Washington DC. It is the nation’s capital, and anybody who wants a career in politics is probably going to want to live in this area.
But, that comes at a price. Currently, the average rent in Washington DC is about $2,160 per month.
That is just the rent itself, but then there are utility costs that a lot of people may overlook when considering whether a new location is affordable enough for them to live in.
If you are considering moving to Washington DC, have you thought about this? These are the average utility costs for a small apartment in Washington DC.
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Average Utility Costs For a Small Apartment in Washington DC
When it comes to utilities, it can be broken down into a few main areas when it comes to adding up your total bill. These are:
Internet
This is one of the first utility costs that younger people especially should be thinking about. In this day and age, it is basically a necessity, especially if you are working online to any extent.
The internet bill for Washington apartments really depends on how much Mbps you use. It can be as little as $30 per month and it can go as high as $150 per month.
If you want the fastest internet speeds and you use it on a nearly unlimited basis, you are probably going to be paying more. However, discounts are usually available for any plan if you sign up for around a year rather than just paying a month at a time.
Basic Utilities
This bill combines about 4-5 different things that you will need for your apartment. These are your electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage.
So, what are you paying for all of this? Currently, this package goes for about $161 per month.
This may not sound like the cheapest bill, but it really is not bad compared to a city like New York City. In that area, electricity, gas, and water can cost you at least $250 per month.
Of course, there are going to be a few factors for how much you pay for your electricity. The $161 figure is for a 915 square foot apartment.
However, if you have a bigger place, that bill will increase. If you have a roommate or two that you can split this bill with, you might even be able to take some money off of that bill.
Another factor is what season it is because there may be months that you are blasting the air conditioning and there are other months that you may need to blast the seat.
Washington DC does not get too crazy with hot and cold weather considering that the city is located in the middle of the east coast. But, it can get as high as 91 degrees in July and as low as 29 degrees in January.
Cable
The cable is starting to fade out, but some older people may keep it to watch shows and others for sports. A lot prefer to unplug and are moving towards streaming services, so this bill may not be a factor for you.
Washington DC does not have terrible cable prices compared to some parts of the country. You can find basic cable packages for as little as $25 per month. However, if you want a premium package with all of the extra channels, it can cost you $200-300 per month.
The disadvantage to cable is that it does not matter how big your apartment is. You cannot just get a smaller apartment to reduce your cost, but only reduce the number of boxes you have, cut the cord entirely, or split it with a roommate.
Streaming Services
This is becoming a more and more attractive alternative to cable. Why? Because with this, you are only paying for what you want.
The cost will depend on what streaming service you go with and how many you go with.
Netflix has a premium plan for $17.99 per month. HBO Max offers a standard subscription for $14.99 per month.
Then, there are bundles such as the Disney Bundle, which includes Hulu, ESPN+, and Disney+, which is $13.99 per month.
Parking
In some cities, this can be treated as a real luxury. For example, in New York City, this will cost you $430 per month.
But, for Washington DC, this does not quite cost an arm and a leg, with a slightly more reasonable rate of around $250 per month.
However, there are ways that you can find an even cheaper rate than that. Certain parking garages in the city charge as little as $150 per month.
Then, if you want to find a longer-term rate at a more friendly price, you can look for a monthly rate in parking lots rather than adding up the daily rate.
How Does It Compare?
Comparing Washington DC as an option against, say, New York City along the east coast, you can definitely save money by living here.
If you add up all of the utility costs above and you decide to splurge for parking, you can save about $250 per month on Washington utility costs vs. New York City utility costs.
In a city that is on the higher side for rent costs, you could use every advantage you can get to try and save money on the cost of living.
Do Not Forget Utility Costs
These are the average utility costs for a small apartment in Washington DC that you need to keep in mind. A lot of people mainly look at the rent when considering where they are going to live, but the utilities can sneak up on you if you are not careful.
Do you want more apartment guides? Read this to find out if you can negotiate your rent.
