Utility and Heating Costs in St. John's: Newfoundland Power, Oil Heat and What Renters Pay
Quick answer
A St. John's apartment with electric baseboard heat costs about $260–$285 a month on average for power and internet, from around $165 in summer to $360 in January. An electrically heated house can reach $490–$595 in January. Figures are before HST.
| Utility | Apartment (baseboard heat) | House |
|---|---|---|
| Newfoundland Power | $80–$251, ~$173 avg | Electric heat: up to $406–$484 in Jan; oil heat: $126–$157 |
| Oil heat | Rare in apartments | $216.60 per 100 L (Oct 2026) |
| Water | $0 (owner's tax) | $0 renting; $58/month if you own |
| Internet | $85–$110 | $85–$110 |
| Total per month | $165–$360, ~$260–$285 avg | Up to $490–$595 in January |
St. John's is one of the few Canadian cities with no natural gas at all. Every home heats with electricity, oil, or a mix of both. Winters aren't the coldest in Canada, but they're long, wet and windy, and the heating season runs from October well into May. That's why the power bill in a St. John's apartment can triple between August and January.
Newfoundland Power: one rate, used for heat
Newfoundland Power delivers electricity in St. John's; NL Hydro generates most of it. Domestic customers pay a basic customer charge ($17.38 a month for service up to 200 amps as of July 2025) plus one energy charge per kWh, which was 15.213¢ in July 2025. Rates rose an average of about 2.25% on July 1, 2026. The province used a $45 million credit to keep that increase down from a projected 7%. That puts the energy charge at a little over 15.5¢ per kWh.
Baseboard heat is everywhere in St. John's apartments and basement units, and it runs on your meter. Here's what that means through the year (before HST):
| Month | Typical apartment usage | Approx. bill |
|---|---|---|
| July–August | 400–600 kWh | $80–$111 |
| October / April | ~1,000 kWh | ~$173 |
| January–February | ~1,500 kWh | ~$251 |
An electrically heated detached house can use 2,500 to 3,000 kWh in January, a bill of roughly $406–$484 before tax. Newfoundland Power's equal payment plan helps here.
Oil heat: you buy it by the tank
Older houses downtown and in the east end often still heat with oil. With oil there's no monthly bill. You order a delivery, and the price is capped by the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Utilities Board. The Board moved to daily price changes in 2026 because of market volatility. On October 17, 2026, the base-zone maximum for furnace oil was 216.60¢ per litre, before tax.
- 100 litres: about $217 before HST.
- A typical 909-litre (200-gallon) tank fill: about $1,970 before HST.
How many fills you need depends on the house, so ask for last winter's delivery invoices. If the lease makes you responsible for oil, find out whether the tank will be full when you move in and whether you're expected to leave it full.
Oil vs electric vs heat pump: A litre of furnace oil holds about 10.6 kWh of energy. Through an older furnace running around 80–85% efficiency, heat from oil costs roughly 24–26¢ per kWh at October 2026 prices. Electric baseboards cost about 15.5¢. A ductless mini-split heat pump typically delivers two to three units of heat per unit of power, so its heat costs roughly 5–8¢. That's why so many St. John's homeowners have been adding mini-splits.
Households heating with oil may qualify for the province's Home Heating Supplement: up to $500 for households with 2025 income of $100,000 or less (partial amounts up to $150,000) who bought at least 250 litres in 2026. Applications are open until January 15, 2027. Households with heat included in rent aren't eligible unless they have oil invoices.
Water and internet
Water: The City of St. John's charges water tax to property owners, $700 per unit in 2026 (up from $690). Tenants don't normally get a separate water bill. Mount Pearl, Paradise and Conception Bay South are separate municipalities with their own taxes.
Internet: Bell (Fibe) and Rogers are the main wired providers. Bell's Atlantic promotion listed Fibe 500 at $85 a month for the first 12 months ($110 regular). Plan for the regular price.
What to ask before you rent in St. John's
- What heats it: Baseboards, oil furnace, heat pump, or a combination?
- Whose meter: In a basement apartment, is the heat on my Newfoundland Power account or the main house's?
- Winter numbers: Can I see January and February power bills, or last winter's oil invoices?
- Tank status (oil): How old is the tank, is it inside or outside, and will it be full at move-in?
- Drafts and moisture: Old windows and doors in downtown row houses let in a lot of wind. Ask what's been upgraded.
- Heat pump: If there's a mini-split, does it heat the whole unit, or do baseboards take over on the coldest nights?
Newfoundland and Labrador deposits: Under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2018, a security deposit is capped at three-quarters of one month's rent for monthly and fixed-term tenancies. The landlord must return it, or apply to keep part of it, after you move out.
St. John's heating and utility FAQ
Is there natural gas in St. John's?
No. There's no natural gas distribution in Newfoundland, so homes heat with electricity (baseboards or heat pumps) or with furnace oil delivered by truck. That's why the power bill or the oil bill does almost all the work in winter.
How much is furnace oil in St. John's right now?
The Public Utilities Board sets maximum prices, adjusted daily since market volatility in 2026. On October 17, 2026 the base-zone maximum was 216.60¢ per litre before taxes, so a typical 909-litre tank fill costs about $1,970 before HST.
Do renters pay a water bill in St. John's?
Usually not. The City charges water tax to property owners on a per-unit basis ($700 per unit in 2026), and it's typically built into rent.
What help is there with oil heating costs?
Newfoundland and Labrador's Home Heating Supplement pays up to $500 to households with 2025 family income of $100,000 or less (partial amounts up to $150,000) that bought at least 250 litres of furnace or stove oil in 2026. Applications close January 15, 2027.
How big a deposit can a landlord in Newfoundland ask for?
Up to three-quarters of one month's rent for monthly or fixed-term tenancies.
Compare Atlantic Canada
Halifax also relies heavily on oil and electric heat; see Halifax and Nova Scotia utility bills. For national context, see average heating costs in Canada and utility bills by province.
Sources and how we estimated
- Electricity: Newfoundland Power rate schedule (PUB Order P.U. 23(2025)) and the July 1, 2026 increase reported by CBC NL and the Government of NL.
- Furnace oil: NL Public Utilities Board maximum prices, October 17, 2026.
- Home Heating Supplement: Government of NL, July 2026.
- Water tax: City of St. John's taxation.
- Internet: Bell Aliant promotions.
- The 2026 energy charge is our estimate (the July 2025 rate plus the 2.25% average increase). Heat cost comparisons assume 10.6 kWh per litre of oil, 80–85% furnace efficiency and a heat pump efficiency (COP) of 2–3. All figures are before 15% HST.
Next Step: Moving?
To keep this site independent and tracker-free, we only feature services that provide guaranteed upfront pricing.
Vetted Partner: Tingsapp. Their privacy policy applies upon exit.