What does the average monthly electric bill cost?

miri

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Jun 16, 2003
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Depends on where you live and what time of the year.

In Virginia heating bills for a small apartment can get up to $350 a month and that is just on heating. I average about $150-200 a month in Virginia for a small 2 bedroom apartment. Im moving to California soon and I can manage out there without heat and air conditioning so my electric bill will be around $35 a month there.
 

Sphexi

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Feb 22, 2005
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Doesn't matter where you go, you'll have to pay electricity. So, it shouldn't really be a factor in getting an apartment or not.

Mine tends to run $85/mth all year, AC in the summer heat in the winter.


Oh, and I'm in Vermont, where it's a LOT colder than Virginia in the winter. Get a place that doesn't depend on electric baseboards if it gets cold in the winter, and you'll be better off.
 

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: Sphexi
Doesn't matter where you go, you'll have to pay electricity. So, it shouldn't really be a factor in getting an apartment or not.

Mine tends to run $85/mth all year, AC in the summer heat in the winter.


Oh, and I'm in Vermont, where it's a LOT colder than Virginia in the winter. Get a place that doesn't depend on electric baseboards if it gets cold in the winter, and you'll be better off.

my apartment uses central heating, but the unit is old, built in 1985 and I had it around 68 degrees in the winter. If I had a new heat pump it wouldnt cost as much.
 

miri

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Jun 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
As low as $35-40 in the winter and closer to $120 in the summer.

free heat or you use gas or oil heat?
 

Sphexi

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2005
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Originally posted by: miri
Originally posted by: Sphexi
Doesn't matter where you go, you'll have to pay electricity. So, it shouldn't really be a factor in getting an apartment or not.

Mine tends to run $85/mth all year, AC in the summer heat in the winter.


Oh, and I'm in Vermont, where it's a LOT colder than Virginia in the winter. Get a place that doesn't depend on electric baseboards if it gets cold in the winter, and you'll be better off.

my apartment uses central heating, but the unit is old, built in 1985 and I had it around 68 degrees in the winter. If I had a new heat pump it wouldnt cost as much.

Central heating/air is just the method of getting the air to the rest of the building, it still has to be fueled by oil, gas, something like that. If it runs all the time and costs a lot of electricity, then I'd say there's something wrong with it. We go about 2-3 months of solid 10F or lower weather up here, and in those months I peaked at $105 of electrical usage, heat at 66F, with it running a lot. Perhaps time to upgrade/fix the unit?
 

miri

Diamond Member
Jun 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: Sphexi
Central heating/air is just the method of getting the air to the rest of the building, it still has to be fueled by oil, gas, something like that. If it runs all the time and costs a lot of electricity, then I'd say there's something wrong with it. We go about 2-3 months of solid 10F or lower weather up here, and in those months I peaked at $105 of electrical usage, heat at 66F, with it running a lot. Perhaps time to upgrade/fix the unit?

I tried asking the apartment complex to upgrade the unit when I moved in but no dice. Doesnt matter, im moving to the west coast in a few months anyway.

There is no gas or oil heat in my apartment
 

miri

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Jun 16, 2003
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: miri
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
As low as $35-40 in the winter and closer to $120 in the summer.

free heat or you use gas or oil heat?

gas heat, but the furnace sitll has an electric blower.

Whats your gas bill in the winter ?
 

MichaelD

Lifer
Jan 16, 2001
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That's a really vague question. You need to specify house or apt. How many square feet. Type of heating/ac. WHERE the residence is. Whether you like it cold or hot.

Even with all that info, all you'll get is rough estimates.

Your best bet is to contact the local electric company where you're thinking of living. Ask them for figures for the average square foot apt/house you're interested in.