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Student house share vs Family of four in a house: Electricity Use Compared in Germany (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 Germany, student house share uses about 3,100 kWh a year (€95.58 a month) and family of four in a house about 3,800 kWh (€117.17 a month). That is 1.2× as much, or €21.58 more per month. Per person: 620 kWh vs 950 kWh a year.
Sources: Stromspiegel für Deutschland (co2online, with the Federal Ministry for the Environment), average consumption by persons and building type: 5 persons, flat. Stromspiegel für Deutschland (co2online, with the Federal Ministry for the Environment), average consumption by persons and building type: 4 persons, house. Priced at €0.37 per kWh (BDEW Strompreisanalyse August 2026, 2026-08).
Where the difference comes from
| Category | Student house share | Family of four in a house | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigeration & freezing | 310 kWh | 380 kWh | +70 |
| Cooking | 310 kWh | 380 kWh | +70 |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 403 kWh | 494 kWh | +91 |
| TV, computing & network | 899 kWh | 1,102 kWh | +203 |
| Lighting | 372 kWh | 456 kWh | +84 |
| Other appliances | 806 kWh | 988 kWh | +182 |
- 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
- Desktop Computer 330 kWh/yr
- Clothes Dryer 282 kWh/yr
- Chest Freezer 152 kWh/yr
- Dishwasher 141 kWh/yr
- Outdoor Security Floodlight 123 kWh/yr
- Electric Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery) 44 kWh/yr
- Air Fryer 38 kWh/yr
- Coffee Maker (Drip) 25 kWh/yr
Only in the student house share
- Mini Fridge 191 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 |