Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about how Utilio works — the data, your privacy, and how to get the most out of it.
About the Data
Utilio is a free tool that shows you what utilities actually cost — electric, water, and gas — in cities across the U.S. It pulls from two sources: real utility bills submitted anonymously by residents, and official rate-based estimates for cities where community data is still sparse.
Community data comes from real utility bills submitted anonymously by residents — renters, homeowners, and people who've recently moved. Estimated baseline data is pre-loaded by Utilio using official utility rate schedules and regional averages. When community submissions exist for a city, we show those. When they don't, we fall back to estimates.
An estimated baseline is Utilio's pre-loaded cost range for a city, calculated from official utility company rate schedules (like CPS Energy in San Antonio or Austin Energy in Austin), adjusted for typical usage by property type, bedroom count, and season. It's a solid starting point but real community submissions are always more accurate for a specific area.
Accuracy depends on how many community submissions exist for a given city. Cities with 30+ submissions show high-confidence data driven by real bills. Cities with fewer submissions rely more on baseline estimates, which are directionally accurate but won't capture local quirks. We always label which type you're seeing.
No — this is not live data. Community submissions go through a review process before being added to the dataset, which typically takes 24–48 hours. Baseline estimates are updated periodically, not in real time. Think of it as a reliable reference rather than a live feed.
Utilio currently has data for cities across Texas and is expanding to more states. Baseline estimates are pre-loaded for major metros. Community data is concentrated where submissions have come in — typically cities with active real estate activity or military installations nearby. Coverage grows as more people contribute.
Privacy & Submissions
Yes. We only collect utility amounts and basic home details: property type, bedrooms, square footage, ZIP code, and season. No name, email, address, or any identifying information is collected or stored. Your data is aggregated with similar homes — no individual bill is ever shown publicly.
No. You can look up utility costs for any city without creating an account. Submitting your own utility data also doesn't require an account — just fill out the form and you're done.
Every submission makes the data better for everyone — including you, the next time you move. Cities with more submissions give more accurate, reliable numbers. It takes about two minutes and costs you nothing.
Your submission goes through a quick admin review before being added to the community dataset. Once approved (typically within 24–48 hours), it contributes to the averages for your city, improving accuracy for future users.
Using Utilio
Go to the homepage and enter your utility bills to see how you compare, or search directly for a city to see what residents there typically pay. You can filter by property type, number of bedrooms, and home size to get a more relevant comparison.
Yes. On the results page, there's a city compare feature that lets you see utility costs side by side. Useful if you're deciding between two locations or relocating from out of state.
The seasonal chart shows how utility costs change across Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. In Texas, for example, summer electricity costs can be 2–3x higher than spring due to air conditioning demand. Use the seasonal view to understand the full-year cost of a city, not just a single monthly average.
Because a 3-bedroom house and a 1-bedroom apartment in the same city have very different utility profiles. Filtering by property type, bedrooms, or square footage narrows the dataset to homes similar to yours, giving you a more relevant comparison.