Electricity Costs in Denver, Colorado (2026)

Denver households pay Colorado’s statewide average residential rate of 16.54¢/kWh (April 2026), served primarily by Xcel Energy. Below: exact operating costs for the appliances and vehicles most likely to be on your bill, plus solar payback specific to Denver’s latitude.

Rate (April 2026)16.54¢
Typical monthly bill$148
Annual bill$1,772

Based on the EIA U.S. average household consumption of 893 kWh/month. Actual Denver usage varies with climate — Sun Belt cities like Phoenix or Houston average 1,200-1,500 kWh/month; mild-climate cities like San Francisco or Seattle average 400-600 kWh/month.

Top appliance costs in Denver

Each of the biggest household electric loads, at Denver’s rate:

ApplianceAnnual costSee full calculator
Electric Water Heater$815Details →
Tankless Electric Water Heater$761Details →
Level 2 EV Charger$709Details →
Central Air Conditioner$556Details →
Hot Tub$543Details →
Pool Pump$357Details →
Heat Pump (whole-home)$347Details →
Portable Air Conditioner$206Details →

EV charging cost in Denver

Home Level 2 charging costs for popular EVs, at Denver’s residential rate:

EVAnnual home charging costFull breakdown
Tesla Model 3 Long Range$551Details →
Tesla Model Y Long Range$596Details →
Tesla Model S$630Details →
Tesla Model X$735Details →

Solar in Denver

A typical 6 kW rooftop solar system in Denver costs about $18,000 gross ($3.00/W Colorado state avg), $12,600 after the 30% federal tax credit. Estimated annual savings: $1,554. Payback: 8.1 years.

Full Colorado solar payback analysis → · Are solar panels worth it in Colorado? →

Installation costs in Denver

Typical gross install costs for major home energy upgrades, at Colorado averages (Denver may run ±15%):

  • Central AC (3-ton): ~$6,400 — by state
  • Heat pump (whole-home): ~$12,000 — by state
  • Heat pump water heater: ~$3,900 — by state
  • Rooftop solar (6 kW): ~$18,000.0 — by state

About Denver electricity

Primary utility: Xcel Energy. Rate data on this page uses the EIA Colorado residential state average. Your actual utility bill may include time-of-use pricing, tiered rates, or monthly service fees on top of the per-kWh energy charge.