What would be a fair cost for city utilities?

[alarmguy]

Service Period: 09/01/2025 - 10/31/2025

Current Charges:
Water Residential $27.71
Water Residential Tier 1 $11.30
Sewage Residential $64.48
Sewer Bond Rebate -$14.60
Refuse Residential $57.20
Recycling Residential $9.96
Organics Residential $14.62
Street Sweeping $6.18
Total Current Charges: $176.85

I'd be interested to hear what your costs are.

Please don't ask me which state I reside in. I'm too embarrassed to tell you.

At first glance I thought it looked expensive but compared to all the other posts almost all of them are higher including mine. SOME others may not have noticed your bill is for two months.

We run around an average of $100 a month, depends on winter vs summer lawn watering.

This bill is 9/30/25 - 10/30/25 $87.70 - for the month. (we dont pay separate garbage fees in our county and not included in our monthly bill)

I used 3,140 gallons for the month residential and 1,600 irrigation gallons

 

[IndyIan]

Seems pretty reasonable, but we need to see the mill rate for your property tax too. In our little towns utilities might be almost double that, but my municipality has 3 towns and 3 separate water and sewer systems with an average of ~1000 homes each and almost all homes are undervalued, and under taxed. Also we have some decent recreation facilitates for our size municipality.
I'm in the country, so water and sewer are mostly free, after you install them, our trash is $4.50 a bag picked up once a week. But between recycling, compost/scraps for the critters, hazardous waste, fire starters, we put out a bag a month. Recycling is free, as is green waste but we don't need that.

 

[alarmguy]

They're saying I used 10,000 gallons in two months. That sounds like a lot. I don't know how I used that much, but I guess I did.

"Organic" - refers to the Green Toter. They provide three Toters: Gray, Green, and Blue. Toter being the manufacturer of the container.

"Water Residential Tier 1" - I don't know what that means.

It is a lot or water (not the bill) however do you used an irrigation system? That would make all the difference. You can check for leaks in your system by watching the water meter when no water is being used in the house. If the needle moves there is a leak someplace.

 

[skyactiv]

My waste service is $63 every 3 months. I'm in the country on well and septic and have a water softener and hydrogen peroxide system. The hydrogen peroxide isn't cheap and I'm having the septic tank pumped out next year, the first time since my home was built in 2022 plus I have the well & septic inspected annually. I'm guessing my water cost me $900 this year but I have very good well water. I have the water softener set so the water isn't too soft/slippery.

 

[SumGuy]

This is what I pay in London Ontario Canada (population about 500k)

Short answer:

monthly costs: $115 (water) $80 (gas) $100 (electricity) $460 (prop tax)
- garbage / recycling / yard waste pickup is free (ie included with prop tax)
- 2 story home on .3 acre lot "in the city".
- Those are Can bux. Multiply by .75 to get USD equivalent.

What sucks the most: probably water cost. Watering lawn and trees during a 2-month summer drought (it happens) can alone cost $250 a month.

Longer answer:

Water: fixed monthly cost of $57 (connection charge)
Water: $4.60 per cubic meter ($3.54 per cubic yard, 1.75 cents per gallon)
Avg Water use per month (with late summer drought): 17.6 cubic meters = $81 / month
Avg Water use per month (no drought): 12 cubic meters = $55 / month

Including fixed connection charge:
So normal year (not much landscape watering): $112 / month
Dry year (two months with heavy water use): $138 / month

Water comes from lake huron, no water softener needed.
Not sure if it makes sense to convert this to US dollars, but that equates to $83 and $102 USD / Month
No sales tax charged on water.

Natural Gas:
Gas: Fixed monthly charge $28
Gas: $0.168126 per cubic meter
Gas: 6 months of the year, avg gas bill is about $42 / month
Gas: 6 months of the year, avg gas bill is about 117 / month
Gas: Average monthly bill is $80 ($60 USD)
Gas: forced air 45 year old furnace, 80% efficiency, standing pilot
Gas: 60 gallon tank water heater, standing pilot
Gas: clothes dryer

Electricity:
Time of use rates: (peak / mid-peak / off-peak)
Time of use rates: 15.8 / 12.2 / 7.6 cents / kwh
Fixed monthly connection charge: $41
Average use about 650 kwh / month (390 - 950 range)
Average monthly bill about $100 / month ($75 USD)

Garbage / recycling / yard waste pickup: Included in propery taxes
Property taxes: $5500 / year ($460 / month)
Property taxes pays for police / fire / ambulance / schools / roads

No mortgage for past 20 years, no insurance (my choice, based on perceived risk), house probably could sell for $700k as-is. 2500 sq ft 2 story house + basement on .3 acre court, 2 car attached garage.

Total rough monthly cost to own/operate this house: $755 ($560 USD) water, gas, electricity, garbage pickup, property tax.

The average new car payment in Canada is about $900 according to reports.