The Global Cost of Utilities
Which countries spend the most
on their utility bills?
From water and gas to broadband, utilities are crucial for societies to function and play a vital role in both economic and social development around the world. However, with the cost of living constantly rising and the recent rise in gas prices, it's becoming increasingly hard to pay for the energy we use.
But which countries spend the most on their utilities and which are shelling out the highest proportion of their incomes on energy bills? We delved into the data to find out, analysing the monthly prices of water and gas, electricity broadband and mobile data around the world.
The countries spending the most on utilities
1
Pakistan
82.9%
of monthly income
Taking the top spot in our ranking is Pakistan, with households spending a whopping 82.9% of their income on utility bills, the majority of which is spent on gas and water, followed by broadband at just over 19%.
To deal with the rapid rise in inflation and devaluing of its currency, the
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Nigeria
67.7%
of monthly income
In second place, Nigeria has one of the highest monthly prices for broadband, with citizens paying more than half of their monthly wages purely for internet access. The country also ranks in the top 3 for mobile data, taking up nearly 1% of wages.
3
Philippines
61.5%
of monthly income
Next on our list is The Philippines, with just under 39% of their average monthly wages paid out on gas and water. The island country in South East Asia also ranks in the top 3 for broadband, spending 18% of their monthly salary on an internet connection.
The countries spending the least on utilities
1
Switzerland
6.2%
of monthly income
The country with the lowest household expenditure on utilities is Switzerland, this comes as no surprise as the alpine country has the highest monthly income on our list, of £5,069. Switzerland also ranks highly across the board, ranking in the top 10 for the lowest proportional gas, water and electricity costs as well as broadband.
2
Singapore
6.3%
of monthly income
Taking second place, Singapore also has one of the highest incomes on our list of £3,370 per month, resulting in utility bills only adding up to 6.3% of this total. The city-state also has some of the cheapest proportional utilities, ranking in the top 3 for both gas and water and broadband costs.
3
Ireland
6.5%
of monthly income
Next up, utility bills in the Emerald Isle take 6.5% of the average monthly income, taking the country to third place. Ireland has one of the cheapest proportional broadband costs on our list and also scores in the top 10 for cheapest gas and water bills as a percentage of income.
The countries spending the most on utilities
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As % of income*
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Average monthly income |
Average monthly income |
Average monthly income |
Gas & Water* |
Electricity* |
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How much the UK spends on utilities
Gas and water
Unsurprisingly, gas and water take up the majority of the UK’s spending on utility bills at 6.4% of the average monthly wage. Water tariffs are also set to rise in the UK by an average of 1.7% from April, to an average of £419 a year.
6.4%
of monthly income
Electricity
One of the most ubiquitous utilities, electricity is an essential part of the fabric of modern life, powering everything from heating and lights to keeping our phones and laptops charged. In the UK, an average of £88.8 is forked over to electricity suppliers or 3.6% of the average monthly income.
3.6%
of monthly income
Broadband
One of the most fundamental aspects of modern life is the ability to communicate with anyone, anywhere, instantly so affordable broadband is essential to facilitate this. The UK ranks in the top 10 for the lowest proportion of income dedicated to broadband, at just 1.1% of the average monthly income.
1.1%
of monthly income
Mobile data
The UK also ranks in the top 10 for the least proportion of average monthly income spent on mobile data, shelling out slightly less than 0.05% of their income. Fierce competition from a crowded marketplace in the UK means carriers keep prices low to secure more customers.
0.04%
of monthly income
The countries spending the most on…
Gas and water
Topping our list for gas and water is Germany, with households in the central European nation spending slightly more than £192 per month on both gas and water. This is thanks to the rising cost of acquisition for natural gas and taxes levied on the production of CO2.
Germany
£192.70
per month
Electricity
With its cold, dark winters, Iceland tops our ranking for electricity bills, with each household spending £489.8 per month. Most of the heavy industry in Iceland relies on electricity, so it's no surprise they rank first due to their business energy usage. Electricity in Iceland is provided almost entirely by renewable sources, stemming from hydropower and geothermal energy.
Iceland
£489.80
per month
Broadband
Staying connected is now more important than ever and modern life would be unimaginable without the internet to facilitate this. However, some countries, such as Saudi Arabia are slow to adopt cheap high-speed internet. The Middle-Eastern nation tops the list for the most expensive broadband, at £79 per month, £15 more than Nigeria in second place.
Saudi Arabia
£79
per month
Mobile data
Topping the list for the most expensive mobile data plan is Canada, charging an average of £9.20 for 1 gigabyte of mobile data each month. Unlike many other countries, Canada only has 3 nationwide mobile carriers, with the lack of competition providing little incentive for more competitive prices.
Canada
£9.20
per month
The countries spending the most on...
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Monthly cost of'
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Country |
Average monthly income |
Average monthly income |
Average monthly income |
Gas & Water* |
Gas & Water* |
Gas & Water* |
Electricity* |
Electricity* |
Electricity* |
Broadband* |
Broadband* |
Broadband* |
1GB of Mobile data* |
1GB of Mobile data* |
1GB of Mobile data* |
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How to save money on your energy bills
With energy bills on the rise and set to continue on the same course thanks to the recent hike in gas prices, it's important that you consider these handy tips on cutting down your energy bills. Making these small changes to your habits or to your home can be kinder to your wallet and reduce your carbon footprint too.
The easiest energy saving tip is to switch off appliances you aren’t using, even in standby mode appliances still use electricity, and switching them off at the plug usually won’t upset their programming. This also applies to lights, as turning them off when you’re leaving a room could save up to £20 a year.
When it comes to washing, dialling down the temperature on your washing machine to 30ºC instead of higher temperatures could save you £28 a year, and reducing the number of washing cycles by one a week could knock another £8 off your bill. Drying your washing on clothes racks or outside in sunnier weather could also save you up to £55 a year!
Keeping your home warm is expensive, but turning down your thermostat by only 1ºC can reduce your heating bill by around £80. You could also turn off radiators and shut doors to rooms you aren’t using, to cut down on your heating bill.
Methodology
Average monthly income - the average monthly salary in each country according to World Data.
The monthly cost of gas and water - the average monthly cost of gas and water in each country according to Numbeo.
The monthly cost of electricity - the average price of one kilowatt-hour in each country according to Global Petrol Prices multiplied by the average yearly electricity consumption in kilowatt-hours per capita according to The World Bank divided by 12.
Monthly Cost of Broadband - the average monthly cost of broadband in each country according to Cable.
Cost of 1 GB of Mobile Data - the average monthly cost of 1 GB of mobile data in each country according to Cable.
