Average Utility Costs in Texas

How Much Should You Expect Your Electric Bill to Cost?

The first and most intuitive thing you think about when someone mentions bills is probably electricity. While you would not find the highest average utility costs in Texas, the electricity bill in Texas is higher than the overall US average . Hiring long-distance movers to move to Texas means taking this increased energy cost into account.
According to the United States Energy Information Administration, the average electric bill in the United States is $117.65 . Not too bad. In Texas, however, you can expect to pay somewhere around $140.
You must be wondering why it’s so much higher than the average by now. That’s because of the winter storm that hit Texas in February earlier this year. Texas actually hit the electricity bill price cap in that storm. Usually, the price cap would be hit during the summer months. Don’t worry, though; we will list you some clever and interesting ways that could help you cut down on your electricity usage.

Use Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Most people would think that light bulbs are too small to make any difference when the bill comes knocking. Lighting your home actually costs 20% of the overall electricity bill, which costs homeowners around $200 annually on average.
If you make a choice to swap out your old incandescent light bulbs (those are the old yellow ones) with newer, more energy-efficient light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs), you can expect to save around 80% of the electricity used to light up your house.

Unplug Any Devices You Are Not Using

How much would unplugging appliances save you? The United States Department of Energy says that homeowners can save anywhere between $100 and $200 each year by unplugging unused appliances.

Here’s the average cost of electricity you can expect to pay when living in Texas:

• The average monthly electricity cost of a 1-bedroom apartment is $84.46
• The average monthly electricity cost of a 2-bedroom apartment is $119.38
• The average monthly electricity cost of a 3-bedroom apartment is $153.93
• The average monthly electricity cost of a 4-bedroom apartment is $191.59

The two main culprits behind a hefty electric bill include:

• The Apartment Size: The equation here is simple. The bigger your apartment, the more power your electric appliances will draw to heat or cool a large space. The area includes the ceiling height and the overall floor space.
• The Number of People: Whether you’re a family of 4 or a single individual living with roommates – the cost of electricity would go up with the number of people using it.

Wondering what are the major energy drainers and how you can cut back on them? Here’s a quick list to get you started:

• Lightening: In an average American household, the lighting itself contributes to 10% of the electricity usage. Investing in LED light bulbs that are energy-efficient, and using the light only when you need can help lower your electricity costs.
• Water heater: It is the reason for 14% of your apartment’s electricity usage. While most water heaters are set at 140℉, you can bring it down to 120℉ to bring down the costs.
• Space Heater or Air Conditioner: Combine these two appliances, and you’ll see they contribute to more than 32% of your apartment's electricity usage. By making the simple change of using these appliances less, you can have big savings at the end of the month.
• Energy Providers: It’s best to research, track, and manage your cost when moving to a new place. That said, you could save up to 40% a month by choosing the right energy provider. Make sure you compare the prices and services before settling on a service provider.

How Much Is the Water Bill in Texas?

Texas has much lower water costs than the US average. The water bill differs a lot depending on the size of the house and its residents. One person would not pay the same water bill as a family of four.
The US water bill is $337.60 on average per year per household . In Texas, though, the yearly average is $288.43. Don’t let it fool you, though. The water bill will vary substantially depending on the city.
If you were to hire local movers to move to the city of Lubbock, you would expect an annual water bill of around $474.60. Move to Wichita Falls, and you will be finding an average water bill of $516.43. Almost double the Texas average. Reviews of the city you’re moving to will give you an idea of the amount you’re likely to pay in utility costs.
The water bill in smaller cities is more expensive than in bigger cities since in a smaller city, the cost of getting water there is distributed among a smaller group of people than in a bigger, more crowded city where the cost is distributed among its many citizens. Your apartment location will affect the amount you’ll have to spend on utilities.
Nevertheless, no matter where you live, you wouldn’t mind saving some money on your water bills. So here are a few ways to reduce your water consumption and, therefore, your water bill.

Invest in Water Efficient Shower Heads

Showering accounts for 17% of the overall water bill. Showers are the third most significant source of water consumption after washing machines and toilets. A person showers for 8.2 minutes on average and uses 17.2 gallons (65.1 liters) in those 8 minutes. The water flow rate of showers is approximately 2.1 gallons per minute (GPM) or 7.9 liters per minute (LPM).
A water-efficient showerhead can save around 7 gallons of water (26 liters) in a 7-minute shower. Which adds up to 2377 gallons (9000 liters) saved every year.

Want to know the monthly water prices based on the size of an apartment? Here’s a quick list for you:

• The average water bill for a 1 bedroom apartment is $21.11
• The average water bill for a 2 bedroom apartment is $36.41
• The average water bill for a 3 bedroom apartment is $45.79
• The average water bill for a 4 bedroom apartment is $57.47

It is estimated that an average American uses 82 gallons of water at home on a daily basis. This also leads us to the conclusion that an average American typically has up to $.94 of debt for water use on a daily basis.

Fortunately, there are ways to considerably slash the cost of your water bills. This will not only help you save big per month but will also contribute to saving the environment. Make sure you use the water only when necessary. Other hacks like investing in a dishwasher, taking shorter showers, getting an ENERGY STAR certified washing machine, and fixing all the issues with your water taps can help you save on your monthly water costs.

