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Student house share vs Family of four in a house: Electricity Use Compared in Australia (2026)
Five students sharing a flat use about as much electricity as a family of four in a house, despite having no dryer, no dishwasher and no garage. Five people cooking separately, five laptops, and several bedroom fridges make up for the missing big appliances. Per person the students are cheaper, but per home they are not.
In Australia, student house share uses about 9,008 kWh a year (A$262.73 a month) and family of four in a house about 7,311 kWh (A$213.24 a month). That is 0.8× as much, or A$-49.496 more per month. Per person: 1,802 kWh vs 1,828 kWh a year.
Sources: Australian Energy Regulator, Residential energy consumption benchmarks (Frontier Economics, December 2020), temperate climate zone (Sydney), households without a swimming pool: 5+ people. Australian Energy Regulator, Residential energy consumption benchmarks (Frontier Economics, December 2020), temperate climate zone (Sydney), households without a swimming pool: 4 people. Priced at A$0.35 per kWh (AER Default Market Offer 2026–27, 2026-07).
Where the difference comes from
| Category | Student house share | Family of four in a house | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating & cooling | 3,603 kWh | 2,924 kWh | -679 |
| Water heating | 1,892 kWh | 1,535 kWh | -357 |
| Refrigeration & freezing | 874 kWh | 709 kWh | -165 |
| Cooking | 252 kWh | 205 kWh | -47 |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 504 kWh | 409 kWh | -95 |
| TV, computing & network | 522 kWh | 424 kWh | -98 |
| Lighting | 540 kWh | 439 kWh | -101 |
| Other appliances | 820 kWh | 665 kWh | -155 |
- Five separate cooking sessions a day cost more than one family meal.
- Bedroom mini fridges are inefficient for their size and add up quickly.
- The family's dryer and dishwasher are roughly matched by the students' extra kettles, microwaves and screens.
Only in the family of four in a house
- Chest Freezer 284 kWh/yr
- Clothes Dryer 234 kWh/yr
- Desktop Computer 127 kWh/yr
- Outdoor Security Floodlight 119 kWh/yr
- Dishwasher 117 kWh/yr
- Electric Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery) 44 kWh/yr
- Air Fryer 20 kWh/yr
- Coffee Maker (Drip) 14 kWh/yr
Only in the student house share
- Mini Fridge 538 kWh/yr
The same comparison in other countries
| Country | Student house share | Family of four in a house | Ratio | Extra per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | 14,336 | 13,072 | 0.9× | $-18.960 |
| United Kingdom | 3,800 | 3,800 | 1.0× | £0.000 |
| Germany | 3,100 | 3,800 | 1.2× | €21.58 |
| France | 4,922 | 6,034 | 1.2× | €18.53 |
| Australia | 9,008 | 7,311 | 0.8× | A$-49.496 |
| Canada (average) | 7,417 | 12,694 | 1.7× | C$61.57 |