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Average electricity bill in South Australia — 2026–27

Derived estimate · AER benchmark × AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8)

$2,772–$3,215/year for a 2–3 person household

≈ $693–$804 a quarter, at the SA Power Networks rate of 41.9c/kWh + 180.1c/day supply.

Benchmark basis: 'Adelaide and environs' (SA NatHERS-based zone)

Derived average bill by household size, SA (2026–27)
HouseholdBenchmark usageAnnual billPer quarter
1 person2,936 kWh$1,888$472
2 people5,046 kWh$2,772$693
3 people6,102 kWh$3,215$804
4 people7,034 kWh$3,605$901
5+ people8,719 kWh$4,311$1,078
How to read this: these are derived estimates — the AER's published benchmark usage priced at the 2026–27 reference rate for SA Power Networks — not a survey of actual bills.

SA bills in context

  • South Australia’s 2-person figure of $2,772 ranks 6th lowest of the 7 jurisdictions with an AER benchmark; Victoria is lowest at $1,794 and Tasmania highest at $3,067.
  • A second person adds 2,110 kWh and $884 a year; a five-person household uses 3 times the power of a single person but works out at $862 a head, against $1,888 for one.

Electricity bill estimator

SA Power Networks

A 2-person household uses roughly 4,000–5,500 kWh a year.

$2,772 per year ≈ $693/quarter
Supply charge (180.1c/day × 365)
$657.19
Usage (41.9c/kWh × 5,046 kWh)
$2,114.79

Rates: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8), effective 1 July 2026 (GST inclusive). This is the government reference/standing rate for South Australia (whole state) — market offers can sit below it. Full SA Power Networks price breakdown →

Frequently asked questions

How is the average SA bill worked out?
It's a derived estimate, not a survey: the AER's residential consumption benchmark for 'Adelaide and environs' (SA NatHERS-based zone) gives typical annual kWh by household size, and we run that usage through the AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) rates for the SA Power Networks network (supply × 365 + usage × kWh). The methodology page shows the full working.
Why does my bill differ from these figures?
Three reasons: your usage differs from the benchmark, your retailer's market offer prices below (or above) the reference rate used here, and your distribution zone may differ — check your zone's exact rates.
Do bigger households always pay more?
Per household yes, per person no — the benchmark kWh rises with each extra person but far less than proportionally, because heating, cooling and the fridge are shared. That's visible in the table above.

Related

Sources — figures current as at 17 July 2026.

Benchmark edition: AER 'Electricity and gas consumption benchmarks for residential customers 2020' (Frontier Economics, 9 Dec 2020) — the final edition: the AEMC removed the update obligation on 17 Aug 2023; no newer refresh exists. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU. Rates effective 1 July 2026.