These Are the 10 Most and Least Expensive Cities for Household Bills
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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No matter where you live in the United States, you can expect to spend thousands of dollars a month on household bills. But your location can make a big difference in the amount you actually pay.
The median U.S. household spends $2,058 a month or $24,695 a year on household bills, according to a new report from bill-pay service doxo. The report breaks down costs for the 13 most common household bills: mortgage, rent, auto loan, electric, gas, water/sewer, waste/recycling, auto insurance, cable/internet, health insurance, mobile phone, alarm/security, and life insurance.
One thing doxo uncovered were vast cost differences between major metro areas. Households in the most expensive cities might spend more than $42,000 a year on bills, while those in the cheapest cities pay less than $20,000.
Here’s a look at the 10 most expensive cities for household bills. Also find out how much you’re paying for utilities in your state.
San Jose, California
- Average monthly bill per household: $3,523
- Cost of Bills Index (COBI): 171 (median of 100)
- % of household income: 29%
- % above national median: +71%
New York, New York
- Average monthly bill per household: $3,385
- COBI: 164
- % of household income: 35%
- % above national median: +64%
San Francisco, California
- Average monthly bill per household: $3,272
- COBI: 159
- % of household income: 27%
- % above national median: +59%
San Diego, California
- Average monthly bill per household: $3,185
- COBI: 155
- % of household income: 35%
- % above national median: +55%
Boston, Massachusetts
- Average monthly bill per household: $3,162
- COBI: 154
- % of household income: 36%
- % above national median: +54%
Seattle, Washington
- Average monthly bill per household: $2,941
- COBI: 143
- % of household income: 30%
- % above national median: +43%
Los Angeles, California
- Average monthly bill per household: $2,869
- COBI: 139
- % of household income: 45%
- % above national median: +39%
Washington, D.C.
- Average monthly bill per household: $2,866
- COBI: 139
- % of household income: 30%
- % above national median: +39%
Denver, Colorado
- Average monthly bill per household: $2,617
- COBI: 127
- % of household income: 34%
- % above national median: +27%
Austin, Texas
- Average monthly bill per household: $2,550
- COBI: 124
- % of household income: 30%
- % above national median: +24%
These are the 10 least expensive cities.
Cleveland, Ohio
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,606
- COBI: 78
- % of household income: 36%
- % below national median: -22%
Detroit, Michigan
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,641
- COBI: 80
- % of household income: 50%
- % below national median: -20%
El Paso, Texas
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,677
- COBI: 82
- % of household income: 34%
- % below national median: -18%
Dayton, Ohio
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,684
- COBI: 82
- % of household income: 29%
- % below national median: -18%
Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,709
- COBI: 83
- % of household income: 30%
- % below national median: -17%
St. Louis, Missouri
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,769
- COBI: 86
- % of household income: 29%
- % below national median: -14%
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,775
- COBI: 86
- % of household income: 27%
- % below national median: -14%
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,783
- COBI: 87
- % of household income: 34%
- % below national median: -13%
Rochester, New York
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,785
- COBI: 87
- % of household income: 32%
- % below national median: -13%
Indianapolis, Indiana
- Average monthly bill per household: $1,809
- COBI: 88
- % of household income: 32%
- % below national median: -12%
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