How Much Is the Natural Gas Bill in Texas?

A lot of people rely on natural gas for heating their houses and apartments. Not all people do, though. Around 70% of people use natural gas furnaces to heat their homes, the other 30% mainly being electric furnaces, especially in northern states.
The situation is a little bit different in Texas. Since Texas's climate is warmer overall than most other states, high-performance natural gas heaters aren't needed as much as in the northern states. As a result, electric heaters typically have the lowest upfront costs. This is why only 40 percent of people living in Texas opt for natural gas heaters .
Still, 40% of Texas is a lot of people, and those people typically have to pay a natural gas bill of $110.58 on average , which is pretty good compared to other states and the US average. In fact, Texas ranks the 12th lowest according to natural gas prices.

Make a Smart Financial Decision by Installing Quality Heat Insulation

Some homes have relatively poor heat insulation, which puts more pressure on the heating system to keep up with heat seeping into the house in the cold months and effortlessly out of the house in the hotter summer months.
As you might expect, having good heat insulation installed can significantly reduce the amount of energy needed to heat or cool the house. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that people can save 15% of all heating and cooling costs by adding quality insulation in the crawl spaces and attics , saving the average Joe about $200 every year.

From a studio apartment to a 4-bedroom apartment, here’s how much you can expect to pay for natural gas monthly:

• The monthly gas bill for a studio apartment is $16.34
• The monthly gas bill for a 1-bedroom apartment is $18.85
• The monthly gas bill for a 2-bedroom apartment is $37.36
• The monthly gas bill for a 3-bedroom apartment is $52.21
• The monthly gas bill for a 4-bedroom apartment is $70.41

Typically, your electrical bill and natural gas bill will be lumped together. If you want to dive deeper into what your bill summary would be, you can head to your utility provider’s website. There, you’ll find a quick overview of how much gas and electricity you’ve used.

Quick tip: When moving to a new apartment in Texas, try considering appliances that use natural gas. This is mainly because natural gas appliances tend to be less expensive than electrical appliances.

How Much Would You Pay for Cable and Internet?

If you move to Texas, you should expect to pay a cable bill of around $85 per month .
However, some people nowadays say that cable is old-fashioned, so they stop paying for it entirely and instead opt for internet streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and many others. Most of these streaming services cost you around $10 per service each month.
It's also a pretty good argument if you think about it. A ten-dollar Netflix subscription offers you a vast collection of movies and TV shows to choose from. So you watch whatever you want, whenever you want, and pay substantially less.
A problem with cable is that some people pay for full cable subscriptions and pay for channels they don't even watch. If you use cable, we suggest you spend a few minutes thinking about what you pay for, and if it's useful for you or not. If not, only pay for the ones you find entertaining and watch regularly.
As for the internet, the average monthly cost of internet in Dallas is $60 per month . Although a problem some people have is paying for the internet that they don't use.
If you only use the internet to check emails, you shouldn't pay for the internet like a person who uses it for streaming daily. Check your data usage and pay for what you need, not more. If you need to reduce internet costs, you can opt for less quota or slower speeds.

Car Gas Is Also a Utility

There are definitely people out there who would argue against gasoline being a utility. But according to the Small Business Administration, gas is also a utility. It's not easy to give you an estimate of how much you'd be paying for gas, though, since it mainly depends on the fuel economy of your car and how much you drive. Packing your car to move to Texas will save you some money, but only if the gas price is acceptable. For example, a sports car with a V8 engine would use substantially more fuel than a typical mid-range sedan that the average person drives. You should also expect to pay more for fuel than a sedan or a hatchback if you drive a pickup truck.
Hybrid cars are the most economical. One of the most popular cars is the Toyota Prius. If you drive one of those, you are probably one of the people who don’t have to worry about gas very much.
We can, however, tell you that Texas has the 4th cheapest gas prices . $2.942 for a regular gallon and $3.258 for a mid-grade gallon.

How much do utilities cost per month?

Adding everything we just talked about together, that’s a total of $419 , divided into $140 for electricity, $24 for water monthly, $110 for natural gas, $85 for cable, and $60 for the internet. That is how much the average Texan pays each month without factoring in the money-saving tricks we listed in each section.

COST OF LIVING IN TEXAS

The cost of living in Texas can be 8% higher than the U.S. average. According to Move.org, Texas is on the rank no. 31 in terms of the average utility bill. The average utility bill per month in the state includes:

• Electricity - $100.91
• Natural gas - $110.58
• Internet - $58.29
• Cable - $100.00
• Water - $40.00
• Total - $409.78

Wondering how much are utilities per month in different Texas cities? Here’s a quick utility cost compilation to help you get a better idea:

Note: The costs can vary based on factors like the size of your apartment, the number of people living, the locality you’re in, and the amount of utility usage.

The most expensive city in Texas is Austin. When compared to the national average, the monthly bills here cost 21.7% more. You can expect to shell out about $2300 per month to live comfortably in Austin. The cheapest city in Texas, on the other hand, is Amarillo. It has a cost of living index of just 80.1 as compared to the U.S. average of 100. Whether you’re moving to a large apartment or a small apartment, a more expensive city or a comparatively cheaper one – it’s always best to understand the specific costs of your area. This will help you create and execute your budget smartly.