The Burrow
Jan 30, 2026
As the world pushes towards a more sustainable future, conversations around energy use are no longer limited to heating and cooling our homes. The devices we use every day, such as phones, laptops, televisions and gaming consoles, quietly contribute to household electricity bills.
With residential electricity prices rising in many regions, even small daily habits like scrolling social media or gaming in the evening can add up over time. To understand how energy costs intersect with modern screen habits, the energy comparison experts at Compare the Market analysed global screen time behaviours alongside residential electricity rates, revealing which countries face the highest weekly cost of powering their digital lifestyles.
Our study ranks 27 countries by total weekly screen time cost, calculated by converting five usage factors into weekly electricity costs (console gaming, TV use, laptop social media use, work-from-home laptop use and general mobile usage). These costs were combined to determine overall rankings from lowest to highest, illustrating the real cost of our screen habits.
Now, let’s take a look at the countries with the highest and lowest electricity costs associated with weekly screen time. If you are looking for our 2022 research, you can find it here.
We’ll begin by looking at the countries where residents spend more money on electricity when they want to enjoy a Netflix marathon or play their favourite video games.
The United Kingdom records the highest total weekly screen time cost in our study. With a residential electricity rate of AUD$0.597/kWh and an average daily screen time of five hours and 36 minutes, device-related energy costs quickly add up.
Console gaming alone costs AUD$4.25 per week, while work-from-home laptop use adds an additional AUD$1.58. Even moderate daily usage translates into high weekly spend due to elevated power prices.
Germany combines a high electricity rate of AUD$0.602/kWh with an average daily screen time of five hours and 28 minutes.
Although usage is not as high as in some other countries, the price of electricity significantly inflates the cost of mobile charging, laptop use and console gaming.
With electricity priced at AUD$0.621/kWh and an average daily screen time of five hours and 39 minutes, Italy’s high energy costs drive up the weekly expense of everyday digital activities, particularly social media on laptop and gaming on TV usage.
Ireland records a residential electricity rate of AUD$0.663/kWh, the highest in the study. With an average daily screen time of six hours and two minutes, even typical digital habits translate into higher device-running costs.
Laptop social media browsing alone costs AUD$1.89 per week, while mobile charging costs remain comparatively small at AUD$0.095.
Australia ranks among the higher-cost countries for screen time. A residential electricity rate of AUD$0.381/kWh, combined with an average daily screen time of six hours and five minutes, yields a total weekly cost of AUD$6.02.
Console gaming contributes AUD$2.71 per week, while TV usage adds AUD$1.36. Work-from-home laptop use adds a further AUD$0.83, reflecting Australia’s relatively high proportion of remote working days.
| Rank (expensive → cheaper) | Country | Estimated weekly screen-time electricity cost (AUD) | Residential electricity rate (AUD/kWh) | Avg daily screen time |
| 1 | United Kingdom | 9.51 | 0.597 | 5h 36m |
| 2 | Germany | 7.36 | 0.602 | 5h 28m |
| 3 | Italy | 7.07 | 0.621 | 5h 39m |
| 4 | Ireland | 6.95 | 0.663 | 6h 02m |
| 5 | Australia | 6.02 | 0.381 | 6h 05m |
| 6 | Switzerland | 5.89 | 0.545 | 5h 46m |
| 7 | Netherlands | 5.76 | 0.423 | 5h 41m |
| 8 | Denmark | 5.72 | 0.542 | 5h 01m |
| 9 | Chile | 5.61 | 0.325 | 8h 45m |
| 10 | Austria | 5.49 | 0.519 | 5h 28m |
At the other end of the scale, residents of the following countries spend much less on electricity when they want to enjoy some screen time.
With a residential electricity rate of AUD$0.188/kWh and an average daily screen time of five hours and 22 minutes, people in South Korea enjoy the lowest cost overall.
Despite strong gaming and mobile usage, comparatively low electricity prices and efficient device management keep mobile phones, laptops and consoles affordable on a weekly basis.
Türkiye combines the lowest electricity rate in our study (AUD$0.100/kWh) with a very high average daily screen time of seven hours and 13 minutes.
Even with long screen exposure, the low unit cost of electricity significantly reduces device-related energy spend across mobiles, laptops and consoles.
Japan’s electricity rate (AUD$0.341/kWh) is higher than that of other countries, but this is offset by a relatively low average daily screen time of four hours and nine minutes.
This lower usage limits the cumulative cost of laptops, TVs, and console gaming, helping reduce weekly energy costs.
With electricity priced at AUD $0.183/kWh and an average daily screen time of 6 hours and 5 minutes, Canada benefits from a balanced mix of moderate usage and affordable power.
Device usage costs are spread fairly evenly across mobiles, laptops and consoles, preventing spikes in weekly spend.
Mexico pairs a low electricity rate of AUD$0.159/kWh with a very high average daily screen time of seven hours and 33 minutes.
While usage is heavy, particularly on mobile devices, low power prices help to contain overall energy costs.
Australia stands out as a clear example of how electricity pricing can outweigh usage habits. With a residential electricity rate of AUD$0.381/kWh, Australian households face relatively high energy costs compared to many other regions. Average daily screen time sits at six hours and five minutes, which is close to the global midpoint rather than an extreme outlier. Despite this moderate usage, Australia’s total weekly screen time cost of AUD$6.02 places it among the more expensive countries overall.
Mobile usage accounts for a large share of screen time (49.3%), while console gaming (19.2%) adds steadily to weekly energy consumption. This combination shows that even without excessive screen exposure, higher electricity prices can significantly increase the cost of gaming and everyday digital activity.
Across Asia, a different pattern emerges. South Korea, Türkiye and Japan all benefit from lower or mid-range electricity prices compared to Europe and Oceania. Average daily screen time ranges from four hours and nine minutes in Japan to seven hours and 13 minutes in Türkiye.
Despite strong engagement in social media and gaming, these countries record some of the lowest weekly screen time costs globally — from AUD$1.43 in South Korea to AUD$2.09 in Japan. Lower electricity prices help absorb the impact of longer screen sessions, keeping overall household digital costs manageable.
As screen time continues to rise globally, our data shows that electricity prices are increasingly driving up the true cost of gaming, streaming, and remote work. In higher-cost regions, households are more exposed to rising bills, making energy-efficient habits and protection essential rather than optional.
Meredith O’Brien, Head of Energy at Compare the Market, says screen time is part of daily life, but it has an overlooked cost.
“As more people rely on their screens for everything from remote work to entertainment, the risk of facing sudden, large increases in household energy bills becomes greater,” she said.
“That’s why it’s crucial to not only monitor your energy consumption but also to explore energy saving options for peace of mind.
“When you’re looking to sign up to a new energy plan, it’s vital to consider how well your plan will suit your home and lifestyle, especially when it comes to screen time habits.
“By comparing energy options available in your area, and if you have access to renewable energy like rooftop Solar, or rooftop Solar and Battery, you could reduce the impact of fluctuating energy prices and reduce the risk of bill shock.”
This dataset ranks 27 countries based on their cost of screen time using five key factors. Each factor’s data was collected and converted to a weekly cost. If data was missing, no cost was given. These costs were then combined to give each country a total weekly screen time cost, and countries were ranked from lowest to highest based on this.
The factors used are as follows:
All data and exchange rates are correct as of 07/01/26. The ranking data shown is a compilation of multiple data sources and may not be representative of real life. All data is accurate with regards to the sources provided. Exchange rates used: 1 USD – 1.49 AUD & 1 USD – 0.86 EUR.