Average Cost of Utilities for a House per Month

Housing Costs

Rent costs for apartments usually vary depending on the condition and location of the apartment:

• Apartment with a roommate – $600 to $1,200 per month or more per person
• Furnished bedrooms rooms, with or without cooking privileges – $800 to $1,500 per month or more
• Studio (apartments that do not have a separate bedroom, but have an area for a bed) – $1,150 to $1,600 per month or more
• 1-bedroom apartment – $1,500 to $2,100 per month or more
• 2-bedroom apartment – $1,600 to $2,500 per month or more

Please review the Boston neighborhood map to learn more about the city’s different communities. Depending on the neighborhood it is recommended you arrive in the U.S. first and then can evaluate the area. Below are two useful rental maps:

	Renthop’s map provides the average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment. Updated 2017 Map.
	Boston Pads’ map provides the average rent per bedroom. This map is useful if you will live with roommates.

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Tips for Saving Money on Your Electricity Bill

If you’re looking to save money on your electricity bill, it’s important to reduce your consumption. Specifically, one of the highest energy consumers in your home is the air conditioner, so it’s essential to learn how to optimize its performance. First, change the HVAC filters regularly and adjust the temperature. If you live in cooler places, you might not even need to use the air at all. Otherwise, if you live in the South or other warm areas, make it a habit to leave the thermostat at a higher temperature than what you would typically set it at during the winter months. Just a few degrees will make a big difference at the end of the month.

Another way to reduce your consumption is to swap out regular light bulbs with LEDs. Although they’re pricier upfront, LED bulbs last longer and consume less electricity. Similarly, consider incorporating smart power strips for appliances that enter standby when not in use, yet still consume electricity. These devices account for a significant portion of your energy consumption, which you can easily reduce. Alternatively, you could also unplug them when not in use.

How Much Would You Pay for Cable and Internet?

If you move to Texas, you should expect to pay a cable bill of around $85 per month . However, some people nowadays say that cable is old-fashioned, so they stop paying for it entirely and instead opt for internet streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and many others. Most of these streaming services cost you around $10 per service each month. It’s also a pretty good argument if you think about it. A ten-dollar Netflix subscription offers you a vast collection of movies and TV shows to choose from. So you watch whatever you want, whenever you want, and pay substantially less. A problem with cable is that some people pay for full cable subscriptions and pay for channels they don’t even watch. If you use cable, we suggest you spend a few minutes thinking about what you pay for, and if it’s useful for you or not. If not, only pay for the ones you find entertaining and watch regularly. As for the internet, the average monthly cost of internet in Dallas is $60 per month . Although a problem some people have is paying for the internet that they don’t use. If you only use the internet to check emails, you shouldn’t pay for the internet like a person who uses it for streaming daily. Check your data usage and pay for what you need, not more. If you need to reduce internet costs, you can opt for less quota or slower speeds.

Trash and Recycling An Often Unexpected Expense

Average Trash Bill: $12 – $20/month

It’s rare for anyone to put too much thought into garbage collection beyond taking it out once a week.

But yes, it does cost money to get other people to haul away your waste.

The average monthly cost of waste collection is between $16 and $28.

So, fairly inexpensive compared to most other utilities.

While most cities have companies that bill residents directly for trash collection, others factor waste disposal into local taxes.

Other areas have also begun implementing Pay-as-You-Throw systems which charge customers based on how many bags they throw away to incentivize recycling.

According to EPA Collection Cost data, an average household pays about $1.13 for weekly recyclable collection, adding up to a cost of $58.67 each year to recycle.

The Most And Least Expensive States For Utilities

Along with the above list and using 2018 data, put together a list of the 10 states in which the combined cost of utilities were the highest as well as one for the 10 states where they were the most affordable.

