Electricity Bill Calculator Australia

Model flat-rate and time-of-use bills, decode an existing bill, estimate household kWh, or cost a single appliance. Enter your own c/kWh and supply charge — state presets are illustrative only.

Placeholder — replace with verified DMO reference tariff when publishing. Effective from 2026-07-01.

$632.45

Estimated bill (91 days)

  • Usage charges: $532.35
  • Supply charge: $100.10
1638 kWh total18.0 kWh/day$6.95/day$2,536.75/yr (run-rate)32.5 c/kWh usageSupply 16% of bill

Cutting usage by 10% (~164 kWh this period) saves about $53.24 on this bill and ~$213.53/year at the same rates.

How to calculate your electricity bill

A residential bill is rarely just kWh times one number. The Australian Energy Regulator describes bills as usage charges plus fixed supply charges, with possible solar credits, controlled-load meters, and demand charges on some business or smart-meter plans.

Start with usage: read your meter interval or total kWh from the bill, multiply by the rate that applies to that usage (flat or peak/shoulder/off-peak), then add supply charge × billing days. Subtract feed-in credits if you export solar. That is the skeleton — your retailer may add paper bill fees, payment processing, or green-power premiums on top.

What is an electricity usage charge?

Usage is priced in cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh). One kWh is one hour of a 1 kW load — a 2 kW heater for 30 minutes is 1 kWh. Retailers must show the rate on your plan fact sheet; the effective rate after supply charges is always higher than the headline usage rate alone.

What is a daily supply charge?

Supply charges cover network and metering costs. A $1.10/day supply line is about $100 per quarter before you turn anything on. Low-usage households (efficient apartments, heavy solar self-consumption) feel supply charges as a larger share of the total bill.

Electricity bill calculator by state

NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT have competitive retail markets with different distribution zones. Western Australia and the Northern Territory have different regulatory setups. The calculator includes illustrative presets per state so you can start from a ballpark — always overwrite with the usage and supply rates from your own bill or Energy Made Easy plan comparison.

Time-of-use, solar and appliances

Use the time-of-use tab when your bill shows separate peak, shoulder and off-peak kWh lines. Solar exports belong in the usage or TOU tabs as a kWh credit at your feed-in tariff — do not expect retailer marketing rates of 20c/kWh unless your plan actually pays that.

The appliance tab converts watts and run hours into dollars. A 2.4 kW dryer three days a week for an hour each time is a visible line item — multiply a few appliances and you will see why winter bills jump without any change to the headline c/kWh rate.

How to reduce your electricity bill

  • Compare plans on Energy Made Easy or your state comparator using your actual annual kWh.
  • Shift flexible loads to off-peak windows if you are on TOU.
  • Improve insulation and draught sealing before upsizing air conditioning.
  • Match pool pump timers to off-peak or solar generation hours.
  • Check state energy bill relief — federal EBRF ended 31 December 2025; see our energy bill relief guide for current rebates.

Frequently asked questions

How is an electricity bill calculated in Australia?

Retail bills combine variable usage charges (cents per kWh for each tariff period) with fixed daily supply charges. Solar customers may also see feed-in credits for exported kWh. Discounts, rebates and demand charges can appear on some plans.

What is a supply charge?

The supply charge (often called the daily supply or service charge) is a fixed cents-per-day fee for being connected to the grid. You pay it even if usage is low, which is why small households can have a high effective c/kWh.

What is a time-of-use tariff?

Time-of-use plans charge different c/kWh rates for peak, shoulder and off-peak periods. They suit households that can shift load (dishwashers, EV charging, pool pumps) but are not available on every meter or plan.

How does solar affect my electricity bill?

You buy grid imports at your usage rate and may receive a feed-in tariff for surplus exports. Self-consumed solar reduces imports first — the bill impact depends on how much you export versus use at home.

How do I calculate electricity cost from kWh?

Multiply kWh by your usage rate (convert cents to dollars by dividing by 100), add supply charges for the billing period, subtract credits, then add GST only if your rates were quoted ex-GST.

How much electricity does a house use?

Many Australian homes sit roughly between 15–25 kWh per day depending on climate, heating, cooling and pool equipment. Use your meter or bill kWh ÷ days for an accurate figure.

Estimates only. Tariff presets are placeholders for UX — verify rates against your retailer invoice. GST handling follows your selection; some line items on real bills are taxed differently.