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Electricity Bill Calculator India: BESCOM, MSEDCL & Appliance Cost Breakdown

ToolMiraJune 28, 202611 min read

Electricity bills in India use tiered/slab rates — the more you consume, the higher the rate per unit on incremental usage. The first 100 units cost ₹3–₹4/unit; units above 500 cost ₹7–₹10/unit in most states.
Your electricity bill is not just unit consumption — it includes fixed charges, fuel surcharge, electricity duty, and meter rent. These add 20–30% over the basic energy charge.
An average Indian urban household (3BHK, AC in 2 rooms, refrigerator, washing machine, TV) consumes 250–400 units per month. Running AC 8 hours/day adds approximately 120–150 units/month per 1.5-tonne unit.
Water bills in India are often flat charges or very low slab rates — but tanker water, RO waste, and swimming pools/car washing add significant real water expenditure beyond the municipal bill.

Use our free Electricity Bill Calculator to estimate your bill from appliance usage — and our Water Bill Calculator for municipal and tanker water costs.

PART 1: ELECTRICITY BILL CALCULATOR

How Indian Electricity Bills Are Calculated

Total Bill = Energy Charges + Fixed/Demand Charges + Fuel Adjustment Charges + Electricity Duty + Meter Rent + GST

Step 1: Calculate units consumed Units (kWh) = Power (kW) × Hours used per day × Days

Step 2: Apply slab rates Most state DISCOMs use progressive slab rates — different rates for different consumption ranges.

Step 3: Add fixed and other charges Fixed charges apply regardless of consumption. Fuel surcharge, electricity duty (10–15%), and meter rent are additional.

State-Wise Electricity Slab Rates (Domestic, 2025)

BESCOM (Bengaluru / Karnataka):

Units/month	Rate (₹/unit)
0–30	₹0 (free for BPL)
31–100	₹3.60
101–200	₹5.90
201–500	₹7.30
Above 500	₹8.10

Fixed charge: ₹50–₹70/month | Electricity duty: 10%

MSEDCL (Maharashtra):

Units/month	Rate (₹/unit)
0–100	₹3.58
101–300	₹6.58
301–500	₹8.28
Above 500	₹9.00

Fixed charge: ₹135/month | Electricity duty: 16%

BSES/TPDDL (Delhi):

Units/month	Rate (₹/unit)
0–200	₹3.00 (first 200 subsidised)
201–400	₹4.50
401–800	₹6.50
Above 800	₹8.00

Fixed charge: ₹125/month | No electricity duty (Delhi)

TNEB (Tamil Nadu):

Units/month	Rate (₹/unit)
0–100	₹0 (free)
101–200	₹1.50
201–500	₹3.00
Above 500	₹5.50

Fixed charge: ₹30–₹40/month | One of the lowest effective rates

HPCL/UHBVN (Haryana):

Units/month	Rate (₹/unit)
0–50	₹2.00
51–150	₹4.25
151–250	₹5.25
Above 250	₹6.75

Electricity Consumption by Appliance

Appliance	Wattage	Hours/Day	Units/Month	Monthly Cost (₹6/unit)
1.5T AC (5-star)	1,500W	8 hrs	360 kWh	₹2,160
1.5T AC (3-star)	1,800W	8 hrs	432 kWh	₹2,592
Refrigerator (250L, 5-star)	150W avg	24 hrs	108 kWh	₹648
Refrigerator (250L, 2-star)	250W avg	24 hrs	180 kWh	₹1,080
Washing machine (6kg)	500W	1 hr	15 kWh	₹90
LED TV (43")	80W	6 hrs	14.4 kWh	₹86
LED bulb (9W)	9W	8 hrs	2.16 kWh	₹13
Fan (5-star)	28W	12 hrs	10.1 kWh	₹61
Fan (regular)	75W	12 hrs	27 kWh	₹162
Geyser/water heater	2,000W	0.5 hr	30 kWh	₹180
Microwave	1,000W	0.5 hr	15 kWh	₹90
Induction cooktop	1,500W	1 hr	45 kWh	₹270
Computer/laptop	50–150W	8 hrs	24–72 kWh	₹144–₹432
WiFi router	10W	24 hrs	7.2 kWh	₹43
Iron	1,000W	0.5 hr	15 kWh	₹90

Sample Monthly Bill Calculation

3BHK household, Bengaluru (BESCOM), July (no AC):

Appliance	Monthly Units
Refrigerator (250L, 5-star)	108
TV (43", LED, 5 hrs/day)	12
Fans × 4 (regular, 10 hrs/day)	90
LED lights × 10 (8 hrs/day)	22
Washing machine (5 loads/week)	12
Geyser (0.5 hr/day)	30
Miscellaneous	16
Total Units	290 units

BESCOM bill at 290 units:

31–100 (70 units) × ₹3.60 = ₹252
101–200 (100 units) × ₹5.90 = ₹590
201–290 (90 units) × ₹7.30 = ₹657
Energy subtotal = ₹1,499
Fixed charge = ₹60
Fuel surcharge (5%): ₹75
Electricity duty (10%): ₹150
Total bill ≈ ₹1,784