Here were the 10 states in which utility costs were the highest each month:

1. Hawaii: The big culprits in Hawaii are electricity and natural gas, both of which rank as the most expensive in the United States. Electricity costs an average of $300.04 a month while natural gas costs $232.20. That helps account for Hawaii’s high $730.86 average utility cost each month. 

2. Alaska: said that Alaska residents paid more for internet service in 2018 than the residents of any other state, an average of $107.43 a month.

3. Rhode Island: Natural gas and internet costs rank high in Rhode Island; fourth and second in the nation, respectively.

4. Connecticut: Natural gas costs an average of $114.11 each month here, higher than in most states. Connecticut’s average $187.29 electricity bill is high, too, ranking third-highest in the country.

5. New York: New York residents pay an average of $173.84 a month in electric costs. This helps explain why the state’s average monthly utility costs rank so high.

6. New Hampshire: Electricity and natural gas costs are higher than average in New Hampshire at $169.35 and $107.67 respectively.

7. South Carolina: South Carolina residents pay a lot for natural gas, an average of $150.03 a month, according to .

8. Massachusetts: The electric bills are high in Massachusetts, ranking fourth in the country at an average of $185.05 per month.

9.Vermont: Vermont residents face higher-than-average monthly electricity and natural gas bills at $160.20 and $110.43. That combination puts this state in ninth place on this list.

10. Maine: Maine brings up the rear of the states in which utilities cost the most. Maine residents who are wondering why they’re in 10th place merely have to look at their natural gas and electricity bills, which are $146.30 and $132.04 on average.

If you’re looking for smaller monthly bills, consider moving to one of these 10 states. ranks them as the states with the smallest average monthly utility bills.

1. Idaho: The Gem State is the place to live if you’re interested in paying the least for utilities. According to ‘s list, natural gas is particularly cheap here, averaging $52.89 a month in 2018. Electricity is pretty cheap, too, costing an average of just $93.82 a month (the fifth-cheapest in the country).

2. Utah: In Utah, electricity, natural gas and internet service all rank below average. Natural gas costs are the second most affordable in the country at $52.33 a month.

3. Montana: Montana ranks as the third-cheapest state for utility costs thanks to natural gas costing just $52.12 a month on average in 2018, the single most affordable rate in the country.

4. Washington: says that internet costs in Washington are expensive, but ultra-cheap electricity and natural gas costs make up for that, earning Washington the title as fourth-cheapest state for utility costs.

5. Nevada: Affordable natural gas costs are again a main factor for Nevada, which ranks as the fifth most affordable state in America for utility costs. Electricity is pretty inexpensive here as well, coming in at just $101.71 per month on average in 2018.

6. Louisiana: Louisiana claimed the smallest average monthly electric bill in 2018, $86.83. Mostly because of this, the state ranked as the sixth-most affordable when it came to monthly utility bills.

7. Oregon: Residents of Oregon are fortunate to pay below-average monthly fees for both electricity and natural gas. Thanks to this, the state has one of the lowest monthly utility costs in the country.

8. South Dakota: While their electricity costs aren’t particularly low, residents of South Dakota don’t pay as much for internet service or natural gas as most of their peers across the country.

9. Arkansas: The average monthly electric bill in Arkansas is the one of the lowest in the country, ranking in 48th place at $89.52. The state’s average internet bill at $51.04 a month also ranked as 48th in the United States.

10. Wisconsin: Monthly electric bills were among the highest in Wisconsin in 2018, but both internet access and natural gas costs were far below the national average.

Groceries

Use a calculator provided by Iowa State Extension and Outreach to calculate the suggested grocery spend based on the age and gender of your family members. For example, a family of four can anticipate spending around $650 each month on groceries.

Approximate Cost of Groceries in Iowa Per Month: $650 Approximate Cost of Groceries in Iowa Per Year: $7,800

How much money do you need to live comfortably in Virginia?

The cost of living in Virginia is slightly higher than the national average. But, how much do you need to cover all your basic necessities, enjoy a night out once in a while, and have money left to put in your savings? 

