Typical Utility Costs in Denver

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Typical Utility Costs in Denver

Staff Writer · May 10, 2010

Typical utility costs for Denver, on average, are lower than other major metropolitan cities, such as San Diego, Phoenix, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Boston, Las Vegas and Philadelphia. However, utilities in Denver do cost more than in major cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Denver usage for all major utilities, such as electricity, high speed Internet, natural gas, telephone and Cable TV runs about $250 per month, with heating costs pushing up the monthly rate to about $300 in the coldest months. Because Denver’s cost of living is 35% above the national average, you may have to be somewhat cautious about monitoring your usage. Nevertheless, apartments in Denver can be affordable, with rental rates ranging from around $500 for a studio to about $2,000 for a luxury apartment. The median rental rate throughout the metropolitan area is about $700 per month.

Electricity

Xcel Energy is Colorado’s largest utility and provider of electricity and natural gas in the Denver area. It is also the #1 wind power provider in the U.S. United Power and Intermountain Rural Electric also supply services in the region too. Local businesses in Denver typically enjoy lower electric rates than the rest of the U.S. They paid about 2 cents less per kilowatt hour than the remainder of the country in 2008. Because Colorado is a major contributor to the nation’s energy supply, it also provides utility services that are more economical than other major cities too. If you live in the Denver area or are planning on moving to the city, expect to pay, on average, about $50.00 to $60.00 per month for electric usage.

High Speed Internet

The cost of a high-speed Internet connection is fairly reasonable in the Denver metro area. Expect to pay a monthly bill of around $50.00.

Natural Gas

As stated, Xcel Energy provides natural gas for the city of Denver. The utility charges customers from around $30.00 in temperate seasons all the way to a monthly rate of about $100 or a little higher in the coldest months. Nonetheless, Denver has taken the initiative to keep energy consumption low in the commercial sector. The city ranks 4th in the nation for the number of energy-efficient commercial buildings it maintains. Ranking behind Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, the city was given the Energy Star designation by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2009. The city is striving to leave its green print on society and the economy with buildings that reduce the consumption of energy as well as the associated utility costs needed to run them.

Phone Costs

Although a landline telephone is not exceptionally expensive (about $30.00 per month), if you want to cut your utility costs, you may want to consider using only your cell phone as your main phone. Nevertheless, if you prefer to have the option of communicating with a cell phone or a landline phone, you won’t be burdened with an expense you can’t reasonably handle.

Cable TV

Cable TV, for most people, is a must-have item and therefore the expense is also a necessary evil. In Denver, rates can be high and can cost the consumer upwards to $65.00 per month.

Overall, though, Denver utilities are lower than the utilities in most cities. That’s good news if you’re a resident or plan to become one soon.

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