Where the same household pays most for electricity
Published 29 October 2026. Estimates for 6,158 Queensland and New South Wales suburbs, from AER benchmark usage at 2026-27 default market offer prices.
The same two-person house is estimated to pay $2,135 a year for electricity in most of south-east Queensland and $3,257 on the cool tablelands of New South Wales, $1,122 more for the same household. For a family of four the gap is $1,610. Where you live sets two things the household can't change: the climate zone, which drives how much power a home uses, and the network, which sets the price.
Electricity for the same household, by town
Each figure is a house with the same number of people. Only the location changes.
| Town | Network | Climate zone | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 7 | $3,257 | $4,460 |
| Bathurst, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 7 | $3,257 | $4,460 |
| Goulburn, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 7 | $3,257 | $4,460 |
| Armidale, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 7 | $3,257 | $4,460 |
| Dubbo, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 4 | $3,150 | $4,247 |
| Wagga Wagga, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 4 | $3,150 | $4,247 |
| Tamworth, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 4 | $3,150 | $4,247 |
| Albury, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 4 | $3,150 | $4,247 |
| Port Macquarie, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 5 | $2,827 | $3,553 |
| Coffs Harbour, NSW | Essential Energy | Zone 2 | $2,774 | $3,668 |
| Penrith, NSW | Endeavour Energy | Zone 6 | $2,720 | $3,102 |
| Parramatta, NSW | Endeavour Energy | Zone 6 | $2,720 | $3,102 |
| Wollongong, NSW | Endeavour Energy | Zone 5 | $2,442 | $3,142 |
| Townsville City, QLD | Ergon Energy | Zone 1 | $2,373 | $3,265 |
| Cairns City, QLD | Ergon Energy | Zone 1 | $2,373 | $3,265 |
| Bondi, NSW | Ausgrid | Zone 5 | $2,342 | $3,029 |
| Hornsby, NSW | Ausgrid | Zone 5 | $2,342 | $3,029 |
| Newcastle, NSW | Ausgrid | Zone 5 | $2,342 | $3,029 |
| Toowoomba City, QLD | Ergon Energy | Zone 5 | $2,274 | $2,874 |
| Mackay, QLD | Ergon Energy | Zone 2 | $2,140 | $2,879 |
| Brisbane City, QLD | Energex | Zone 2 | $2,135 | $2,850 |
| Surfers Paradise, QLD | Energex | Zone 2 | $2,135 | $2,850 |
| Maroochydore, QLD | Energex | Zone 2 | $2,135 | $2,850 |
That's one line of the bill. Now see what a home in your suburb costs to run each year →
Why the tablelands pay most
Orange and the other cool tableland towns sit in climate zone 7, where AER benchmarks put a two-person home at 6,467 kWh a year, the highest benchmark of the zones here. They are also on Essential Energy's network, which carries the highest usage rate and daily supply charge of the five networks here. High usage on the highest prices gives the largest bill.
The inland towns of zone 4, such as Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Tamworth, are close behind. Hot dry summers and cool winters mean cooling and heating both.
Western Sydney against eastern Sydney
Across Sydney the split follows the network and the climate. Penrith and Parramatta are on Endeavour Energy's network in climate zone 6, with hotter summers and cooler winters than the coast. Bondi and Hornsby are on Ausgrid's network in zone 5. A two-person house in Penrith is estimated at $2,720 a year, $378 more than in Bondi.
Every network and climate zone
| State | Network | Climate zone | Suburbs | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | Essential Energy | Zone 7, cool temperate | 554 | $3,257 | $4,460 |
| New South Wales | Essential Energy | Zone 4, hot dry summer, cool winter | 900 | $3,150 | $4,247 |
| New South Wales | Essential Energy | Zone 6, mild temperate | 362 | $3,115 | $3,512 |
| New South Wales | Endeavour Energy | Zone 7, cool temperate | 64 | $2,857 | $4,016 |
| New South Wales | Essential Energy | Zone 5, warm temperate | 316 | $2,827 | $3,553 |
| New South Wales | Essential Energy | Zone 2, warm humid summer, mild winter | 692 | $2,774 | $3,668 |
| New South Wales | Endeavour Energy | Zone 6, mild temperate | 570 | $2,720 | $3,102 |
| New South Wales | Ausgrid | Zone 6, mild temperate | 139 | $2,615 | $2,990 |
| New South Wales | Endeavour Energy | Zone 5, warm temperate | 103 | $2,442 | $3,142 |
| Queensland | Ergon Energy | Zone 1, hot humid summer, warm winter | 327 | $2,373 | $3,265 |
| Queensland | Ergon Energy | Zone 3, hot dry summer, warm winter | 41 | $2,373 | $3,265 |
| New South Wales | Ausgrid | Zone 5, warm temperate | 825 | $2,342 | $3,029 |
| Queensland | Ergon Energy | Zone 5, warm temperate | 235 | $2,274 | $2,874 |
| Queensland | Ergon Energy | Zone 2, warm humid summer, mild winter | 98 | $2,140 | $2,879 |
| Queensland | Energex | Zone 2, warm humid summer, mild winter | 905 | $2,135 | $2,850 |
Groups with at least 20 suburbs. Every suburb in a group gets the same estimate.
Method and source
The estimate is the same one used on every SuburbCost suburb page and the electricity calculator. Usage is the Australian Energy Regulator's residential benchmark for the household size and the suburb's climate zone. It is priced at the 2026-27 default market offer for the local distribution network: the usage rate per kilowatt hour plus the daily supply charge. The default market offer is a regulated ceiling, so many retail plans cost less, and solar, gas, appliances and habits all change a real bill. Figures are for a house; units use less.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the same household pay more for electricity in some suburbs?
Two things vary by location. The climate zone sets how much electricity a typical home uses, through heating and cooling, and the network sets the regulated price per kilowatt hour and the daily supply charge. A two-person house in Orange is estimated at $3,257 a year against $2,135 in Brisbane.
Does western Sydney pay more for electricity than eastern Sydney?
On these estimates, yes. A two-person house in Penrith (Endeavour Energy, climate zone 6) is estimated at $2,720 a year, against $2,342 in Bondi (Ausgrid, zone 5): $378 more for the same household.
Are these actual electricity bills?
No. They are estimates: the Australian Energy Regulator's benchmark usage for the household size and climate zone, priced at the 2026-27 default market offer for the local network. The default offer is a ceiling, so a household on a cheaper retail plan, with solar or with different habits will pay a different amount.
Electricity is one line of the bill
SuburbCost adds council rates, water, insurance and the commute for every QLD and NSW suburb, so you can see what a home costs to run before you buy.
Get the free suburb running cost report →Or estimate your own electricity bill by suburb and household size.
Cite this data
SuburbCost data is free to cite with attribution. Please link to this page as the source.