Electricity prices: are you paying too much?
Every year, the government sets a default price for electricity in each area. It's the most you can be charged on a standing offer, the plan you're on if you've never picked one. Most retailers sell plans for less. Here's how much less, area by area, from every plan they publish.
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New South Wales
Ausgrid
$190
A year less than the default offer of $1,899, on a typical plan. 84% of 122 plans cost less. For Sydney's east, north and inner west, the Central Coast and the Hunter.
See Ausgrid pricesEndeavour Energy
$233
A year less than the default offer of $2,328, on a typical plan. 82% of 125 plans cost less. For Sydney's west and south-west, the Blue Mountains, the Illawarra and the South Coast.
See Endeavour Energy pricesEssential Energy
$208
A year less than the default offer of $2,604, on a typical plan. 83% of 133 plans cost less. For regional and rural NSW.
See Essential Energy pricesAustralian Capital Territory
Evoenergy
$598
A year less than the regulated price of $2,892, on a typical plan. 93% of 100 plans cost less. For the ACT.
See Evoenergy pricesVictoria
CitiPower
$104
A year less than the default offer of $1,481, on a typical plan. 76% of 107 plans cost less. For Melbourne's CBD and inner suburbs.
See CitiPower pricesJemena
$110
A year less than the default offer of $1,563, on a typical plan. 75% of 107 plans cost less. For Melbourne's north and north-west.
See Jemena pricesPowercor
$115
A year less than the default offer of $1,633, on a typical plan. 80% of 106 plans cost less. For Melbourne's west and western Victoria.
See Powercor pricesAusNet Services
$123
A year less than the default offer of $1,748, on a typical plan. 90% of 107 plans cost less. For Melbourne's outer east and eastern Victoria.
See AusNet Services pricesUnited Energy
$107
A year less than the default offer of $1,529, on a typical plan. 74% of 109 plans cost less. For Melbourne's south-east and the Mornington Peninsula.
See United Energy pricesQueensland
Energex
$81
A year less than the default offer of $1,988, on a typical plan. 68% of 114 plans cost less. For Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and nearby.
See Energex pricesErgon Energy
$0
A year less than the regulated price of $2,031, on a typical plan. 0% of 5 plans cost less. For regional Queensland, outside the south-east.
See Ergon Energy pricesSouth Australia
SA Power Networks
$117
A year less than the default offer of $2,334, on a typical plan. 77% of 109 plans cost less. For all of South Australia's main grid.
See SA Power Networks pricesTasmania
TasNetworks
$14
A year less than the regulated price of $1,448, on a typical plan. 71% of 7 plans cost less. For Tasmania.
See TasNetworks pricesHow we worked it out
- Every retailer must publish its plans in the same format, under the Consumer Data Right. We priced their single-rate household plans in each of these areas: 1,251 prices in all.
- Each plan is priced for a year at the same usage the regulator uses for the default offer in that area, including GST. The ACT, Tasmania and regional Queensland have no default offer, so there we compare with the price each state's regulator sets for its standing offer, at the regulator's own typical or median usage. Guaranteed discounts count. Discounts that need you to pay on time or by direct debit don't.
- We leave out plans that pass on wholesale prices, since they only publish an estimate, and plans their retailer hasn't updated since before this year's price change.
- The headline figures are for plans with one rate for every hour. In NSW, South East Queensland and SA we also price time-of-use plans, with the regulator's pattern of when a typical home uses power, and plans with a controlled load for hot water. Victoria's regulator doesn't publish one, so there we price single-rate plans only.
Plans as at 16 October 2026.
Sources: Default Market Offer 2026–27: © Commonwealth of Australia (Australian Energy Regulator), CC BY 4.0; Victorian Default Offer 2026–27: Essential Services Commission, CC BY 4.0; Plans: each retailer's Energy Product Reference Data (Consumer Data Right), via the AER.