How much more homes use in winter
| City | Summer | Autumn | Winter | Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | 1,278 | 1,232 | 1,565 | 1,162 |
| Melbourne | 1,112 | 1,125 | 1,493 | 1,110 |
| Brisbane | 1,393 | 1,281 | 1,250 | 1,202 |
| Adelaide | 1,225 | 1,188 | 1,526 | 1,107 |
| Canberra | 1,200 | 1,468 | 2,042 | 1,397 |
| Hobart | 1,581 | 2,109 | 2,950 | 2,144 |
The pattern follows the climate. The cooler the city, the bigger the winter jump, which is why Canberra and Hobart households use far more in winter than anywhere else in the AER's figures. Homes heated by gas use less electricity in winter but pay a gas bill instead.
Why winter bills climb
- Heating. The biggest single cause. Portable heaters are the most expensive way to heat with electricity.
- Hot water. Cold water coming into the tank is colder in winter, so each shower takes more energy to heat.
- Clothes drying. Dryers come out when the line will not dry anything. A vented dryer uses about 3.3 kWh a load.
- Lighting. Shorter days mean lights on for longer.
- More time indoors. TVs, computers and cooking all run for more hours.
What heating costs per hour
| Heating | Cost an hour |
|---|---|
| Electric blanket on high, 150 W | 5c |
| Small split system heating, 0.75 kW | 25c |
| Oil column heater, 1,500 W | 50c |
| Fan heater on high, 2,400 W | 80c |
The SA Government's own estimates tell the same story: 10c to 14c an hour for a small reverse cycle unit heating a small room, against 92c to $1.25 for a portable heater. Our cheapest way to heat a home guide ranks every option.
How to keep winter bills down
Heat the person, not the house
Warm clothes, an electric blanket or a heated throw cost cents an hour.
Set the thermostat to 18°C to 21°C
Each degree lower can save up to 10%, according to the SA Government.
Close doors and stop draughts
Heat one or two rooms well rather than the whole house badly.
Open curtains on sunny days, close them at dusk
Free heat in, kept in overnight.
Rethink the dryer
A clothes rack and a dehumidifier cost far less. See the cheapest way to dry clothes.
Smooth the winter spike
If winter bills are hard to budget for, ask your retailer about bill smoothing, which spreads the year's cost into equal payments. See billing periods.
Questions about winter electricity bills
Heating is the main cause, followed by hot water, clothes dryers, longer lighting hours and more time indoors. The AER benchmarks show winter as the highest-use season in every capital except Brisbane.
A reverse cycle air conditioner, which delivers three to six units of heat for each unit of electricity. For one or two people sitting still, an electric blanket or heated throw is cheaper again.
A 2,400 W fan heater used four hours a night for 90 nights uses about 864 kWh, roughly $286 on the Ausgrid reference rate.
The SA Government suggests 18°C to 21°C, and says every degree lower can cut heating costs by up to 10%.
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.