What charging a phone costs in each state
The table assumes a 5 W charger running two hours a day, every day.
| State | Rate | A month | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| TasmaniaAurora Energy | 24.75c | $0.30 | $4 |
| QueenslandEnergex | 27.97c | $0.34 | $4 |
| Victoriaaverage of five networks | 28.2c | $0.34 | $4 |
| Northern TerritoryJacana Energy | 31.68c | $0.39 | $5 |
| New South WalesAusgrid | 33.14c | $0.40 | $5 |
| Western AustraliaSynergy | 33.26c | $0.40 | $5 |
| Australian Capital TerritoryEvoenergy network | 36.95c | $0.45 | $5 |
| South AustraliaSA Power Networks | 41.91c | $0.51 | $6 |
Standard, fast and idle chargers
| Type | Power | Cost an hour | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard charger | 5 W | 0.2c | $1 |
| Fast charger | 20 W | 0.7c | $5 |
| Charger left plugged in, no phone | 0.3 W | 0.1c | $0 |
A fast charger draws more power but for less time, so the energy per full charge is about the same. A little is lost as heat in every charge, which is why chargers feel warm.
What one full charge costs
| Device | Battery | Cost a charge |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone | about 0.02 kWh | 0.7c |
| Tablet | about 0.04 kWh | 1c |
| Laptop | about 0.06 kWh | 2c |
Where the real money is
Chargers are not worth worrying about on their own. Standby across a whole home is a different story: energy.gov.au says standby can cost up to $100 a year. See our standby power guide.
Questions about phone charging costs
About 0.7c for a full charge of a typical smartphone on the Ausgrid reference rate, and around $5 a year for daily charging.
They draw more power while charging but finish sooner, so the energy per charge is about the same.
A little. A modern charger left in the wall with no phone typically draws well under 1 W, so a year costs only cents. Switching it off at the wall removes it.
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.