311 kWhA$2,559A$213.24
Canada (average)17,750 kWhC$2,485C$207.08

Each row uses that country's own regulator benchmark and average price, in local currency. Differences reflect climate, heating fuel and appliance ownership as much as price.

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