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Average electricity bill in New South Wales — 2026–27

Derived estimate · AER benchmark × AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8)

$2,342–$2,715/year for a 2–3 person household

≈ $586–$679 a quarter, at the Ausgrid rate of 33.1c/kWh + 166.2c/day supply.

Benchmark basis: ABCB Zone 5 (warm temperate — urban Sydney)

Derived average bill by household size, NSW (2026–27)
HouseholdBenchmark usageAnnual billPer quarter
1 person3,109 kWh$1,637$409
2 people5,237 kWh$2,342$586
3 people6,361 kWh$2,715$679
4 people7,311 kWh$3,029$757
5+ people9,008 kWh$3,592$898
How to read this: these are derived estimates — the AER's published benchmark usage priced at the 2026–27 reference rate for Ausgrid — not a survey of actual bills.

Electricity bill estimator

Ausgrid

A 2-person household uses roughly 4,000–5,500 kWh a year.

$2,342 per year ≈ $586/quarter
Supply charge (166.2c/day × 365)
$606.74
Usage (33.1c/kWh × 5,237 kWh)
$1,735.40

Rates: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8), effective 1 July 2026 (GST inclusive). This is the government reference/standing rate for Sydney, Newcastle & the Central Coast — market offers can sit below it. Full Ausgrid price breakdown →

Frequently asked questions

How is the average NSW bill worked out?
It's a derived estimate, not a survey: the AER's residential consumption benchmark for ABCB Zone 5 (warm temperate — urban Sydney) gives typical annual kWh by household size, and we run that usage through the AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) rates for the Ausgrid network (supply × 365 + usage × kWh). The methodology page shows the full working.
Why does my bill differ from these figures?
Three reasons: your usage differs from the benchmark, your retailer's market offer prices below (or above) the reference rate used here, and your distribution zone may differ — check your zone's exact rates.
Do bigger households always pay more?
Per household yes, per person no — the benchmark kWh rises with each extra person but far less than proportionally, because heating, cooling and the fridge are shared. That's visible in the table above.

Related

Sources — figures current as at 17 July 2026.

Benchmark edition: AER 'Electricity and gas consumption benchmarks for residential customers 2020' (Frontier Economics, 9 Dec 2020) — the final edition: the AEMC removed the update obligation on 17 Aug 2023; no newer refresh exists. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU. Rates effective 1 July 2026.