What is the average monthly power bill?
Updated October 2026
Opened your power bill and thought it doesn’t look right? We’ve looked at what households across New Zealand typically pay, so you can see how your bill stacks up.
What is the average power bill in New Zealand?
New Zealand households are paying on average $2617 for electricity annually, according to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s latest electricity price monitoring data. If you divide that by the 12 months, you get an average monthly bill of $218 – but that doesn’t account for most households using more power in the colder months.
The average power bill at different times of the year is:
Summer: $176
Autumn: $210
Winter: $292
Spring: $194
If you’re looking at those averages and wondering why your monthly bill is higher, there are a lot of factors that could be affecting how much you pay for power. Some households, for example, will be using gas to heat their home and water so they won’t be using as much electricity. Others might have a fireplace, which would bring their power bill down too.
A higher bill could also come down to how many people you live with. The average household size in New Zealand is 2.7 people, so if you’ve got a few more in your house, you’ll also be paying more.
Other factors that could push your power bill higher than average are having a pool or spa pool. How much a spa pool costs to run depends on its size, age and efficiency. A modern, energy-efficient model might cost $30–$70 a month, but costs are more typically $100–$150 a month, or more than $200 for an older, inefficient spa. Owning an electric vehicle will also increase your electricity consumption by about 20-30%.
My power bill still seems excessive for my household, what could it be?
You could be on the wrong power plan for your household – try using our Powerswitch calculator to see if you could save money.
Consider a time-of-use power plan – these reward shifting your power use to off-peak times such as night-time or weekends.
With the market always changing, it pays to check often for the best deals. We compare thousands of electricity and gas plans for free. Do a quick check to see how much you could be saving.