Average Electric Bill in Montana
The average electric bill in Montana is about $134.91 a month — roughly $1618.92 a year — at the state average rate of 14.99 ¢/kWh. That's about $358.56 a year less than the typical U.S. household pays. That's based on 900 kWh of monthly use at the all-in average rate — delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already inside it; locally billed taxes vary by area.
Key metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Montana average rate | 14.99 ¢/kWh |
| Estimated monthly bill | $134.91 |
| Estimated annual bill | $1618.92 |
| 500 kWh example | $74.95 |
| 1,500 kWh example | $224.85 |
Montana vs U.S. average bill
Montana's typical residential bill estimate is lower than the U.S. average by $29.88 per month (18.1%).
Is this what you'll actually pay?
It's a fair benchmark, not a forecast. We take Montana's average rate of 14.99 ¢/kWh and apply it to 900 kWh a month at the all-in average rate, which comes to $134.91. That rate already includes delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees; locally billed taxes vary by area.
Your own bill can land well above or below that, depending on how much you run the air conditioning, how you heat your home and water, your home's size, and how your utility designs its rates.
Rates are the EIA's July 2026 residential averages; this page's figures were last refreshed Sep 28, 2026 (UTC).
Average electric bill by home size in Montana
The 900 kWh benchmark sits between an apartment and a medium home. At Montana's rate, an apartment using 650 kWh runs about $98.60 a month and a large home using 1,600 kWh about $236.57.
| Home size | Typical usage | Monthly bill | Annual bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment in Montana | 650 kWh/month | $98.60 | $1183.22 |
| Small Home in Montana | 900 kWh/month | $134.91 | $1618.92 |
| Medium Home in Montana | 1,200 kWh/month | $178.48 | $2141.76 |
| Large Home in Montana | 1,600 kWh/month | $236.57 | $2838.88 |
Rows other than the benchmark use a two-part model, a fixed monthly charge plus a per-kWh rate, that matches the statewide average exactly at the benchmark usage. Open a profile for the assumptions behind it.
Usage-level bill examples in Montana
| Monthly usage | Estimated cost | Canonical page |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $74.95 | How much does 500 kWh cost in Montana? |
| 1,000 kWh | $149.90 | How much does 1,000 kWh cost in Montana? |
| 1,500 kWh | $224.85 | How much does 1,500 kWh cost in Montana? |
| 2,000 kWh | $299.80 | How much does 2,000 kWh cost in Montana? |
These pages answer fixed-usage questions like "how much does 1,000 kWh cost?"
What usually moves a household bill?
In practice, the biggest bill drivers are air conditioning, space heating, electric water heating, laundry, EV charging, and the length of time high-wattage appliances run each month.
Want to see where your money actually goes? The usage-cost pages show what a whole-home kWh pattern costs, and the appliance pages break down how individual devices add up.
If this month's bill jumped, start with why is my electric bill so high?, which separates rate causes from usage causes line by line.
Rate design is the other half: NorthWestern Energy's standard residential tariff adds a $4.20 fixed monthly charge before the first kilowatt-hour. See the itemized charges for Montana.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average electric bill in Montana?
Montana households pay about $134.91 a month ($1618.92 a year) at the state average of 14.99 ¢/kWh, based on 900 kWh of monthly use and the EIA's July 2026 residential data. The rate is all-in: delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees are already inside it; locally billed taxes vary by area.
How does Montana compare with the U.S. average electric bill?
The U.S. average bill at 900 kWh is about $164.79 (18.31 ¢/kWh, EIA). Montana's $134.91 is about $29.88 a month less — roughly 18% below the U.S. average.
How much is the electric bill for an apartment vs a house in Montana?
At Montana's average rate, about $98.60 for an apartment (650 kWh), $134.91 for a small home (900 kWh), $178.48 for a medium home (1,200 kWh), $236.57 for a large home (1,600 kWh) per month. Figures for usage other than the benchmark use a two-part model, a fixed monthly charge plus a per-kWh rate, that matches the statewide average exactly at the benchmark usage.
Why is my Montana electric bill higher than the average?
Usage is the biggest reason: air conditioning, electric heat, and water heating can push a home far past 900 kWh a month. Rate design matters too. In Montana, NorthWestern Energy's standard residential tariff carries a $4.20 fixed monthly charge plus 7.83¢/kWh in riders, so a low-usage home pays more per kWh than the average implies and a high-usage home pays less.
See your exact bill in Montana
Set your own usage to match your home — fees included. Then see savings options for Montana.
Know when Montana rates change
Montana rates move with each monthly EIA update. Get an email when electricity costs in Montana gets cheaper — or more expensive.
Montana appliance electricity examples
- Space Heater cost in Montana — See what 1,500 W of typical space heater usage looks like at 14.99 ¢/kWh.
- Heat Pump cost in Montana — See what 3,000 W of typical heat pump usage looks like at 14.99 ¢/kWh.
- Electric Fireplace cost in Montana — See what 1,400 W of typical electric fireplace usage looks like at 14.99 ¢/kWh.
State cost and bill pathways for Montana
- Average power price in Montana — What a kWh of electricity costs in Montana
- Montana electricity rates — Core authority page with statewide pricing context
- Electricity cost in Montana — State-level cost, affordability, and value overview
- Montana average electric bill — What a typical monthly bill looks like
- Electric bill estimator scenarios in Montana — Estimate your bill from your monthly usage
- Montana data profile — Machine-readable state profile and metrics
Historical and trend pages
- Historical electricity prices in Montana — Historical context and trend interpretation
- Electricity inflation in Montana — State electricity inflation analysis
- Montana electricity price volatility — Volatility and rate movement profile
Fixed-usage and calculator pathways
- Electricity cost for 800 kWh in Montana — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- 1,000 kWh cost in Montana — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Electricity cost for 750 kWh in Montana — Cost for this usage amount in the same state
- Custom usage calculator for Montana — Custom kWh and scenario cost calculation
Appliance and estimator pathways
- Refrigerator cost in Montana — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Refrigerator calculator in Montana — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
- Space Heater cost in Montana — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Space Heater calculator in Montana — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
- Window Ac cost in Montana — Appliance operating-cost page for this state
- Window Ac calculator in Montana — Calculator page for adjusting wattage and usage for this appliance
State comparison pathways for Montana
- Compare Montana with other states — State-to-state comparison hub
- Montana vs California electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
- Montana vs Florida electricity cost — Head-to-head comparison page
Discovery and navigation hubs
- Montana electricity hub — Guide to this state's electricity rate, usage, comparison, and tool pages
- Electricity cost scenario hub — Entry point for residential and industry scenario pages
- Montana electricity cost overview — State-level electricity cost page with rates and typical bill context
- Average electric bill in Montana — Typical monthly bill estimate using a standard household usage assumption
- Montana electricity bill estimator — Household profile bill scenarios for this state
- Electricity usage hubs — Browse cost pages by common household usage tiers
Consumer electricity drivers
- Price drivers in Montana — Understand what influences state electricity prices
Source & Method
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Retail Sales of Electricity. Updated: July 2026. Estimates use the EIA all-in average residential rate — energy, delivery, fixed charges, and utility fees together, not just the electricity itself. Fees are inside the rate, not an extra on top; how your own bill splits fixed versus per-kWh charges varies by utility. For what's inside the all-in rate, see hidden electricity fees; for how rates and estimates are defined, see the methodology hub.