One of you works from home. Should they pay more for utilities?
A home office runs heating or cooling, lights and a computer through the day. That is real use, but often smaller than people fear. Put a number on it and see.
Meter and service charges, the fridge, the router: what the bill costs even when nobody is home.
Jul 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2026 · 31 days
| Person | Days home | Fixed part | Usage part | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ana | 31 / 31 | $17.84 | $71.42 | $89.26 |
| Ben | 31 / 31 | $17.83 | $47.61 | $65.44 |
| Cam | 27 / 31 | $17.83 | $41.47 | $59.30 |
| Total | $53.50 | $160.50 | $214.00 |
“Make it a household” signs you in, adds this bill to a new household ledger, and sets it up as a monthly bill you can edit.
The numbers, step by step
The July electric bill is $214. Ana works from home on weekdays and the flat is air-conditioned during the day because of it; Ben and Cam are out at work. Cam was also away for four days. The household agrees to weigh Ana’s days at 1.5× and to treat a quarter of the bill as fixed.
- Ana pays $89.26 ($17.84 fixed + $71.42 usage): home 31 of 31 days × 1.5 usage weight (44.5% of the usage) + an even share of the fixed 25%.
- Ben pays $65.44 ($17.83 fixed + $47.61 usage): home 31 of 31 days (29.7% of the usage) + an even share of the fixed 25%.
- Cam pays $59.30 ($17.83 fixed + $41.47 usage): home 27 of 31 days (25.8% of the usage) + an even share of the fixed 25%.
- Total: $214.00 for 31 days.
Names and amounts are samples. Change any number in the calculator above and the result updates.
A fairness test you can run together
Fair-division research calls a split envy-free when each person feels they got the best piece “in her own estimation”, as Francis Su puts it. Ask: at these prices, would anyone rather swap rooms? If not, nobody envies anyone. Bid mode makes that a guarantee.
Keep it running
Turn this into a household: rent posts at the agreed split each month, bills split by days home, and housr works out who owes whom. Roommates join with a link and a name.
Make it a householdWhen this split is fair, and when it isn’t
Fair when
- Air conditioning and space heating are large shares of home electricity use, so a home office that keeps the flat cooled or heated during the day adds real cost.
- The weight is agreed and revisited by season: summer cooling and winter heating weigh more than spring and autumn.
- The fixed part (the meter charge, the fridge, the router) stays even, because it doesn’t depend on who is home.
Not so fair when
- If the person working from home keeps the heating off and works in a coat, a weight above 1 overcharges them.
- If the employer pays a home-office stipend that covers utilities, some households use that as the guide for the extra share.
- Don’t use the weight for a single heavy appliance one person owns; ask them to cover that appliance instead.
This is general information about splitting costs between yourselves, not legal advice. Your lease and your state’s law decide what you owe the landlord.
Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity use in homes. Checked 2026-10-05.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, How much electricity does an American home use?. Checked 2026-10-05.
- Francis Su, Harvey Mudd College, Fair Division Calculator (historical page). Checked 2026-10-05.
Related situations
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