How this calculator works
An electric bill is the kilowatt-hours you used times the price per kWh, plus any fixed monthly customer charge and taxes. Enter the kWh from your bill or meter. Leave the rate blank to use your state's average residential price from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, or type the rate from your own bill for an exact match.
- Energy charge = kWh used × price per kWh.
- Bill = (energy charge + fixed customer charge) × (1 + taxes and fees %).
- With no rate entered, the price is your state's 2024 average residential price from EIA (revenue ÷ kWh sold, so delivery and fixed charges are already spread into it).
Worked example
With these inputs: electricity used this month 863; state United States.
The result is estimated electric bill $142.22, with rate used 16.48¢ per kWh (United States average, EIA 2024) and energy charge $142.22. EIA's average price is revenue ÷ kWh, so it already spreads delivery and fixed charges over every kWh. If you use the energy rate printed on your bill instead, add the customer charge separately.
How to read the kWh and rate on your electric bill
Your bill shows the kilowatt-hours used in the billing period, usually as "current reading − previous reading". The rate is often split into a supply or generation charge and a delivery or distribution charge, each per kWh. Add those per-kWh charges together for your rate, and enter the flat monthly customer or service charge separately.
If your utility uses tiered rates (a higher price above a set number of kWh) or time-of-use rates, divide the total of the per-kWh charges by the kWh used to get a blended rate. That number in the calculator reproduces the bill.
What a typical electric bill costs by usage
At the 2024 US average price, 300 kWh (a small apartment) is $49.44, 500 kWh is $82.40, 1,200 kWh (a large home or electric heat) is $197.76 and 2,000 kWh (heavy summer air conditioning in an all-electric home) is $329.60. Prices vary more than threefold by state: California averaged 31.97¢ and Hawaii 42.86¢, while Louisiana averaged 11.73¢. See every state on the average utility bills page.
To find which appliance drives the bill, the electricity cost calculator prices one device from its watts and hours. Add the result to your utility bill estimate with gas and water for the whole picture, then put the bill in your tracker so the due date is never missed.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my electric bill?
Multiply the kWh you used by the price per kWh, add the fixed monthly customer charge, then add taxes. At the 2024 US average of 16.48¢, 863 kWh costs $142.22.
What is the average electric bill in the US?
$142.26 a month for a home in 2024, from EIA's latest annual data (released October 7, 2025), with average use of 863 kWh at 16.48¢ per kWh.
How much does 1,000 kWh cost?
At the 2024 US average residential price of 16.48¢ per kWh, 1,000 kWh is about $164.80. In a state at 12¢ it's $120; at 30¢ it's $300.
How do I convert kWh to dollars?
Dollars = kWh × your rate in dollars per kWh. A rate of 16.48¢ is $0.1648, so 500 kWh × $0.1648 = $82.40.
Why is my electric bill higher than kWh × rate?
Bills add a fixed customer charge, delivery charges per kWh, and taxes or riders. Enter those in the optional fields, or use the EIA average price, which already includes them.