What Is the Average Cost of Utilities for a House per Month?

What Are Home Utilities?

Home utilities are the things we need to make sure that we have a comfortable place to live and that our homes are functioning properly. Homeowners and renters are both impacted by utility costs, but renters will likely see these costs differently depending on the agreement with their landlord or property manager. We all use utilities, so it is important to include them in your monthly budget.

Main Types of Home Utilities

The main home utilities are:

• Water
• Electricity
• Gas
• Waste removal
• Television
• Internet

These utilities are essential to our everyday lives because we all need running water, electricity, gas and trash removal to make our homes as comfortable as possible. While the internet is an optional utility, it has become more difficult to not have internet access over the years, especially now with remote work and online schooling.

What’s the Average Cost of Utilities for a House per Month?

Average utility costs vary widely based on your home’s square footage, layout, energy and water consumption, location and utility companies. While these averages can provide a good overview of baseline cost estimates for your home, contact a professional for information about your specific property.

Water

The average water bill in the United States is typically around $70 per month and could be more expensive depending on location and usage. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average family uses over 300 gallons of water per day.

Water bills are an unavoidable expense because everyone needs running water to maintain good hygiene, cook, clean, do laundry and many more household uses. Larger homes need more water, which will lead to a higher monthly water bill. Any problems with washing machines, toilets, sinks, dishwashers, pipes and other appliances will lead to a higher monthly bill.

Electricity

The average electric bill in the U.S. is about $115 per month. Electricity in your home provides light, comfortable temperatures and power for appliances and other daily uses. Your monthly electric bill depends on the amount of electricity you use in your home each month. Electric bills in the Northeast tend to be higher in the summer and winter while lower in spring and fall.

Your home’s size, location and climate also impact electricity prices. The size of your home determines the amount of electricity you use monthly because it costs more to heat and cool larger spaces, and there are more areas of the home consuming electricity daily.

Location plays a significant role in the cost of the electric bill. Your HVAC system will run longer to maintain comfortable temperatures in the home during extreme temperatures. The energy efficiency of appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers also play a huge role in electricity usage.

Gas

The average monthly gas bill in the U.S. is around $80 and can vary depending on where you live and the time of year. Natural gas is used for heating houses, hot water and cooking. The furnace in your home is responsible for providing heat for your home, so if you live in a colder area, your natural gas usage will be higher than it would be in warmer places.

You will also see higher prices if you heat larger homes or heat a home in a cold area during the winter months.

Waste Removal

The average trash bill in the U.S. is typically between $10 to $40 per month. Companies in most cities bill residents monthly for waste collections, while other areas incorporate waste collection into local taxes. While it is a small expense compared to other utilities, make sure you understand the system used for waste collection in your new area.

Television

There are many different options for television with cable, satellite and streaming services. The average price of television ranges from $0 to $100 per month, depending on what route you choose.

If you decide that having premium satellite or cable at home is not for you or are using the digital antenna on your television, you will not have to worry about this additional monthly expense.

Cable providers offer a variety of packages with different channel options, and these subscriptions are typically around $100 per month, sometimes more or less, depending on the channel package.

If you are interested in going the streaming route, some cable companies offer streaming-only packages. You can also subscribe to a dedicated streaming service. These streaming services are more affordable than traditional cable packages, but you will need to consider the cost of the internet as well.

Television is an optional monthly expense, but if you choose to add it to your monthly utilities, you have many options.

Internet

In-home internet access has become a necessity over the last few years. The average internet plan is about $56 per month and varies depending on your plan. Much like television services, there are different internet plans, and you can choose the one that best suits your budget and your intended usage.

You can choose not to have in-home internet access, but this has become challenging with the introduction of streaming services and the need for internet for remote work and school in recent years.

How to Save Money on Your Utility Bills

Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, utility costs will factor into your monthly expenses. We cannot avoid them, but there are some ways you can reduce your average cost of utilities. If you live in an energy deregulated state, shopping around for the best monthly rates from energy suppliers will help you save money on your monthly utility bills.

Here are some other tips for reducing your average cost of utilities:

• Upgrade old appliances and keep up with their maintenance.
• Seal all windows to prevent cold air from entering your home.
• Turn off the lights when leaving the room.
• Unplug unused devices.
• Replace light bulbs with LED bulbs.
• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth.
• Take shorter showers.