What is the average gas and electricity bill in Ireland?

How much energy does the average household use?

According to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) the average Irish household uses 11,000 kW/h of gas and 4,200 kW/h of electricity per year.

These averages could apply to you if you’re living in in a standard three bedroom house, using both gas and electricity. There are other factors that may mean your usage is quite different though, such as:

• The size of your home
• How energy efficient it is
• How many people live at home
• When the house is occupied
• How many appliances you use and how often

How much could you save by switching?

If you’ve been on the same energy plan for over a year, you’ll be on the standard tariff, which means you’re paying a higher unit rate than you need to.

The examples below are based on the average annual consumption, and show the difference between the cost of a standard tariff and the current best deal:

The average annual electricity bill for a customer on a standard tariff would be €1,098, while a gas customer on a standard tariff would pay €774.

An average electricity user on the best deal in the market would pay €813, while a gas customer on the best deal would pay €636.

This amounts to a huge potential saving of up to €444 if you switch from a standard tariff to the cheapest deal on the market.

Our guides explain more about how to cut your energy bills and how to save energy in the home.

What if you’re not an average energy user?

If your household doesn’t match the average size household, this will affect how much energy you use. Check your energy utility bill to work out which of the following energy users you are:

• Low energy user: An average ‘low user’ uses 2,900 kWhs of electricity a year and 6,900 kWhs of gas a year.
• Medium energy user: An average ‘medium user’ uses 4,200 kWhs of electricity a year and 11,000 kWhs of gas a year.
• High energy user: An average ‘high user’ uses 5,400 kWhs of electricity a year and 13,700 kWhs of gas a year.

You can use the infographic below to find out a bit more about each energy user group, and which is the best match for you.

How to switch and save on your energy bills

If your energy consumption matches one of these user groups, you could use these values to compare energy deals and see how much you could potentially save.

However, to get an accurate result, you should use your actual annual consumption amounts which are shown on your energy bills, and then compare deals using our free gas and electricity comparison tool.

The process only takes a few minutes and our guide to switching gas and electricity can help get you started.