Same household in May (2 ACs running 8 hrs/day): Add 720 units for 2 ACs → total ~1,010 units BESCOM bill ≈ ₹7,200–₹8,500/month

Electricity Bill Reduction Tips

Action	Monthly Saving
Switch to 5-star AC from 3-star	₹300–₹600
Use inverter AC vs. fixed speed	₹400–₹800
Set AC to 24°C (not 18°C)	₹200–₹400
Replace regular fans with BLDC fans	₹100–₹250 per fan
LED bulbs throughout	₹200–₹500
Rooftop solar (5kW system)	₹3,000–₹5,000 (after loan EMI)
Star-rated refrigerator	₹400–₹600 vs. old model

PART 2: WATER BILL CALCULATOR

Municipal Water Bill Structure in India

Indian municipal water billing is surprisingly low but highly varied:

City	Flat charge/month	Per KL above limit	Notes
Mumbai (BMC)	₹0–₹200	₹8–₹60/KL	Progressive slabs
Delhi (DJB)	₹0 (first 20 KL free)	₹3–₹45/KL	20 KL/month free per connection
Bengaluru (BWSSB)	₹100–₹200	₹6–₹30/KL	Slab-based
Chennai (Metro Water)	₹55–₹120 flat	₹5–₹25/KL
Hyderabad (HMWSSB)	₹90–₹200	₹8–₹40/KL

Typical municipal water bill for a 3-member household: ₹150–₹500/month

Many Indian households receive highly subsidised municipal water — the real cost of water supply is far higher than what's billed.

The Real Water Cost: Where Bills Are Actually High

Water Source	Cost per KL	Notes
Municipal piped	₹5–₹40	Subsidised, low pressure often
Water tanker (commercial)	₹500–₹2,000/KL	Crisis supply in dry areas
Water tanker (residential)	₹2,000–₹4,000/5KL load	Common in new developments
RO filtered water (refill)	₹500–₹1,500/KL	₹1–₹3 per litre
Packaged water (20L can)	₹2,500–₹5,000/KL	₹50–₹100 per 20L

A family using 1 tanker load (5 KL) per month when supply fails: ₹2,500–₹4,000 extra beyond their municipal bill

Household Water Consumption Guide

Average daily water use per person: 100–150 litres (Indian urban)

Activity	Litres Used
Toilet flush (per use)	6–13 litres
Shower (5 minutes)	40–60 litres
Bucket bath	15–20 litres
Brushing teeth (tap running)	5–10 litres
Drinking and cooking	8–12 litres
Washing machine (top load)	100–150 litres/cycle
Washing machine (front load)	50–80 litres/cycle
Washing utensils	20–40 litres/meal
Mopping floor	10–20 litres
Watering plants	5–30 litres
Car wash	150–300 litres

Monthly water consumption — family of 4 (estimated): Daily use: 4 × 130 litres = 520 litres = 0.52 KL/day Monthly: 0.52 × 30 = 15.6 KL/month

Water Saving Tips (Reduces Both Bill and Tanker Dependency)

Action	Daily Saving
Bucket bath instead of shower	25–40 litres per person
Fix leaking tap (500ml/min drip)	700+ litres/day
Front-load vs. top-load washing machine	50–70 litres per cycle
Low-flow flush vs. full flush	5–8 litres per flush
Reuse RO reject water for mopping/plants	3–5 litres per RO cycle
Rainwater harvesting (rooftop)	Replaces tanker in monsoon

FAQ

How is electricity consumption calculated in units?

1 unit = 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) = 1,000 watts used for 1 hour. A 1,000W appliance used for 1 hour = 1 unit. A 100W bulb used for 10 hours = 1 unit. Your meter records units consumed; the bill applies slab rates to those units.

Why is my electricity bill so high in summer?

Air conditioning is the single largest summer electricity consumer. A 1.5-tonne 3-star AC running 8 hours/day consumes 432 units/month — pushing many households from the low slab (₹3–4/unit) into the high slab (₹7–9/unit). The combination of higher consumption AND higher per-unit rates in the upper slabs causes bill to rise disproportionately (not just double when AC usage doubles).

How do I read my electricity meter?

Standard digital meters show cumulative units (kWh) consumed since installation. Your bill shows units used = current reading − previous reading. Smart meters (being rolled out in India) transmit readings directly. For older mechanical dial meters: read from left to right, ignore the red digit, and subtract from previous reading.

Is water from Delhi DJB really free for 20KL?

Yes — DJB (Delhi Jal Board) provides the first 20 KL per connection per month free of charge for domestic consumers under a standing policy. This covers most normal domestic needs. Above 20 KL, progressive rates apply. This is one of the most generous urban water policies in India — though supply quality and pressure vary significantly by area.

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Written by Ananya Menon

Ananya writes about personal finance, tax, and investing for ToolMira, breaking down India's money rules into plain language with worked examples.

Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this content.