How much is the average gas bill per person in an Australian share house?

The national average household gas bill is about $229 per quarter. In a 3-person share house, that's roughly $76 each per quarter or about $5.85 a week.

Why is my gas bill so much higher in winter?

Gas heating is the main culprit. In states like VIC, heating can account for up to 70% of your gas bill. A summer gas bill might be $80 for hot water and cooking, but the same house in winter could hit $350 or more once the ducted heating kicks in.

Should I split gas equally if I don't use the gas heater?

If everyone benefits from the gas hot water and cooktop, the baseline should be split equally. For heating, it gets trickier. If only two out of three housemates use the gas heater, use the summer bill as a baseline and have the heater crowd cover the winter difference.

Is it cheaper to switch from gas to electric in a share house?

Often yes, especially if you have solar panels or are on a decent electricity plan. Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas, and heat pump hot water costs a fraction of gas. The switch is the landlord's call, but it's worth raising — gas prices have been climbing steadily.

Do all Australian share houses have gas?

Not at all. Gas is most common in VIC, SA, and NSW, especially in older homes. Many houses in QLD and WA are fully electric — no gas connection, no gas bill. Newer builds across all states are increasingly going all-electric too.

How to Split the Gas Bill With Your Housemates

Not every share house even has a gas bill — plenty of places in QLD and WA are all-electric. But if you've got gas heating, a gas cooktop, or a gas hot water system, that quarterly bill needs splitting. And if you're in Melbourne, it's probably a bigger deal than you think.

The Gas Bill Split Calculator

How to Split The Gas Bill Fairly

1

Figure out what uses gas

Before you split anything, work out what's actually connected to gas in your house. It's usually some combination of heating, hot water, and the cooktop. This matters because gas heating in winter can make up 70% of your total gas bill, while the cooktop is a rounding error. Knowing what's driving the cost helps you split it fairly.
2

Check if your house has gas

Sounds obvious, but plenty of newer builds and houses in QLD, WA, and northern NSW are fully electric. If your hot water is a heat pump, your cooktop is induction, and your heating is a split system, congratulations — you don't have a gas bill at all. One less thing to worry about.
3

Choose your split method

In most share houses, splitting gas equally is the simplest and fairest option. Gas usage is hard to attribute to individuals — everyone benefits from the hot water system and the heating. The exception is if one person has a gas heater in their room running all winter while everyone else uses blankets.
4

Prepare for winter bill shock

If your house uses gas heating, your winter bill will be dramatically higher than summer. In Melbourne, a $180 quarterly average can easily hit $350 or more in the June quarter. Warn everyone in advance and consider putting a bit aside each month so the July bill doesn't catch anyone off guard.
5

Consider switching to all-electric

Gas prices have been climbing and many share houses are switching to electric alternatives. If your lease is up for renewal, it's worth asking the landlord about a heat pump hot water system or induction cooktop. The upfront cost is on them, and your bills could drop significantly across the house.

Ways to Split The Gas Bill

Method	How It Works	Best For	Fairness
Equal split	Divide the total gas bill equally between all housemates. A $229 quarterly bill split 3 ways is about $76 each.	Houses where gas is mainly for hot water and cooking — things everyone uses roughly equally.	Medium
Usage-based split	Estimate who uses more gas based on habits — long hot showers, cooking frequency, and especially individual room heater use. Adjust shares accordingly.	Houses where one housemate runs a gas heater in their room while others don't.	High
Income-based split	Split the gas bill proportional to each housemate's income. Particularly relevant in winter when gas bills spike and the hit is felt differently depending on what everyone earns.	Mixed-income households where big winter gas bills would strain some housemates more than others.	High
Heating vs baseline split	Use your lowest quarterly bill (usually summer) as the baseline that everyone splits equally. Any amount above that baseline — which is almost entirely heating — gets split differently based on who uses heating and how much.	Houses where some housemates heat their rooms heavily and others don't use gas heating at all.	High

The Gas Bill Costs in Australia

Stat	Value
National average quarterly gas bill	$229
VIC average quarterly gas bill (highest state)	$180
NSW average quarterly gas bill	$176
QLD average quarterly gas bill	$170
Proportion of gas bill from heating in VIC	Up to 70%

Cost estimates are based on publicly available data from energy comparison sites. For current gas rates in your area, compare plans on Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au) or Victorian Energy Compare, or check comparison sites like Finder and Canstar Blue.

Tips for Splitting The Gas Bill

Layer up before cranking the heater

Every degree above 20 on the gas heater adds about 10% to your heating costs. Agree on a house thermostat setting and reach for a jumper before reaching for the dial. Your winter gas bill will thank you.

Bleed your radiators

If your share house has gas central heating with radiators, trapped air stops them working properly. Bleeding them at the start of winter takes five minutes and makes them noticeably more effective. Ask your landlord if you're not sure how.

Close doors to trap heat

Heating the whole house when you're only using the living room is expensive. Close internal doors, shut off vents in empty rooms, and heat the spaces you're actually using. Basic stuff, but it makes a real difference in a big share house.

Know when gas isn't worth it

If your house only uses gas for the cooktop, you might be paying $50-100 a year in supply charges for a gas connection that barely gets used. It could be cheaper to switch to a portable induction cooktop and ditch the gas account entirely.

QLD and WA housemates can skip this page

If you're in Brisbane, Perth, or anywhere tropical, your house probably doesn't have gas. Most newer builds in these areas are all-electric. If there's no gas meter outside, you don't have a gas bill. Simple as that.

Related Guides

Common Questions About Splitting The Gas Bill

How much is the average gas bill per person in an Australian share house?: The national average household gas bill is about $229 per quarter. In a 3-person share house, that's roughly $76 each per quarter or about $5.85 a week.
Why is my gas bill so much higher in winter?: Gas heating is the main culprit. In states like VIC, heating can account for up to 70% of your gas bill. A summer gas bill might be $80 for hot water and cooking, but the same house in winter could hit $350 or more once the ducted heating kicks in.
Should I split gas equally if I don't use the gas heater?: If everyone benefits from the gas hot water and cooktop, the baseline should be split equally. For heating, it gets trickier. If only two out of three housemates use the gas heater, use the summer bill as a baseline and have the heater crowd cover the winter difference.
Is it cheaper to switch from gas to electric in a share house?: Often yes, especially if you have solar panels or are on a decent electricity plan. Induction cooktops are more efficient than gas, and heat pump hot water costs a fraction of gas. The switch is the landlord's call, but it's worth raising — gas prices have been climbing steadily.
Do all Australian share houses have gas?: Not at all. Gas is most common in VIC, SA, and NSW, especially in older homes. Many houses in QLD and WA are fully electric — no gas connection, no gas bill. Newer builds across all states are increasingly going all-electric too.

Skip the Spreadsheet

Whether it's a $69 summer bill or a $150 winter shocker, Split divides your gas bill between housemates in seconds. Add the bill, pick the split, done.

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