Using the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, where 50% of your annual income goes to necessities like housing and food, 30% goes to discretionary costs such as travel and entertainment, and 20% goes to savings, you would need an annual income of $64,947.

Virginia’s median household income is $74,222, making the state a relatively affordable place to live. Granted, if you only make the minimum wage, you may find yourself struggling to earn enough to meet the comfortable living income.

For example, in Richmond, you would need to make at least $15.95 an hour for a living wage. However, the minimum wage in Richmond is $7.25, making it difficult to set aside any earnings for savings.

Ask For Prior Utility Bills

The average cost of $200 a month is only just an average. One of the simplest ways of getting an idea of what the utility bills of a specific house or apartment will be is to ask for prior utility bills. 

In most cases, landlords and real estate agents can get these for you. 

Requesting a copy of previous bills will also tell you which utilities were paid by the landlord. Sometimes landlords include utilities as part of the rent but you can only know this if you ask. 

Even though prior electric, water and gas bills will probably vary based on usage, you’ll know with near 100 percent certainty what the trash/recycling and condo fees will cost.

How do I calculate utilities for an apartment?

From a budgeting perspective, you can estimate how much you need to put aside each month for your utilities. If you’re moving into a new place, your landlord may know how much utilities typically cost.

If you have the chance, you’ll likely get a better estimate by asking another tenant. Don’t forget your current utility bills. Those will give you an idea of your usage that can give you a baseline for what it’ll cost in your new place.

If you’d like to calculate this on your own, you can create a budget for things like:

• Electricity
• Air conditioning/heat
• Gas
• Wi-Fi
• Cable

You can also use a utility cost estimator or online calculator to assess your projected monthly cost of living. Remember to take these with a grain of salt, as they’re only estimates.

If you want a better idea of how much your utilities will cost each month, see what your first three bills look like and take the average.

Note: You may want to wait a few months if it’s summer or winter and you have your air conditioner or heater running constantly.

Average Cost of Utilities in Every U.S. State

State	Electricity	Gas	Water	Sewer	Cable	Internet	TOTAL
Alabama	149	63	30	73	45	50	410
Alaska	118	135	68	72	55	70	518
Arizona	119	46	64	43	50	30	352
Arkansas	105	76	26	37	47	30	320
California	114	55	77	59	45	50	401
Colorado	83	64	39	59	47	30	321
Connecticut	147	137	69	73	45	50	521
Delaware	112	99	46	79	47	30	414
District of Columbia	92	88	26	66	23	20	316
Florida	129	39	33	65	47	30	344
Georgia	123	87	28	87	47	30	401
Hawaii	160	62	64	60	45	50	442
Idaho	95	49	38	95	42	45	364
Illinois	87	103	26	26	47	30	319
Indiana	118	90	30	63	45	50	395
Iowa	94	72	32	33	55	50	337
Kansas	106	87	27	29	50	30	329
Kentucky	116	91	49	46	45	50	397
Louisiana	118	47	21	99	50	30	365
Maine	93	138	24	67	45	50	416
Maryland	123	93	46	83	47	30	422
Massachusetts	128	116	34	46	47	30	401
Michigan	108	89	29	44	47	30	347
Minnesota	95	76	28	37	47	30	313
Mississippi	131	63	23	51	47	30	345
Missouri	99	93	39	72	45	50	398
Montana	92	63	38	47	45	50	336
Nebraska	94	70	23	23	50	30	290
Nevada	103	53	26	20	50	30	281
New Hampshire	113	109	27	43	47	30	370
New Jersey	107	82	72	29	47	30	367
New Mexico	80	57	32	21	47	30	267
New York	105	115	30	47	45	35	378
North Carolina	114	72	20	41	45	50	342
North Dakota	105	83	31	27	42	45	332
Ohio	103	112	27	32	45	50	369
Oklahoma	100	87	35	33	50	30	334
Oregon	100	67	76	122	47	30	442
Pennsylvania	110	102	31	27	47	30	346
Rhode Island	131	123	32	42	50	30	408
South Carolina	134	67	33	116	47	30	427
South Dakota	115	65	26	33	55	50	344
Tennessee	126	64	43	87	47	30	397
Texas	130	65	37	66	47	30	375
Utah	73	62	38	101	47	30	352
Vermont	101	125	18	25	47	30	346
Virginia	124	85	36	31	50	30	357
Washington	95	84	75	72	47	30	403
West Virginia	121	83	91	92	35	30	452
Wisconsin	95	70	18	19	45	50	297
Wyoming	90	80	53	60	45	50	379

