Average Monthly Gas Bill

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Husband and I are looking into new apartments, at current we have two choices:

#1) 2 Bedroom with no utilities included.

#2) 2 Bedroom with gas included.

#1 is about $100 less/month than #2. As such, we're trying to figure out what we should expect our monthly gas be to be? Our utilities are included in our current apartment, so we really have no clue what to expect our gas bill to be.

 

[Mystery Man]

Depends on the square footage, and how well insulated the apartment is. Are you on the top, middle or bottom floor?

 

[ssampier]

It also depends on whether the water heater is electric or gas and more importantly what climate you live in, whether you live in warm Florida or very coooold Minnesota.

I live in Utah and our monthly gas bill in the Winter is roughly $50 or so (our winters are fairly mild, but cold). But I know people that spend $100 or more a month for a family a month so your results may vary.

I think the main indicator is what type of person you are. I'm a person that likes it a little colder in the house in the winter and a little warmer in the summer (to match the outside temperature), as such I don't spend as much on utilities as others.

If you're like me and can tolerate the heat a little lower than normal (68 in the Winter), you may save more money paying your own utility bills. If you are like my old roomates that require sub-zero degrees in the summer and sauna temperatures in the Winter, you'd save more with utilities paid.

 

[Lhorgrim]

You may be able to get an average gas bill amount in the general area by checking with the local utility office. In my area they keep some stats for use by realtors.

 

[IronWolf]

In fact you could probably call the gas company and ask for the average bill of the apartment you are looking at specifically. I know we did this with the electric company once for an apartment we were looking at once.

 

[der_kluge]

Expect it to be about $2 for the summer months. That's enough to keep the pilot light on. I know gas prices have steadily increased. In Kansas City, some people gas bills were like $1000 for brutal winter months. It caused quite a problem for poor elderly people.

I wouldn't expect a small apartment to generate a massively large gas bill.

 

[DaveStebbins]

My two-bedroom apartment is all-electric and runs from about $60 per month in the summer to $120 per month in the winter. This is right next to Lake Erie and includes all appliances, water heater, heating and air conditioning running on electric. However, like ssampier, I keep things warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter. Also no one is home all day and I only have one person running the appliances and taking showers, etc. The only thing I don't currently have is a washer and dryer. I'm going to the laundromat weekly and saving up, but trips this summer (including GenCon) will delay me until fall getting those. On the other hand, that is my total utility bill, as the apartment complex doesn't even have any gas lines.

I would expect your expenses to be a little more even (more A/C in summer, less heat in winter) and generally a little higher with more people in the apartment.

-Dave

 

[Storminator]

I have gas everything, and I average my bills out over the year.

$83 per month, and I'm in New England with a 3 bedroom, 2 story house with 3 people.

PS

 

[tarchon]

$100/mo. gas bill would be unusually high for an apartment even in a hard winter month, unless it's like 4 bdr 2000 sq ft or something like that. It shouldn't come even close to that averaged out over the whole year in a fairly mild climate like the DC area. In northern Indiana, I think my 2 BDR usually ran from $20-$40/mo. The house would break $100 sometimes when it was cold.

 

[Eolin]

If its relatively close, my advice is to go with the all bills paid.

The convenience is extreme. Also, being able to run lights and heat without worrying about the upciming bill is very nice.