Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much electricity does a home use, and what does it cost?
About $158 a month
for a home using as much as the average US home (863 kWh a month) in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Uses
- 28.37 kWh a day
- Uses per year
- 10,356 kWh
- Average draw
- about 1,182 W
The fastest way to know your own number is to look at your bill: it shows the kWh you used. For comparison, the average US home used 863 kWh a month in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, while Ofgem now uses 2,500 kWh a year as a typical UK home. That's roughly four times the electricity, largely because air conditioning and electric heating are common in US homes, while most UK homes heat with gas.
Averaged over the year, the typical US home draws about 1,182 W all the time.
Work out your own home
Typical use: 10,356 kWh a year
From your bills: add up a year of kWh, or multiply one month's kWh by 12.
US and UK homes compared
Yearly electricity use for a typical home, from each country's official figures. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Home | Energy per year | Cost per year |
|---|---|---|
| Average US home (EIA, 2024) | $1,896 | |
| Typical UK home (Ofgem, 2026) | $458 |
What it costs in other countries
For a home using as much as the average US home (863 kWh a month), at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $158 | $1,896 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £227 | £2,726 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €312 | €3,747 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €334 | €4,009 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €214 | €2,573 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €217 | €2,598 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €271 | €3,254 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €211 | €2,527 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your home
-
Start with the biggest users
Heating, cooling and drying clothes usually cost far more than lighting or electronics.
-
Check your bills
Your bill shows the kWh you used. Compare months to spot what changes your use.
-
Look at your heater and air conditioner
They're often the biggest single items on a bill.
What can power it
Backing up a whole home takes a large standby generator or a home battery system, sized and installed by a qualified electrician. To keep just the essentials running, add them up in the generator size calculator or the power station checker.
Common questions
How much electricity does an average house use?
The average US home used 863 kWh a month in 2024, about 10,356 kWh a year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Ofgem uses 2,500 kWh a year for a typical UK home.
How do I find my own home's electricity use?
Your electricity bill shows the kWh you used over the billing period. Add up a year of bills, or multiply one month by 12 for a rough figure, and type it into the calculator above.
How much does a home's electricity cost per day?
About $5.20 a day in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £7.47 a day in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a home using as much as the average US home (863 kWh a month). That adds up to about $1,896 or £2,726 a year.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024 Average Monthly Bill – Residential (Table 5A, data from forms EIA-861), released 7 October 2025
- Ofgem, Energy price cap update from 1 July 2026: 2026 Typical Domestic Consumption Values
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.