What makes up your bill
A home electricity bill has four parts:
- Energy charge: the kWh you used, priced by tier
- Meter fee: a fixed monthly amount based on your breaker size
- VAT: 15% of the energy charge and meter fee together
- Total: what you pay
The two price tiers
| Monthly consumption | Price per kWh |
|---|---|
| First 6,000 kWh | 18 halalas (0.18 SAR) |
| Every kWh above 6,000 | 30 halalas (0.30 SAR) |
Only the part above 6,000 kWh is charged at the higher rate. If you use 7,000 kWh, 6,000 are charged at 0.18 and 1,000 at 0.30.
The meter fee
| Breaker size | Monthly fee |
|---|---|
| 20–99 A (most homes) | SAR 10 |
| 100–199 A | SAR 15 |
| 200–299 A | SAR 21 |
| 300–399 A | SAR 22 |
| 400 A | SAR 25 |
| Above 400 A | SAR 30 |
Worked examples
A winter month, 1,500 kWh:
- Energy: 1,500 × 0.18 = 270.00
- Meter fee: 10.00
- VAT: (270 + 10) × 15% = 42.00
- Total: 322.00 SAR
A summer month, 7,000 kWh:
- Energy: 6,000 × 0.18 = 1,080.00, plus 1,000 × 0.30 = 300.00
- Meter fee: 10.00
- VAT: (1,380 + 10) × 15% = 208.50
- Total: 1,598.50 SAR
The summer bill is about five times the winter one, because air conditioning uses far more energy and part of it falls into the higher tier.
Checking your own consumption
Your consumption is this month’s meter reading minus last month’s. For example, 14,000 − 12,500 = 1,500 kWh. The electricity bill calculator accepts either your kWh or your two readings.
Ways to lower your bill
- Set air conditioners to a moderate temperature and close doors to rooms you aren’t using.
- Clean air-conditioner filters regularly, since blocked filters make units work harder.
- Choose inverter air conditioners and appliances with a high energy-efficiency rating.
- Switch to LED lighting.
These figures are for residential accounts. Commercial, government and agricultural accounts pay different tariffs, and your bill may include other items, so check the details with your electricity company.