Average Utility Costs in Boston, MA

Estimated monthly utility costs (1,000 kWh + 5,000 gal)

Average monthly utility costs in Boston, MA are about $346.11, based on 1,000 kWh of electricity and 5,000 gallons of water, plus sewer and trash fees. See the full breakdown and sources below.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$346.11

Data freshness: last verified 2026-03-20

Electric total includes both supply (shown as $/kWh from your supplier or Basic Service / aggregation) and delivery (regulated utility charges).

  • Electric $245.56 (71%)
  • Water $55.98 (16%)
  • Sewer $44.57 (13%)
  • Trash $0.00 (0%)

Utilities here are about 20% lower than the Massachusetts city average, driven mainly by electric rates.

  • In Massachusetts, heating and cooling often makes electric the largest share of the bill.

Electric

Confirmed
Provider
Eversource Massachusetts
Supply rate
$0.1421/kWh
Assumed usage
1000 kWh
Supply charge (est.)
$142.14
Estimated monthly (supply + delivery)
$245.56

Delivery (regulated utility)

At 1,000 kWh: $7.50 customer charge + 9.59¢/kWh variable delivery ≈ $103.42/mo. See source for full tariff breakdown.

Check: supply $142.14 + delivery $103.42 ≈ $245.56/mo

Delivery: $7.50/mo customer charge plus variable components summed per tariff effective Feb 1–Mar 31, 2026 (Greater Boston/Cambridge/South Shore energy-efficiency adder 2.506¢/kWh; not Cape & Islands 3.738¢ rate). Summer/winter distribution differs on heat-pump rate only.

Eversource – Eastern MA Electric Delivery Rates (R-1 Residential Non-Heating) (verified 2026-03-20)

boston.gov· verified 2026-03-20

Water

Confirmed
Provider
Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC)
Base charge
$9.06/mo
Volumetric rate
$9.38/1,000 gal
Assumed usage
5,000 gal
Estimated monthly
$55.98
bwsc.org· verified 2026-03-20

Sewer

Confirmed
Method
tiered
Estimated monthly
$44.57

Tiered structure simplified to a representative monthly estimate at assumed usage.

bwsc.org· verified 2026-03-20

Trash

Confirmed
Monthly fee
$0.00

Residential trash for 1–3 family homes provided by city; cost covered by property taxes. No direct monthly fee. Residents supply own barrels or bags.

boston.gov· verified 2026-03-20

Check Internet pricing & availability in Boston

Internet service varies widely—many providers, different plans, introductory offers, and bundles make it hard to compare apples to apples. That's why we don't estimate internet on this page like we do for electric, water, sewer, and trash. Use our tool to compare providers for your address or ZIP code.

Total estimated monthly utilities

$346.11

What changes your bill most?

  • Electric is about 71% of your estimated utilities here.
  • Every 100 kWh changes your total by about $14.21.
  • Each additional 1,000 gallons of water adds about $18.30 to your water and sewer bills combined (water ~$9.38 + wastewater ~$8.91).

Assumptions

  • Electric: 1000 kWh/month (total includes regulated delivery from the utility when delivery is modeled separately)
  • Water: 5,000 gallons/month

What these labels mean

  • Confirmed — From this area's rate schedule.
  • Benchmark — From an official typical (e.g. state commission 1,000 kWh); not city-specific.
  • Delivery only — Regulated delivery charges only (e.g. Texas); supply varies by plan.
  • Supply vs delivery (MA) — Electric supply ($/kWh) is the generation portion; delivery is wires, transmission, and programs from Eversource or National Grid. Municipal aggregation (e.g. Boston, Cambridge) replaces only the supply price.
  • Estimated — From other or incomplete sources; use as a rough guide.
Sources

Wondering if solar makes sense for you? Try our solar payback calculator to find out.

More in Massachusetts

Massachusetts utility costsSuffolk CountyUtility providers in Massachusetts

FAQ

In Boston, sewer is billed in tiers based on usage, so the rate per gallon changes with volume. Our estimate uses the rate structure from BWSC – 2026 Water, Sewer & Stormwater Rates at the assumed 5,000 gallons per month. Your bill will vary with actual usage.
We use base charges and per-unit rates from official provider pages. Electric = base + (rate × assumed kWh). Water = base + (rate per 1,000 gal × assumed gallons / 1,000). Sewer is either a flat fee or a percentage of water. Trash is a fixed monthly fee. See the Methodology page for full formulas.
Actual bills depend on your usage, seasonal rates, taxes, fees, and provider-specific rules. Massachusetts splits electric into regulated delivery (Eversource or National Grid) and supply (Basic Service, municipal aggregation like Boston/Cambridge, or a competitive supplier). We show supply and delivery separately when data allows; totals use 1,000 kWh for comparison.
Each component shows a 'last verified' date. We aim to update from official sources periodically; always confirm current rates on the provider's site before making decisions.

Learn more

For tips on understanding your bill, comparing cities, and how electric and utility rates work by state, see our blog. Compare Boston with another city side-by-side, or see how we calculate estimates.