How much does 1 kWh cost in Australia? There is no single national electricity price. As of September 2026, selected official 2026–27 residential flat-rate or regulated usage examples are roughly 28 to 42 cents per kWh before daily supply charges. Your actual rate can be lower or higher depending on your state, distribution network, retailer, plan type and time of day.
The number that matters for a running-cost calculation is the usage rate on your own electricity bill, usually shown in cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh). The Australian Government’s electricity pricing and tariffs guide explains that bills normally include both a variable usage charge and a separate daily supply charge, and that pricing structures vary by location and plan.
Table of Contents
Current 2026–27 price examples
The table below uses official standing-offer or regulated examples that are current from 1 July 2026. These are not a national average, not a promise of the cheapest market offer, and not a forecast of your bill. They are useful reference points for understanding the scale of residential usage rates.
| Area / official reference | 2026–27 residential usage example | Important context |
|---|---|---|
| Ausgrid, NSW — AER DMO flat rate | 33.14 c/kWh | Standing-offer cap; daily supply charge is separate. |
| Endeavour Energy, NSW — AER DMO flat rate | 33.73 c/kWh | Standing-offer cap; market offers can differ. |
| Essential Energy, NSW — AER DMO flat rate | 35.01 c/kWh | Standing-offer cap for the distribution zone. |
| Energex, South East Queensland — AER DMO flat rate | 27.97 c/kWh | Applies to the DMO reference structure, not every retailer plan. |
| SA Power Networks, South Australia — AER DMO flat rate | 41.91 c/kWh | Usage rate is only one part of the bill. |
| Tasmania Tariff 31 — regulated residential light and power | 27.9538 c/kWh | Tasmania also has other residential tariffs with different prices. |
| Northern Territory — standard domestic meter | 31.6788 c/kWh | Government-regulated domestic tariff; fixed daily charge is separate. |
The NSW, South East Queensland and South Australian figures come from the Australian Energy Regulator’s 2026–27 Default Market Offer tariff caps. The AER makes clear that the DMO is a safety-net standing offer and comparison price, not necessarily the cheapest plan. The regulator’s 2026–27 final DMO release also shows that prices moved differently by region from 1 July 2026.
For Tasmania, the Office of the Tasmanian Economic Regulator lists current regulated usage and supply charges. In the Northern Territory, Power and Water publishes the current government-regulated domestic tariffs.
Why Australia does not have one electricity price per kWh
Electricity is sold through different retail and regulatory arrangements across Australia. In NSW, Victoria, the ACT, South Australia, Tasmania and South East Queensland, households can choose among market offers. In Western Australia, the Northern Territory and regional Queensland, the market structure and retail choice are different. That is why one national number can be misleading.
Even within one state, the network area can change the reference price. The 2026–27 NSW DMO, for example, has different flat rates for Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy and Essential Energy. Victorian households can use the Victorian Government’s Victorian Energy Compare service to compare current offers rather than relying on one statewide c/kWh figure.
Regional Queensland has regulated retail prices set by the Queensland Competition Authority. The QCA’s 2026–27 final determination says the new notified prices took effect from 1 July 2026. Western Australia’s 2026–27 budget states that the residential electricity tariff increased by 2.75% for the year; see the WA 2026–27 Budget Paper No. 3. For both areas, check the current tariff that actually applies to your home rather than importing a number from another state.
One kWh can cost a different amount at different times
A flat or single-rate plan charges the same usage rate throughout the day. A time-of-use plan can have off-peak, shoulder, solar-soak and peak periods. That means the same 1 kWh of grid electricity can have a very different price depending on when it is used.
A clear 2026–27 example is the AER’s Ausgrid standing-offer tariff. Its flat-rate cap is 33.14 c/kWh, while its time-of-use structure lists 24.04 c/kWh from 9 pm to 3 pm and 60.20 c/kWh from 3 pm to 9 pm. The new Solar Sharer Offer has a three-hour free-electricity window from 11 am to 2 pm for eligible smart-meter customers, with higher prices at other times. These regulated examples show why a single c/kWh figure does not describe every plan.
Controlled-load tariffs can also price a dedicated circuit separately, most commonly for electric hot water. If your bill has more than one usage rate, use the rate that actually applies to the appliance or time period you are calculating. See our controlled load electricity guide for the circuit and billing side of that calculation.
