How much the average electricity bill is in Tokyo, and how to cut down on it
As of November 2020, there are approximately 13 million people living in Tokyo. So, what is the appropriate level of electricity bill for people living in Tokyo? This article goes in-depth of multiple ways you can cut the annual cost of the electricity cost. On average, you can save up up to 21,600 yen per year if you follow the tips we suggest!
According to the Annual Report of the Family Income and Expenditure Survey, the average monthly electricity bill in Tokyo’s 23 wards was 8,069 yen in 2019. However, electricity bills vary greatly depending on the number of people living with you; the 8,069 yen figure was calculated without distinguishing between the number of people in the household, so it is not a good comparison to your home electricity bill.
Below is a more detailed analysis of how much the monthly electricity bill costs depending on the size of the household (2019).
| City name | Single person household (yen) | two person household (yen) | Three person household (yen) |
| Tokyo (23 wards) | 5,011 | 8,392 | 9,642 |
| Yokohama City | 5,010 | 8,391 | 9,641 |
| Kawasaki City | 4,648 | 7,784 | 8,945 |
| Chiba City | 4,300 | 7,201 | 8,274 |
| Saitama City | 5,120 | 8,575 | 9,853 |
If you ever feel as though these figures are too high for you, there are multiple ways to cut down on the cost!
A wide variety of home appliances are used in the home, from household appliances such as computers and smartphones to cookware, air conditioning, and lighting. It is difficult to save money on all of them, so the key is to know which appliances are costing you money and which ones are easy to save money on, and review them!
Air conditioners are one of the appliances that consume a lot of electricity. However, if you stop using it to save money, during summer it may cause heat stroke, so the key is how to save energy efficiently while staying comfortable. Many people turn their air conditioners on and off frequently in order to save on electricity. However, the air conditioner consumes the most power when it is turned up or down to the set temperature, so it is better to leave it on constantly on a set temperature than to turn it on and off frequently to reduce power consumption.
The more time you spend at home, the more time you have to use the lights, so it is important to be conscious of saving electricity.
One of the most effective ways to save electricity in lighting is to switch to LED light bulbs. Panasonic’s “LED bulb replacement simulation” shows that replacing four 60-inch incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs can save 18,706 yen per year. Contrary to air conditioners, lighting saves electricity when it is turned on for a shorter period of time, so you can save money by turning it off frequently.
Lastly, using refrigerators effectively could save you some money. Since refrigerators have a temperature control function, you can save a lot of electricity by adjusting the temperature according to the temperature: high in the hot summer and low in the cold winter. If the ambient temperature is 22 degrees Celsius, changing the temperature control from high to medium can save about 1,700 yen per year.
If the refrigerator is too close to the wall, it will heat up and consume extra electricity to cool down. 5 cm away from the wall to allow the heat to escape will save about 1,200 yen per year.
If you pack your refrigerator too tightly, not only will it use extra electricity due to poor circulation of cold air, but it will also take a long time to take out the food, and if you leave it open, the cold air will escape. Leave as much space as possible for food. On the other hand, if you fill the freezer, it will keep the food cold more effectively.
Taking incentives to make these improvements could significantly reduce your electricity bills.
