Average Utility Bills per Month in 2026

Average utility bill by type

Here is what a typical household pays each month for the main utilities. The figures are medians from doxo, which tracks actual bill payments from more than 10 million U.S. consumers, plus BroadbandNow’s average internet price.

Sources: doxo 2026 U.S. Utilities Report, Jul 2026; BroadbandNow via Benton Institute, Jul 2026. Yearly internet is our calculation.

Not every home pays all of these. doxo found that about 90% of households pay an electric bill directly, 72% pay for water and sewer, 67% pay for gas and just over half pay for trash. Renters often have water or trash included in rent, so the individual medians should not be simply added up for every home.

Your yearly utility budget

Adding the four core utilities and internet gives a simple yearly figure to plan around.

Source: our calculation using doxo (Jul 2026) and BroadbandNow (Jul 2026) figures. Cell phone and streaming are not included.

doxo estimates that utility bills take about 5% of a typical household’s annual income. To estimate your own number, pull the last 12 months of each bill and add them up, because one summer or winter month can be far from your yearly average. Then divide by 12 and use that as your monthly budget line.

Electricity: the biggest bill

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has the most detailed electric data. In 2024, the latest full year, the average home used 863 kWh a month at 16.48 cents per kWh, for an average bill of $142.26.

Prices are still climbing. EIA’s October 2026 outlook expects residential power to average 18.2 cents per kWh in 2026, up from 17.3 cents in 2025. At 863 kWh, that comes to about $157 a month (our calculation). The BLS Consumer Price Index shows electricity up 4.4% in the 12 months to September 2026.

Source: EIA, Average Monthly Bill, Residential, released Oct 2025 (2024 data).

For every state’s rate, see our electricity cost by state page.

Natural gas and winter heating

Gas bills swing hard with the seasons. EIA’s Winter Fuels Outlook, released October 6, 2026, projects what households will spend from October through March:

Source: EIA Winter Fuels Outlook, Oct 2026.

Spread over six months, gas heat works out to about $107 a month in winter (our calculation), well above the $75 yearly median. Natural gas was the main heating fuel in 46% of U.S. homes in 2024, according to EIA. BLS data shows piped gas service up 5.0% over the year to September 2026.

Water, sewer and trash

Water and sewer come to a median of $89 a month, or $1,065 a year, per doxo. Trash and recycling add a median $72 for households that pay it directly.

These bills vary a lot by city. In doxo’s data, New York households pay a median of $392 a month for waste alone, while Maryland is the most expensive state overall at $625 a month for all four utilities.

Internet

BroadbandNow puts the average home internet plan at $81.16 a month in 2026, ranging from $65.43 in New Jersey to $109.88 in Alaska. Many plans start lower with promotional pricing and then rise, so check what you will pay after the first year.

How to lower your utility bills

1. Check your rate plan. Many electric utilities offer time-of-use plans that reward running the dishwasher and laundry off-peak.
2. Seal and insulate. Weatherstripping and attic insulation cut both gas and electric bills.
3. Service old equipment. An aging furnace or AC wastes energy. Compare the HVAC replacement cost with what you would save.
4. Shop your internet plan. Ask your provider for current promotions or a lower speed tier if you do not need the top plan.
5. Budget for the seasons. Many utilities offer budget billing that spreads winter and summer peaks evenly across the year.

Thinking about moving? A bigger home means bigger bills, so factor utilities into our rent vs buy calculator, and see the average grocery bill for the other big monthly cost.

See how we research every number on our method page, browse more budgeting guides, or try all our calculators.