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Electricity Bill for a Family of five or more in a house in Canada (2026)
A larger family, often with teenagers. Two fridges, laundry twice a day at peak, several consoles and computers, and long showers if hot water is electric.
A family of five or more in a house uses about 12,694 kWh of electricity a year. At Canada (average) prices of C$0.14 per kWh (source: Canada Energy Regulator 2026 market snapshot, 2026-06), that is C$148.10 per month, or C$1,777 per year.
Benchmark: Natural Resources Canada, Survey of Household Energy Use 2019, Table 3.5a electricity intensity per household (GJ converted at 277.78 kWh/GJ): Single detached house. Data as of 2019. It covers all electricity use; electric heating is common in Quebec, Manitoba and Atlantic Canada, which is why those averages are high.
Where the electricity goes
- Heating & cooling 35%
- Other appliances 19%
- Water heating 15%
- Refrigeration & freezing 10%
- Washing, drying & dishwashing 6%
- TV, computing & network 6%
- Lighting 6%
- Cooking 3%
| End use | Per year | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating & cooling | 4,443 kWh | C$622.01 | 35% |
| Water heating | 1,904 kWh | C$266.57 | 15% |
| Refrigeration & freezing | 1,269 kWh | C$177.72 | 10% |
| Cooking | 381 kWh | C$53.31 | 3% |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 762 kWh | C$106.63 | 6% |
| TV, computing & network | 762 kWh | C$106.63 | 6% |
| Lighting | 762 kWh | C$106.63 | 6% |
| Other appliances | 2,412 kWh | C$337.66 | 19% |
End-use shares: Derived. NRCan publishes residential end-use shares for all fuels (space heating 59%, water heating 19%, appliances 14%, lighting 4%, cooling 3%, 2023) but not for electricity alone; electricity shares here are an approximation that treats roughly half of Canadian homes as electrically heated. Some of these shares are derived rather than published; see the note.
What drives this household's bill
- Teenagers add screens and long showers rather than cooking.
- Two laundry loads a day with a tumble dryer is the item to attack first.
- A second fridge in the garage often uses more than the main one because it is older.
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. 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.
| Appliance | End use | Typical | Hours/day | Per year | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator ×2 | Refrigeration & freezing | 150 W | 8.7 h | 952 kWh | C$133.29 |
| LED Light Bulb ×22 | Lighting | 9 W | 6.6 h | 474 kWh | C$66.39 |
| Clothes Dryer ×1.5 | Washing, drying & dishwashing | 3,000 W | 17 min | 460 kWh | C$64.41 |
| Chest Freezer | Refrigeration & freezing | 100 W | 8.7 h | 317 kWh | C$44.43 |
| Hair Dryer ×3 | Other appliances | 1,800 W | 9 min | 296 kWh | C$41.39 |
| Outdoor Security Floodlight ×2 | Lighting | 30 W | 13.1 h | 287 kWh | C$40.24 |
| Dishwasher ×1.3 | Washing, drying & dishwashing | 1,500 W | 17 min | 199 kWh | C$27.91 |
| Television ×3 | TV, computing & network | 100 W | 1.5 h | 163 kWh | C$22.89 |
| Desktop Computer | TV, computing & network | 150 W | 3.0 h | 163 kWh | C$22.89 |
| Gaming Console (PS5, Xbox) ×2 | TV, computing & network | 180 W | 1.1 h | 147 kWh | C$20.60 |
| Laptop ×3 | TV, computing & network | 45 W | 3.0 h | 147 kWh | C$20.60 |
| Induction Cooktop ×2 | Cooking | 1,800 W | 7 min | 146 kWh | C$20.42 |
| Electric Oven ×1.3 | Cooking | 2,500 W | 7 min | 132 kWh | C$18.43 |
| Washing Machine ×2 | Washing, drying & dishwashing | 500 W | 17 min | 102 kWh | C$14.31 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | Other appliances | 1,000 W | 15 min | 91 kWh | C$12.78 |
| Computer Monitor ×2 | TV, computing & network | 30 W | 3.0 h | 65 kWh | C$9.15 |
| Electric Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery) | Other appliances | 1,200 W | 6 min | 44 kWh | C$6.13 |
| Wi-Fi Router | TV, computing & network | 10 W | 9.0 h | 33 kWh | C$4.58 |
| Air Fryer | Cooking | 1,500 W | 3 min | 30 kWh | C$4.25 |
| Electric Kettle ×2 | Cooking | 2,000 W | 1 min | 24 kWh | C$3.40 |
| Microwave ×2 | Cooking | 1,000 W | 2 min | 20 kWh | C$2.84 |
| Coffee Maker (Drip) | Cooking | 1,000 W | 3 min | 20 kWh | C$2.84 |
| Smart Speaker ×2 | TV, computing & network | 3 W | 9.0 h | 20 kWh | C$2.75 |
| Phone Charger ×6 | TV, computing & network | 10 W | 45 min | 16 kWh | C$2.29 |
| Toaster ×2 | Cooking | 1,000 W | 1 min | 8 kWh | C$1.13 |
| Hair Straightener | Other appliances | 60 W | 15 min | 5 kWh | C$0.77 |
| Streaming Stick or Box ×2 | TV, computing & network | 4 W | 1.5 h | 4 kWh | C$0.61 |
| Garage Door Opener | Other appliances | 500 W | 1 min | 4 kWh | C$0.51 |
| Printer (Inkjet or Laser) | TV, computing & network | 30 W | 11 min | 2 kWh | C$0.29 |
| Small appliances, standby and items not listed | Other appliances | – | – | 1,972 kWh | C$276.08 |
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The same household in other countries
| Country | Official benchmark | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | 14,336 kWh | $2,580 | $215.04 |
| United Kingdom | 3,800 kWh | £988.00 | £82.33 |
| Germany | 4,500 kWh | €1,665 | €138.75 |
| France | 7,145 kWh | €1,429 | €119.08 |
| Australia | 9,008 kWh | A$3,153 | A$262.73 |
| Canada (average) | 12,694 kWh | C$1,777 | C$148.10 |
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.