Cost of utilities in San Diego (Corona, Mesa: real estate, apartments, rental)

[fedfan]

What is the average cost of utilities in San Diego for a 1 br/ba apartment around 650-700 sq ft.?

I am in CO, and during winter I pay around 30 for electricity, 60-80 for heat and 8 for water. During summer, electricity bill increases to around 45 and the heat bill reduces to 35-40.

Are the rates comparable in SD?

Thanks for your input.

[socketz]

For something that small, yes.

Note that while San Deigo pays high cost per kW/h, you don't need climate control that much throughout the year, so utility costs are the least of most peoples concern. It's the mortgage that keeps them up at night.

Here in TX (just relocated), different story. In the Summer, $300-500+ per month is about average for utils.

[kettlepot]

I'm doing some guessing here, but here goes.

You'll be living in an apartment so water should be included. Or it has been in my rental experiences.

Then it depends whether you have all electric or gas and electric utilities. I think gas and electric is the more common situation which will be good as gas is cheaper.

My guess, $60-80 in the winter, $40-50 in the spring and fall. And then for summer it depends if you have A/C or not. If you don't have A/C and are just running electric fans all summer, (mid-Jun to mid-Sep) probably $50-60. If you have A/C and love to use it, $80-100, maybe. I don't have A/C so I don't know for sure how much it costs to run that these days. But if you ever get a shocker of a bill it will probably come from running the A/C too much.

[kimmer]

Expect utilities to go up in the future. Especially gas & electric. I have a small, 2-story house (1100 sq ft). I had the A/C on (set at between 68-70 degrees) for one month during a hot spell in July, and my bill jumped from $68 per month (no A/C or heating on) to $276.00.
Yikes!

[kettlepot]

One last point, your utility expense depends GREATLY on where you live. If you live in an inland valley, expect to spend twice what I quoted. Winter nights will be colder, and summer days hotter, a LOT hotter. If you live on the coastal plain, expect to pay about 10% less.

That's another reason why San Diego real estate is so expensive. The actual amount of land with desireable weather is actually quite limited.

[fedfan]

Originally Posted by kettlepot

One last point, your utility expense depends GREATLY on where you live. If you live in an inland valley, expect to spend twice what I quoted. Winter nights will be colder, and summer days hotter, a LOT hotter. If you live on the coastal plain, expect to pay about 10% less.

That's another reason why San Diego real estate is so expensive. The actual amount of land with desireable weather is actually quite limited.

Thanks for your input. One question, how far from the coast do you call inland?

[Mel2882]

I don't live in San Diego, I live in Corona, but I do live in a 650 sq ft apartment. Yes some apartments include water, some don't. I pay for all my utilities...I've used the heat a little and I use the air in the summer. My electric bill has never been over $30, my gas has never been over $40 (my heat is gas), water is $11, and then there is trash and sewage For me, those last three come in flat rate and add up to $41 a month. Just so you know, I haven't been using my heat sparingly and I cook a lot...so the gas may be higher for me than it would be for someone else. The thing about heat and air...in San Diego you probably won't use them as much as I do in Corona, and also it doesn't take long to heat up or cool off 650 sq.ft. Anyway, I'm getting wordy. Good luck!

[Mel2882]

I'd say inland is about 20-25 minutes from the beach. Some people might disagree.

[kettlepot]

I think this is one of those cases that actually requires distance to be stated in miles rather than driving time. I know, how un-California like.

I'd say the coastal plain runs from 0-3 miles from the coast (10% discount). The coastal mesa (the figures I quoted) runs from about 3-10 miles, and the inland valleys (100% greater) run from about 10 miles inland until you hit the mountains. However, for some reason Mira Mesa which is on the coastal mesa tends to run warmer than it should.

I would guess that on the average summer day you gain about a degree every mile you go in from the coast until you hit the ridge that separates the coastal mesa from the inland valleys and then you instantly pick up another 10 degrees.

[daugs]

And when the marine layer comes in that really cools things down.

I really miss that living here in texas.