Moving into an apartment with a roommate? It’s important to anticipate the cost of more than just rent: Variable bills, such as utilities, can take you by surprise if you don’t budget for them, especially during the summer months of Phoenix.
Here are a few guidelines for estimating the average cost of utilities for a two-bedroom apartment, as well as tips for how to keep costs down.
What Are Utilities and What Will Utilities Cost?
For a standard two-bedroom apartment, utilities can vary between $100 and $200 a month. However, this amount can vary substantially depending on where you live, as well as during different parts of the year. For instance, Numbeo.com estimates utilities for two-bedroom apartments in Phoenix to be about $178 a month, whereas two-bedroom apartments in Las Vegas are considerably less at $125 a month.
This includes all of the basics, such as electric, water, sewer and trash, but fails to offer a picture of how the cost can vary from month to month. Here is a quick breakdown of how your utilities can vary, like at our The Del Mar Terrace Apartments.
- Electric: Basic electricity generally runs around $30 to $50 a month, depending on your habits and the time you spend at home.
- Heat: If you live somewhere with colder winters, you could see your heating costs rise as high as $100 during the coldest months.
- Cooling: On average, people spend around $300 a year on air conditioning, but the hottest months might cost you upwards of $100.
Tips for Savings on Utilities
It can be difficult to decide the best way to split bills with roommates, but if you’re both on the same page when it comes to minimizing expenses it makes the bills easier to split at your apartment in Phoenix. Here are a few tips.
- Turn the thermostat down in winter: Keeping the temperature at 68 degrees isn’t that much colder than 70 but can save you money on your heating bill. Keep it even colder overnight or when no one is home.
- Turn the thermostat up in summer: You can keep it cooler to sleep, but during the day and when no one is home, turning your thermostat up to 74 or even 78 degrees can save you a lot of dough.
- Turn off lights and electronics when not in use: Get into the habit of flipping off lights when you aren’t in a room. Keep electronics on a power strip so you can turn everything off at once rather than leaving everything on standby.
There’s No Place Like Home
Finding a place you love can make paying your bills seem less like a chore. For the best selection of shareable apartments in Phoenix and Las Vegas, check out Heers Management’s two-bedroom floor plans, and our many resources for the best Phoenix experience.
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