How Much is the Average Heating Bill?

The cost of heating for an apartment may be billed separately and will vary throughout the year. The biggest factors impacting cost are the size of the apartment, the height of the ceilings, and the type of energy used.

Overall the monthly cost for apartments is an average of $40-$150+

Property Tax

Property taxes are based on the assessed value of your home, so the more expensive the home, the more you have to pay in property taxes. Iowa property taxes are primarily a tax on “real property,” which includes land, buildings, structures and other things constructed on land. The median property tax rate in Iowa is 1.29%, and the average home value is $128,700. Based on these numbers, Iowans pay around $1,660 in property taxes a year.

Average Home Value in Iowa: $128,700 x 1.29% Approximate Cost of Property Taxes in Iowa Per Year: $1,660

Utility Costs

While Virginia housing may be more expensive, you may be able to save on your utility costs. Virginia utility costs fall below the national average. 

Electricity will be your most costly utility with a monthly expense of $124.54. Natural gas comes to around $74.32 per month and your water bill adds up to around $70 per month. For the internet, expect to pay $60. For cable, Virginia residents pay around $85 monthly. 

Overall, your total utility costs will come to $414.25 per month. Of course, this total doesn’t include any streaming services or your phone bill. You’ll want to budget accordingly. 

Homeowners should set aside around $400 monthly for utility bills. If you’re in an apartment, budget for $100 to $150 in monthly utility bills.

What Utilities are Included in my Lease?

When on the hunt for apartments, one of the things on your list of questions, should be to ask the property manager for details about the utilities prior to signing on the bottom line.

The last thing you want to do is accidentally get in over your head financially and then have to break the lease, likely incurring even more penalties.

Utility Costs Landlords (might) Cover

Before we can estimate the average cost of your apartments utility bills, we need to first establish which energy bills you’re actually responsible for. Despite what you may have been told verbally if it’s not in writing on a legally binding agreement, it doesn’t count.

Review your Lease or Rental Agreement

Step one is to get out the apartments lease agreement and READ IT CAREFULLY. There should be a section labeled “Utilities” or similar. This section should define what is and is not included in your monthly rent payment.

Most apartments include water and trash in the rent, however, this may not always be the case. Often a tenant will be responsible energy bills like gas, electric, and any other optional utilities.

If something is unclear, or if certain utilities are not listed at all on the apartments lease agreement, always ask to get it in writing as to who is responsible for what energy bill.

Research for low monthly rates

Once you’ve determined what you’re responsible for, start shopping around for the best prices. Retail energy providers can help you find the lowest rate and lock it in. Search online for one in your area.

Gas companies are very competitive, with some even offering cash-back incentives to use their service. Cable and phone companies often bundle services for a discount.

Compare:

• Installation charges
• Services provided
• Fees
• Length of introductory rates

What seems like a bargain to begin with can quickly shoot up once the initial rate expires.

How much do utilities cost per month?

Adding everything we just talked about together, that’s a total of $419 , divided into $140 for electricity, $24 for water monthly, $110 for natural gas, $85 for cable, and $60 for the internet. That is how much the average Texan pays each month without factoring in the money-saving tricks we listed in each section.

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