How to convert cents per kWh into appliance cost
The basic calculation is simple:
Electricity cost = energy used (kWh) × usage rate (c/kWh) ÷ 100
If an appliance uses 1 kWh and your usage rate is 33.14 c/kWh, the variable electricity cost is 33.14 cents, or $0.3314. If it uses 6 kWh, the usage cost is about $1.99. This does not allocate the daily supply charge, and it does not include demand charges, controlled-load fees, discounts or solar credits.
For example, a 2 kW resistance heater running continuously for 3 hours uses 6 kWh. At 33.14 c/kWh, that is about $1.99 in usage charges. At 41.91 c/kWh, the same 6 kWh is about $2.51. The appliance did not change; the tariff did.
For your own scenario, use the HomeBillLab Electricity Bill Calculator with the rates from your actual bill. Our calculator keeps the usage and supply components separate so the result is easier to audit.
The daily supply charge is not part of the c/kWh rate
One common mistake is to treat the usage rate as the whole electricity price. Most household bills also have a daily supply charge that applies even if you use no electricity. That is why your total bill divided by total kWh can produce an “effective” cost per kWh that is higher than the printed usage rate, especially in a low-usage household.
For example, the 2026–27 Ausgrid DMO flat tariff pairs 33.14 c/kWh with a $1.66 daily supply charge. A household using 10 kWh in a day would incur about $3.31 of usage charges plus $1.66 supply before any other adjustments. The fixed charge therefore matters when comparing whole bills, but it should not be silently added to an appliance’s marginal running cost.
How to find your exact electricity rate
- Open a recent bill. Find the section that lists usage or consumption charges.
- Look for c/kWh. On a single-rate plan there may be one general usage rate. On time-of-use plans there can be several.
- Check the billing dates. Rates can change at annual price resets or when a plan changes.
- Separate usage from supply. The daily supply charge is normally shown in cents or dollars per day.
- Check controlled load separately. Hot water or another dedicated circuit may have its own c/kWh rate.
- Use the current plan, not an old online average. Your contracted rate is the correct input for a running-cost calculation.
If you are unsure where these numbers appear, our guide to reading an Australian electricity bill walks through the main fields.
How to compare electricity plans without being misled by one number
Do not compare plans using the usage rate alone. A plan with a lower c/kWh rate can have a higher daily supply charge, different time windows, demand charges, conditional discounts or solar export terms. If you have a smart meter, your load shape matters as well as the headline rate.
The AER directs households in participating jurisdictions to Energy Made Easy, its free independent comparison service. Victoria uses Victorian Energy Compare. In other jurisdictions, use the relevant government or regulated-pricing service. Our single rate vs time-of-use guide explains when the structure itself can matter more than a small difference in headline price.
What is a useful current benchmark?
For a quick sense-check in September 2026, around 28–42 c/kWh covers the selected current official flat-rate or regulated examples in the table above. That is a benchmark range, not an Australian average and not a recommended assumption for a calculator. Competitive offers, concessions, controlled-load tariffs, time-of-use periods and local regulated tariffs can sit outside it.
If you are writing down one number for a HomeBillLab calculation, use the rate on your bill. If you are comparing a future plan, use the official comparison service or the retailer’s current Energy Price Fact Sheet rather than a generic national figure.
FAQ about How Much Does 1 kWh of Electricity Cost in Australia
Is 30 cents per kWh a normal electricity price in Australia?
It can be a reasonable current reference point in some areas, but it is not a national standard. Current official examples range from the high-20s to above 40 c/kWh for selected flat residential tariffs, and market offers or time-of-use rates can be outside that range.
Does 1 kW mean 1 kWh?
No. kW is power; kWh is energy over time. A 1 kW appliance running at full power for one hour uses 1 kWh. A 2 kW appliance running for three hours uses 6 kWh if it draws that power continuously.
Should I include the supply charge when calculating an appliance’s running cost?
Usually not for the marginal cost of using one appliance, because the supply charge applies whether that appliance runs or not. Include the supply charge when estimating or comparing the whole household bill.
Why is my bill’s effective cost per kWh higher than my usage rate?
Because your total bill can include the daily supply charge and other tariff components. Dividing the full bill by total kWh spreads those fixed costs across every unit of electricity used.
Bottom line
There is no single answer to how much does 1 kWh cost in Australia. Current 2026–27 official examples show why: residential flat or regulated usage rates can differ materially by network and jurisdiction, and time-of-use prices can vary even more within the same plan. Use your own c/kWh rate for appliance calculations, keep the daily supply charge separate, and date any public benchmark you use.
For more tariff and bill guides, visit the HomeBillLab Electricity hub. Our calculations and editorial assumptions are documented on the HomeBillLab Methodology page.