Watts & Bills
What electricity costs in New South Wales
Three networks, three different bills.
33.14c/kWh
166.23c/day
$607a year
+19%
Three networks, three different bills
New South Wales is not one electricity market but three. Ausgrid covers Sydney, Newcastle and the Central Coast; Endeavour has the south-west and the Illawarra; Essential Energy carries the regions. The Australian Energy Regulator sets a separate reference price for each, and the gap between them is wide - Essential's customers face a reference bill hundreds of dollars above Ausgrid's, for the same electricity, because rural poles and wires cost more per customer to run. Our figures use Ausgrid, the largest. If you live west of the Blue Mountains your rate is higher than what you see here, and the difference is geography rather than anything you can shop your way out of.
What each appliance costs in NSW
| Appliance | Each use | A year here | Cheapest state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charging an electric car at home7kW wallbox taking a battery from near-empty to full | $13.92 | $1,392 | $1,174Tasmania |
| Electric storage hot water systemFamily-sized tank heating on a controlled-load tariff | $3.10 | $1,132 | $955Tasmania |
| Ducted reverse-cycle air conditioningWhole-house ducted system on a hot summer day | $11.14 | $1,002 | $845Tasmania |
| Swimming pool pumpSingle-speed filtration pump on a daily timer | $2.55 | $931 | $786Tasmania |
| Electric column heaterPortable oil column heater on full in one room | $3.98 | $398 | $335Tasmania |
| Outdoor spaHeater and pump keeping a four-seater spa warm | $2.65 | $398 | $335Tasmania |
| Split-system air conditionerOne 2.5kW-cooling bedroom or living-room unit | $2.25 | $270 | $228Tasmania |
| Second fridge in the garageOlder beer fridge working harder in an unairconditioned garage | 60c | $218 | $184Tasmania |
| DishwasherNormal cycle with internal water heating | 70c | $209 | $176Tasmania |
| Vented clothes dryerStandard vented dryer, one full load | $1.19 | $179 | $151Tasmania |
| Fridge-freezerAverage draw of a 400L fridge-freezer over a full day | 46c | $168 | $142Tasmania |
| Gaming PCMid-to-high-end desktop under load plus monitor | 53c | $159 | $134Tasmania |
| Electric ovenStandard 60cm oven at roasting temperature | 80c | $119 | $101Tasmania |
| Heat-pump clothes dryerCondenser heat-pump dryer, one full load | 66c | $99 | $84Tasmania |
| Washing machineFront loader on a warm wash | 30c | $84 | $70Tasmania |
| Television55-inch LED set, five hours of viewing | 17c | $60 | $51Tasmania |
| Electric kettleBoiling enough for two mugs, three minutes | 4c | $58 | $49Tasmania |
| Air fryerMid-sized basket air fryer, 20 minutes | 16c | $33 | $28Tasmania |
| Electric blanketDouble-bed underblanket on a medium setting | 24c | $29 | $24Tasmania |
| Ceiling fanStandard four-blade fan on medium | 19c | $28 | $23Tasmania |
Worth reading next
Sources
- AER - Default Market Offer 2026-27 final determination
- Reference plan rates by state, 2026-27
- Appliance wattages are typical mid-range values for common Australian models. The label on your own unit beats our figure.
Reference prices last checked 2026-10-26. New regulated prices apply from 1 July each year. Spotted something wrong?Tell us — corrections go out the same week.