Typical Utility Costs in Seattle

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Typical Utility Costs in Seattle

Teresa Bergen · Jan 20, 2022
View of the Seattle skyline at sunset.

Seattle has grown phenomenally in the last decade, reaching a whopping 23.8 percent growth rate before tapering off in 2019. And renters know that in-demand rarely equals cheap.

Fortunately, utility costs still run lower here than in other large metropolitan areas. For example, if you moved from San Francisco to Seattle, you’d save almost 30 percent on utility costs. If you moved from Austin to Seattle, you’d see similar savings.

Electricity

Seattle City Light has served Seattle since 1910. It’s one of the country’s biggest city-owned utility providers with respect to the number of businesses and residents served, and it prides itself on being a nationally recognized leader in renewable energy. In 2005, it became the first electric utility in the US to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions.

Because its main source of electricity comes from hydroelectric power, Seattle depends on precipitation from rain and snow to supply it with most of its electrical needs. In years with normal precipitation, hydroelectric resources can furnish the lion’s share of energy. Of course, electricity here also depends on nuclear, wind, coal, natural gas, biomass, waste, and petroleum resources.

This all sounds good, but unfortunately for ratepayers, in 2021 the Seattle City Council approved a multi-year rate increase, with prices rising three to four percent annually over the next five years. The average customer’s utility bill was predicted to increase from $77 per month in 2021 to $91 in 2026. You can check out the current rates at Seattle City Light’s site.

Natural Gas

Puget Sound Energy, a privately owned company, supplies the natural gas for the Seattle area, much of which will feed your apartment’s heater. The Pacific Northwest is all about heating, after all. This may come as a shock if you move to Seattle from Texas, but don’t expect A.C. everywhere.

Obviously you’re going to pay more for heating in the winter, and much less in the summer. Your total bill depends on what other appliances use gas, such as your stove or water heater. The average gas bill for apartment renters is about $100 in winter, but will probably drop to $60 or possibly much less in the summer.

Water and Sewage

Depending on your apartment complex, you may or may not be billed for water and sewer usage. The projected cost could already be lumped into your rent. Be sure to find this out before signing anything, as the cost could be as high as $65 per month. It seems crazy given how much it rains in Seattle, but sewers cost a lot to maintain.

In Seattle, only owners — not tenants — can establish water, sewage, garbage, recycling, and compost accounts. That’s why some owners may decide to factor these costs into the rent.

Either way, it’s in everybody’s interest to conserve water. So report any leaks, running toilets, or other water issues to your landlord ASAP.

Internet

Seattle is a high-tech city with tons of internet providers. Top internet providers here include Xfinity, CenturyLink, Wave Broadband, and Viasat. Xfinity is the fastest overall, with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps if you purchase a fiber internet plan. Expect to pay an average of $64 per month, depending on how speedy a plan you choose.

Telephone

At the risk of sounding retro, even in a world of smartphones, some renters may still want a landline. Advantages include the fact that they’re likelier to work in a long-term power outage well after your cell has run out of juice. Also, a landline gives 911 dispatchers your exact address. If you’re the cautious sort, these two reasons may make you consider picking one up.

A landline will also have better sound quality in your apartment compared to your cellphone. If you do business from your home and don’t want to risk a call dropping, a landline will be more reliable. Lucky for us all, landlines run pretty cheap now, especially if you bundle them in with other services. Xfinity’s plans start at $30 per month. Spectrum offers voice plus internet for $63 a month, or voice plus 125 TV channels for $58 per month. If you want to try a non-traditional setup, Ooma Telo connects to your high-speed internet to provide all the regular landline features. Buy one of Ooma’s phones and get a free calling plan.

Cable TV

Should you get cable TV or stick to your favorite streaming services? This really depends on what shows or games you want to watch. Seattleites can expect to pay Comcast somewhere between $50 and $125 per month for cable, depending on download speed and channels. Cable bills add up fast though, so this is definitely a utility to ponder before signing an agreement. Subscribing to Netflix and Amazon Prime could be much cheaper while providing just as much entertainment.

Of course, reading the paperwork and fine print applies to everything we sign, although it’s very easy to skip all the boring details. While electricity, gas, and water are generally more set in stone, you can always shop around and find deals on TV and internet. Stay on top of any promotions you sign up for, too, as they have a way of running out and then surprising you with price hikes when you least expect it.

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