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Comment by lqet | Hacker News Reader

Household of 3 people in one of the most expensive cities in Germany here, with multiple Raspberry Pis, a laptop and a small server running 24/7. We are not actively doing anything to save energy. We pay between 20 and 30 EUR per month for electricity. The average net income per household in Germany is 3314 EUR per month [0], so this is less than 1% of the average household income. I would not call that expensive. Regardless of the cost, it will especially not prevent you from putting food on the table of your family, because if you have problems to do that, social security will pay the bill for you.

[0] https://www.bpb.de/nachschlagen/datenreport-2018/private-hau...

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This is hard to believe. I'm paying more than that for a household of 1. For 3 ppl, the typical comparison platforms quote EUR 900 p.a. as the cheapest option (3,500kWh estimate). At EUR 360,- a year, you'd get a mere 1000kWh which hardly supplies a fridge, lighting and cooking every now and then. The average price in Germany is close to 30ct per kWh, plus some kind of fixed base fee...

Why is that hard to believe? I just checked my bill. Last year, we consumed 1,402 kWh, which came down to around 33 EUR per month (a bit higher than my number above, which was the cost in 2017). We cook at least 6 days per week. Our washing machine is a cheap model from 2015.

The third person in our household is a little child, so we are more in the 2 persons range. But even for 2 persons, Google states as the average 3,000 kWh, which I find hard to believe. Even if we tried, I just cannot think of anything we could do to consume even more electricity.

> 1,402 kWh, 33 EUR per month

no way. not even close. 1400 is never ever 33 euro not even in the east side of germany.

33 per month is 396 per year, even in Stuttgart (random not-cheap-to-live place I just plugged into a price search) you can get 1400 kWh for ~420, so I'd not be so certain ~ 5% lower isn't possible elsewhere.

This translates to 0.285 EUR/kWh, with 0.30 EUR/kWh being the current average in Germany, according to Google.

he said he pays that monthly. unfortunatly all electricity provider have a base price. also 0.30eur/kWh is the lower bracket in west germany (not the average). and for more than 1 person 1400 kWh also seems a little bit off, too. Ok granted maybe he is roughly at 1800, but 1400 is like having a fridge+washing machine (every 3 days)+cooking (every second day)+led lamps for like 4 hour per evening.

In turn, I find the typical comparison platform estimate hard to believe. I live in a 2-person household and we need roughly 1000kWh/a without really caring for it. The platforms estimate 2500kWh/a.

Even with an extra freezer and a dishwashing machine we wouldn't come even close to the "estimated" value. Also: We pay about 0.25Eur/kWh. The 30-40Eur/mo is also true for us.

1000kwh/pa sounds reasonable.

My household averages about that and we have 2 fridges and 2 freezers and electric oven. Hob, hot water and central heating are gas though.

I spent less than 1000KWh last year when I was living alone. Had one fridge, and cooked most of my meals. The washing machine was building owned and heating/hot water was building provided via gas heating.

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