This kWh calculator shows your household's annual electricity consumption and what it costs at the 2026 Swiss median tariff — with reference figures for typical households.
Informational and non-binding
For individual homes and apartments
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This calculator is informational and non-binding. Actual savings/earnings vary.
How much electricity does your household use per year, and what does it actually cost at 2026 tariffs? This consumption calculator shows you both — based on your household type, usage, and local tariff.
The median Swiss household tariff in 2026 is 27.7 Rp./kWh (ElCom). A typical 4-person family uses 4,000–5,500 kWh/year — roughly CHF 1,100–1,500 in annual electricity costs. With Upgrid you can cover part of that at significantly lower LEG prices.
UpGrid connects households with local solar producers, creating energy communities that benefit everyone. Consumers get cleaner, cheaper electricity while producers earn better returns on their solar investments.
The calculator uses the Swiss H4 standard profile (4,500 kWh/year, multi-person household) as the reference and adjusts based on your inputs. Tariffs follow ElCom 2026 medians: energy component 12.11 Rp./kWh, grid usage 10.75 Rp./kWh, plus levies and VAT.
Typical annual consumption by household size: 1 person ~1,600 kWh, 2 people ~2,700 kWh, 4 people ~4,500 kWh, 5+ people ~6,500 kWh — all without electric heating. With a heat pump, add another 4,000–6,000 kWh.
Real consumption can deviate 20–30% from averages depending on appliances, apartment size and behaviour. For exact figures: read your smart meter or check your last annual statement from your grid operator.
How much electricity a household needs depends mainly on two things: the number of people and whether you live in an apartment or a detached house. The figures below come from the "typical household" model published by EnergieSchweiz and the Swiss Federal Office of Energy — excluding electric heating and electric water heating. Electricity consumption per person falls with every additional person in the household: lighting, the fridge and building services are shared across more people.
| People | Apartment (MFH) | Detached house | Cost/month* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1'730 kWh | 2'270 kWh | CHF 40 |
| 2 | 2'190 kWh | 2'860 kWh | CHF 51 |
| 3 | 2'650 kWh | 3'450 kWh | CHF 61 |
| 4 | 3'110 kWh | 4'050 kWh | CHF 72 |
| 5 | 3'520 kWh | 4'590 kWh | CHF 81 |
| 6+ | 3'920 kWh | 5'140 kWh | CHF 90 |
* Estimated monthly electricity cost for the apartment, calculated at the 2026 Swiss median household tariff of 27.7 Rp./kWh (ElCom).
For the same number of residents, detached houses use roughly 20 to 30 percent more electricity than apartments. The building services run for a single household, and appliances tend to be larger.
For context: the frequently quoted 4,500 kWh is ElCom's H4 tariff profile — a reference basis for comparing tariffs, not an average consumption figure. Your actual consumption is usually lower, depending on your living situation.
In a typical household, roughly half of all electricity goes to cooking, dishwashing, laundry and drying. The table shows annual consumption per appliance group — on the left a two-person apartment, on the right a four-person detached house.
| Appliance group | Apartment, 2 people | House, 4 people |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking and baking, incl. special appliances | 290 kWh | 445 kWh |
| Dishwasher | 210 kWh | 250 kWh |
| Fridge (with or without freezer compartment) | 210 kWh | 332 kWh |
| Separate freezer | — | 320 kWh |
| Lighting | 210 kWh | 418 kWh |
Breakdown of electricity use in a typical two-person apartment (2,190 kWh per year):
There is room to move on consumption itself — but just as much on the price per kWh. These five levers, in this order:
Home entertainment and the home office together account for almost a fifth of consumption. Switchable power strips for the TV setup and the desk are the quickest win.
Washing machine and tumble dryer account for around 350 kWh a year in an apartment. Lower wash temperatures and air-drying instead of tumble-drying save a substantial share of that.
Fridges and freezers run around the clock. A unit ten years or older often uses considerably more than a new one in the best efficiency class — replacement usually pays off sooner than expected.
Electricity prices vary widely between Swiss municipalities. You cannot switch grid operator — but knowing where you stand informs every other decision.
Since 2026 you can buy solar power from your neighbourhood through a local electricity community (LEG) — below the grid tariff, with no installation and no landlord approval needed.
Consumption figures: EnergieSchweiz / Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), factsheet "Stromverbrauch eines typischen Haushalts" (August 2021, based on a 2019 empirical study). Tariffs: ElCom, Swiss median values 2026. All figures without warranty — they describe typical households and can deviate by 20 to 30 percent depending on home, appliances and behaviour.
| Washing machine | 185 kWh | 315 kWh |
|---|
| Tumble dryer | 165 kWh | 287 kWh |
|---|
| Home entertainment (TV, video, HiFi) | 235 kWh | 410 kWh |
|---|
| Home office (PC, printer, modem) | 185 kWh | 330 kWh |
|---|
| Assorted small appliances, incl. vacuum cleaner | 215 kWh | 381 kWh |
|---|
| Shared building electricity | 285 kWh | 560 kWh |
|---|
| Total | 2'190 kWh | 4'048 kWh |
|---|
In multi-family buildings, shared building electricity does not appear on your own electricity bill — it is billed through the service charges. Subtract it when comparing against your own invoice.
