Typical apartment electricity bills
Apartments are often smaller and share walls with neighbours, which can mean less heating and cooling than a freestanding house. Household size still matters most. Use the one or two-person tables below, then check our guides for three or more people if needed.
| City | kWh a year | kWh a day | A quarter | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MelbourneVictoria | 2,953 | 8.1 | $324 | $1,295 |
| SydneyNSW | 3,109 | 8.5 | $409 | $1,637 |
| BrisbaneQueensland | 3,412 | 9.3 | $414 | $1,655 |
| AdelaideSA | 2,936 | 8.0 | $472 | $1,888 |
| CanberraACT | 4,360 | 11.9 | $525 | $2,101 |
| HobartTasmania | 6,003 | 16.4 | $538 | $2,150 |
| City | kWh a year | kWh a day | A quarter | A year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MelbourneVictoria | 4,840 | 13.3 | $457 | $1,827 |
| BrisbaneQueensland | 5,126 | 14.0 | $534 | $2,135 |
| SydneyNSW | 5,237 | 14.3 | $586 | $2,342 |
| CanberraACT | 6,107 | 16.7 | $687 | $2,747 |
| AdelaideSA | 5,046 | 13.8 | $693 | $2,772 |
| HobartTasmania | 8,784 | 24.1 | $710 | $2,838 |
How apartment electricity is billed
| Set-up | Who bills you | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Standard connection | A retailer you choose | Each unit has its own meter and NMI. You can switch freely. |
| Embedded network | The building operator or its billing agent | Prices are capped by AER exemption conditions, or the Victorian Default Offer in Victoria. See embedded networks. |
| Central hot water | Often the building or its agent | Hot water may appear as a separate charge based on a water meter in your unit. |
| Common areas | The owners corporation | Lifts, lobby lights and car park ventilation are paid through strata levies, not your bill. |
Not sure which you have?
If your bill comes from a company you did not choose and your plan cannot be found on Energy Made Easy, you are probably in an embedded network. Ask the building manager.
Saving power in an apartment
Heat and cool one room at a time
A small reverse cycle unit in the room you are using costs far less than portable heaters. See the cheapest way to heat a home.
Use blinds and curtains
Apartments with big glass doors gain and lose a lot of heat through them.
Mind the always-on loads
In a small home, routers, standby devices and a second fridge are a bigger share of the bill. See standby power.
Compare plans if you can
On a standard connection, compare using your own usage and weigh the supply charge heavily.
Renting? Our renting and electricity guide and energy saving tips for renters cover what you can change without asking.
Questions about apartment electricity bills
There is no apartment-specific official figure. Using the AER one and two-person benchmarks priced on 2026-27 regulated rates, most units would expect roughly $1,295 to $2,838 a year, depending on the city and household.
Your building probably runs an embedded network. The operator buys power at one connection and on-sells it to residents. Prices are capped by AER exemption conditions, or the Victorian Default Offer in Victoria.
Common area power is paid by the owners corporation from strata levies. Tenants pay it indirectly through rent.
Yes on a standard connection. In an embedded network you can ask to, but few retailers offer plans inside embedded networks and a meter change may be needed.
Sources
Every rate on this page comes from the regulator or the regulated retailer. Last checked October 2026. Prices include GST unless we say otherwise.