Utility Costs in Sydney.?

Question

Whats the average costs of utilities, electricity, gas, water and any other bills you come across?

We are looking to rent a 3 or 4 bedroom unit, apartment or townhouse in Sydney, maybe in Parramatta.

As a renter, what other bills do you have to pay along with electricity. Do you pay for gas and water? And are there any other bills that you have to pay as a renter? ( excl. rent itself)

What do you pay for the above?

Also, whats an idea of phone and internet prices?

Thanks Heaps in advance!

Cheers

Answer 1

If you rent a house, you pay water, if you rent a unit, no water charge. Landline phones are around $30 per month (not including calls)

Average cost would depend on use I suppose, I currently spend $5-10 per fortnight on electricity - there are 2 of us in a one bedroom flat. Gas  i think is around $80 per quarter

Answer 2

You have got younger Australians confused as a Utility in Australia means a half ton or one ton pick-up truck.  

I don't live in Sydney but I can tell you to look on the net for -

Water - Sydney Water Board.

Gas - Australian Gas Light Co. (AGL)

Land Line Phone - Optus or Telstra are your most likely service providers.

Cellular phone -we call them Mobile phones - there are several  to chose from.  Telstra probably has the widest coverage, Vodaphone may be cheaper but has less of a coverage outside Sydney.  There are a few others.  

Cable TV - Foxtel, might be another service,  I don't have it, I'm not interested.    

Electricity  - I'm sorry, I don't know who supplies in Sydney.  Maybe search "Sydney electricity"  and see what comes up.  

As a renter you will pay for electricity, gas and phone,  but water, sewerage and local government taxes will be included in your rent.  If you rent a house on it's own land you may have to pay water and sewerage.  Apartments and units (we call them "flats") will almost certainly have water and sewerage included in the  rent.  

ISPs well there is Telstra, Dodo, that's the ones I can think of just now.  You can get phone, internet and cable TV bundled, maybe with electricity as well.  

Also look on the net for Australian real estate companies  L.J. Hooker, Elders, "The Professionals".  These may list some of the rental properties available.  

Happy flat hunting.