Average Utility Costs in Michigan
Typical monthly utility costs in Michigan are about $263.92/mo, based on 1,000 kWh of electricity and 5,000 gallons of water (plus sewer and trash where available). Compare Michigan cities below to find cheaper vs more expensive areas.
Electric estimates use a standardized 1,000 kWh assumption; water, sewer, and trash are set by each city or county.
Average Monthly Utility Costs in Michigan
The average utility bill in Michigan is estimated at $263.92 per month, a typical total assembled from median city estimates for electricity, water, sewer, and trash. To reflect a more typical bill across cities (and reduce the impact of outliers), these "average" values use the median of city estimates.
Assumptions: 1,000 kWh/month and 5,000 gallons/month (where applicable). "Average" values represent the median city estimate; water/sewer/trash medians exclude $0 entries when service or published rates vary by address. Actual bills vary by usage, fees, and provider.
Check Internet pricing & availability in Michigan
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.
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DTE vs Consumers: what's included in our electric estimate
DTE Electric and Consumers Energy typically serve the Michigan cities we cover (territory is address-dependent—confirm on each city page or with the utility). Both offer time-of-use (ToU) and standard rates. DTE's base options include Time of Day 3 p.m.–7 p.m., D1.2 Time of Day 11 a.m.–7 p.m., and Overnight Savers; see DTE Electric Pricing Options for current rates.
What we use for estimates
- Standardized 1,000 kWh — Same usage assumption for every city so you can compare.
- Standard or TOU — We use a representative rate (often a blend of peak/off-peak) from the utility's published options; we don't assume you're on a specific plan.
- Included — Customer charge + base energy + delivery/distribution components when explicitly provided in the published rate schedule we source. May be excluded or vary — PSCR/fuel factors, riders, taxes, municipal fees, and other surcharges (your bill will vary).
- City-level = estimate — Territory boundaries can vary by address; our city averages are estimates. If your bill doesn't match, check your rate schedule and confirm by address.
Water, sewer, and trash are set by each city or county, so totals vary even when electric providers are the same.
Cheapest electric rates in Michigan
Cities with the lowest estimated electric bill at 1,000 kWh (where we have a full-bill estimate). See the comparison table below for all cities.
Most expensive total utility monthly cost in Michigan
Top 5 cities with the highest estimated total (electric + water + sewer + trash). See the comparison table for all cities. High totals are often driven by sewer/trash fixed fees and local rate structures, not just electric.
Compare all cities
Estimated monthly costs by city, sorted by total (highest first). Same assumed usage (1,000 kWh, 5,000 gal) for comparison; some cities may show $0 when no single published municipal rate is available or service varies by address. 15 cities; 10 per page.
| City | County | Electric | Water | Sewer | Trash | Total | View |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dearborn | Wayne County | $161.30 | $34.62 | $48.37 | $0.00 | $244.29 | View Dearborn details → |
| Ann Arbor | Washtenaw County | $161.30 | $28.65 | $50.53 | $0.00 | $240.48 | View Ann Arbor details → |
| Grand Rapids | Kent County | $131.55 | $32.09 | $54.11 | $16.94 | $234.69 | View Grand Rapids details → |
| Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo County | $131.55 | $38.35 | $29.02 | $20.00 | $218.92 | View Kalamazoo details → |
| Traverse City | Grand Traverse County | $113.00 | $18.36 | $51.18 | $24.00 | $206.54 | View Traverse City details → |
Michigan counties
View estimated utility costs by county. Each county page lists cities and a comparison table of monthly estimates.
Utility providers in Michigan
In the cities we cover, electric is provided by Consumers Energy (Grand Blanc Mi, Saginaw Mi); DTE Electric Company (Dearborn, Livonia Mi, Novi, Troy Mi); Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) (Lansing); Traverse City Light & Power (Traverse City Mi) Territory is address-dependent for Ann Arbor (DTE vs. Consumers). Water, sewer, and trash are set by city, county, or regional providers. Our estimates use each utility's published rate at 1,000 kWh. City pages show sources and last-verified dates.
See which electric, water, sewer, and trash providers serve different areas of Michigan, along with typical residential rate information and sources.
View utility providers in Michigan →Compare with nearby states
Compare utility costs in Michigan with neighboring states.
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