How we work it out
Watts ÷ 1,000 gives kilowatts. Multiply by hours on and you've got kilowatt-hours, the unit your retailer bills you for. We multiply that by your state's reference usage rate for 2026–27, straight from the regulator. That's the whole calculation.
Worked example: a 2,400 W panel heater running 4 hours a night in Victoria: 2.4 kW × 4 h = 9.6 kWh × 29.8¢ = about $2.85 a night, or roughly $86 a month through winter. Suddenly the electric blanket looks like a bargain.
Good to know
Appliances with heating elements are the hungry ones. A kettle, dryer or panel heater turns electricity straight into heat, which chews through 10 to 20 times more power than electronics ever will. Fridges run around the clock but cycle on and off, so their real draw is roughly a third of the number on the sticker. Our preset already accounts for that.
Common questions
Where do your electricity rates come from?
Each state's regulated reference price for 2026–27: the AER's Default Market Offer, Victoria's Default Offer and the government-set tariffs in WA, TAS and the NT. We update them every July when the new rates land. Your actual plan might be a few cents cheaper.
What's a kilowatt-hour?
One kWh is a 1,000-watt appliance running for one hour. It's the unit your bill is priced in, and everything on this site converts to it.
Does standby power really cost anything?
Less than it used to, but a house full of gadgets idling at 3 to 10 W each still adds $50 to $150 a year. The old plasma TV and the second fridge in the garage are the usual suspects.
What this costs, state by state
A typical Australian home uses around 16 kWh a day. Here's what that looks like on each state's current reference rate.
| State | Rate | Per day | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 32.4¢ | $5.18 | $1,892 |
| Victoria | 29.8¢ | $4.77 | $1,740 |
| Queensland | 31.2¢ | $4.99 | $1,822 |
| South Australia | 38.1¢ | $6.10 | $2,225 |
| Western Australia | 33.6¢ | $5.38 | $1,962 |
| Tasmania | 28.9¢ | $4.62 | $1,688 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.4¢ | $4.38 | $1,600 |
| Northern Territory | 31.7¢ | $5.07 | $1,851 |
Reference rates for 2026–27. Your row is highlighted once you set your location.
Sources
Electricity rates: AER Default Market Offer (NSW, SA, south-east QLD), Victorian Default Offer, and each remaining state's regulated tariff, current for 2026–27. Appliance figures: the energyrating.gov.au registration database (July 2026 snapshot). Methods and assumptions are described on each page.