Best of Johannesburg

How Much Electricity Joburg Homes Use – And What You’re Really Paying For

Published

4 months ago

May 14, 2025

Chiraag

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Electricity costs are climbing, and for Johannesburg residents, understanding how tariffs work – and how much you’re using – is more important than ever. In 2025, most households are burning through more kilowatt-hours than they realise, often hitting the highest price bracket without knowing it.

How Much Electricity Does a Typical Joburg Home Use?

Most households in Johannesburg are averaging around 900kWh per month in 2025. That’s well over the city’s mid-tier pricing cap, pushing many families into the most expensive rate for a large portion of their consumption.

City of Johannesburg Tariffs 2024/25: What You’ll Pay

The City of Johannesburg uses a block tariff system, which means you pay more per unit the more you consume.

Here’s the current breakdown:

0-350kWh: R2.2162 per kWh
351-500kWh: R2.7110 per kWh
Above 500kWh: R3.2261 per kWh

Tip: If you’re using more than 500kWh per month, a significant part of your bill is being charged at the highest rate.

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Image 1: JustMoney

What’s New with Eskom in 2025?

Eskom’s 2025/26 tariff structure includes a national average 12.74% increase, with changes aimed at simplifying costs for smaller users.

Key change:

Homelight tariffs have scrapped their previous tiered system beyond 350kWh, meaning more predictable pricing for mid-level consumers.

Track and Save: Use Eskom’s Residential Calculator

Not sure how your electricity is being used? The Eskom Residential Calculator is a free online tool to help households get a better grip on their consumption.

What it does:

Estimates your usage based on household habits
Identifies high-consumption appliances
Suggests changes to reduce your power bill
Allows you to track and compare month-to-month usage

“It’s not going to give you your exact bill, but it will help you understand where your biggest power drains are and how to manage them.”

How it works:

You input details about your home and how often appliances are used.
The calculator uses national averages (e.g., average geyser efficiency, typical usage patterns).
You can update your actual tariff for more accurate comparisons.
You can save your data and track it over time.

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Image 2: Eskom

What it won’t do:

Predict your exact electricity bill
Reflect the exact tariff you’re charged unless manually adjusted
Replace your utility bill – it’s a guidance tool, not a billing system

Why This Matters to Joburg Residents

Electricity isn’t cheap – and it’s not getting cheaper. By understanding how tariffs work and tracking your usage, you can:

Identify habits that increase your monthly costs
Make household-wide changes to cut unnecessary power usage
Compare your consumption over seasons and properties

What to Know in 2025

A typical Joburg household uses 900kWh/month, putting it in the top billing tier.
City Power charges up to R3.2261/kWh for usage beyond 500kWh.
Eskom has adjusted tariffs with a 12.74% increase for 2025/26.
Use the Eskom Residential Calculator to track and reduce your usage.