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How much energy does the average home use?

Households in some suburbs consume over twice the electricity of others, while certain climates are just better for your energy bill.

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Sam Baran
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Where you live has a serious impact on your energy bills, with some states and climates having far lower power usage each year than others. For the most part, residents of Tasmania consume the most electricity, especially in winter (which is probably due to the cooler temperature). On the other hand, Victorians consume the least.

We've gone through all the data in the AER's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Benchmarks report to give you an idea of how your consumption stacks up against others, and where you could move to lower it.

What is the average usage by state?

Consumption varies significantly by state. Tasmanians use the most per year, 8,619kWh on average, especially on heating in the cold winter.

Victorians use almost half as much power annually as Tasmanians and have the lowest consumption at 4,615kWh.

What is the average usage in capital cities based on household size?

Larger households consume more energy, but just how much depends on the capital city and what climate it's located in. Residents of Hobart used the most power for each household member on average, while Melbourne residents used the least.

Household sizeSydney usage (kWh)Brisbane usage (kWh)Adelaide usage (kWh)Melbourne usage (kWh)Canberra usage (kWh)Hobart usage (kWh)
17778537307381,0901,501
21,3091,2821,2621,2101,5272,196
31,5901,5421,5431,2691,9312,369
41,8281,9211,7801,4512,3862,705
5+2,2522,2012,2051,8382,5382,889

Average usage in Sydney

Average usage in Adelaide

Average usage in Brisbane

Average usage in Melbourne

Average usage in Canberra

Average usage in Hobart

Example: How energy usage changes within a city (Sydney)

The amount of energy households consume can depend on where you live, with some suburbs having more than twice the average power consumption than others. The average household size for each suburb is taken from the 2016 Census, while power use is taken from statistics published by New South Wales distributor Ausgrid.

How much energy do various appliances use?

Here's an idea of how much energy 5 common appliances in your house might use every day, and over the course of a year.

AppliancePower ratingHourly usageYearly usageEnergy cost
Desktop computer200W200Wh219kWh (3 hours per day)$57
Electric oven2,100W2.1kWh383kWh (30 minutes per day)$100
Electric heater2,400W2.4kWh864kWh (4 hours per day in winter)$226
Refrigerator68W68Wh596kWh (24/7)$156
Washing machine900W900Wh93.6kWh (2 hours per week)$24

How does the climate of where you live affect energy usage?

Australia is a huge continent with extremely diverse climates. The climate you live in affects your heating and cooling bills.

Warm, temperate areas like Sydney have low annual consumption (average of 5,154kWh), while cold areas like Hobart have very high consumption (7,229kWh average).

Climate zone DescriptionExamples
1High humidity summer, warm winterCairns, Townsville
2Warm humid summer, mild winterRockhampton, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour
3Hot dry summer, warm winterMt Isa, Western Downs, Longreach
4Hot dry summer, cool winterDubbo, Whyalla, Mildura
5Warm temperateUrban Sydney, urban Adelaide
6Mild temperateUrban Melbourne, Adelaide Hills, Ulladulla
7Cool temperate Canberra, Hobart, Yarra Ranges
8AlpineSmall sections of alpine Tasmania, and the Snowy Mountains

What is the average usage by distributor?

What if you have solar?

Once again, the effect of solar on your power consumption depends largely on the climate you inhabit. Warm, temperate regions like Sydney or Adelaide saved the smallest amount of power with solar, while areas with hot dry summers and cool winters saved the most.

Climate zoneExample towns/regionsAnnual gap in power consumption between solar and no solar (kWh)
High humidity summer, warm winterCairns, Townsville344
Warm humid summer, mild winterRockhampton, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour392
Hot dry summer, cool winterDubbo, Whyalla, Mildura1,129
Warm temperateUrban Sydney, urban Adelaide92
Cool temperateCanberra, Hobart, Yarra Ranges381
Climate zoneSolar PVNo Solar PV
CZ 1 and 35,7846,128
CZ 25,1375,529
CZ 45,6196,748
CZ 55,0895,181
CZ 64,6055,105
CZ 76,9747,355

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6 Responses

  1. Default Gravatar
    ittJuly 13, 2018

    i live alone do not use a heater/aircon only use 1 light at night 1 computer 1 tv with foxtel, gas hot water and stove. is it possible for me to use 2208 kWh of electricity in one billing cycle as origin energy claim i have

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      CharisseJuly 20, 2018Staff

      Hi Itt,

      Thanks for reaching out to Finder.

      I am afraid we will not be able to directly answer your question regarding your electricity usage. If you are considering Origin as your provider, you can contact them directly to discuss energy usage with them in detail. However, if you’re still comparing your options, and energy broker could help. Simply fill out the form which you can find at the bottom part of the page.

      Meantime, you may refer to this page for some energy-saving tips. Hope this helps!

      Cheers,
      Charisse

      Reply
  2. Default Gravatar
    TomMarch 21, 2018

    Are there statistics available on average power usage per household going back 50 years

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      JeniMarch 21, 2018Staff

      Hi Tom,

      Thank you for getting in touch with finder. You can certainly request for statistics on average power usage per household 50 years ago with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

      I hope this helps.

      Have a great day!

      Cheers,
      Jeni

      Reply
  3. Default Gravatar
    GrahamJune 23, 2017

    What percentage of my electricity bill is for lighting?

    Reply
    • Avatarfinder Customer Care
      RenchJune 24, 2017Staff

      Hi Graham,

      Thanks for your inquiry.

      I’m afraid we may not have the answer to that question. You may want to read our guide on how to read your energy bill for helpful tips on how to read your energy bills which include graphs for usage and other useful information. You may request detailed info from your provider.

      Hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Rench

      Reply
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