Electricity, gas and water in a 70 m² flat: why €120 falls short

Electricity, gas and water: why €120 a month falls short

How much does it cost to keep the lights on and the heating just right in a 70-square-metre flat with two people living in it? The question, seemingly domestic, can be answered anywhere from €120 to €205 a month depending on who you ask. And that's where the problem starts: there is no single figure, there is a range that depends on the contracted power, the type of boiler and whether the local council has decided to add the rubbish fee to the water bill.

The starting calculation used by whoever peine the topic —€60 for electricity, €10 for water and €50 for gas— adds up to €120. Reasonable on paper. The first correction comes both up and down: less electricity than expected if time-of-use pricing applies, but considerably more gas if someone at home feels the cold easily. And a warning that is always forgotten: the phone bill is not included in that count.

What you actually pay for electricity, gas and water each month

The accounts that keep piling up paint a much wider picture. Some report €20 for water every two months, with gas shooting up to €120-140 every two months in winter and dropping to €30 in summer, and electricity steady at around €130 every two months. In other words, a flat that eats up more than €150 a month in utilities in January and breathes in July.

Seasonality is the key factor almost nobody factors into their estimates. Gas is not paid the same in January as in June, and anyone who calculates the annual bill by dividing a winter month by twelve is in for a shock. Conversely, anyone who does it with a May month gets overconfident.

All-electric or gas: the decision that changes the bill

The underlying debate is about energy. Against gas stands the option of electrifying the whole house and playing with hourly tariffs: some claim that with an all-electric setup and an inverter unit the annual average stays at €75 a month, without being too cold or too hot, with outdoor temperatures of -2 in winter and 35 in summer. The argument makes sense: it avoids the gas fixed charge and its tax.

But geography rules. In parts of Castilla y León, with harsh winters, gas heating still works out cheaper than electric. The all-electric recommendation works in mild climates; on a plateau below freezing, the inverter works at its limit and the bill suffers.

The fine print that never shows up in the calculations

There are costs that sneak in through the back door. Some councils add rubbish collection to the water bill, which wrecks any €10 estimate. And if the flat is owner-occupied, IBI (Spain's local property tax), homeowners' association fees and home insurance appear — items that are not utilities but weigh just as much on the wallet.

The most striking case is that of someone who splits costs with their partner: she pays the mortgage, he pays the utilities and the community fees. His calculation —€70 for electricity, €30 for water, €60 for gas and €45 for the phone— adds up to €205 before adding the neighbourhood fee. There, we are no longer talking about €120.

The real range, all in all, runs between €120 and €205. Anyone budgeting on the low end had better pray for a mild winter.