Your bills

Your Spanish bills, decoded

Spanish utility bills are itemised in a way that hides where the money goes. Here is each line, and what a normal household pays.

Reading a factura de la luz

Término de potencia

A fixed daily charge for the kW you have contracted, billed whether you use electricity or not. Most flats need 3,45 kW; lowering it is the fastest saving available.

Término de energía

The kWh you actually consumed, multiplied by your tariff rate. On a tariff por tramos this splits into punta, llano and valle hours.

Impuesto eléctrico

A national electricity tax applied to the sum of the two terms above before IVA.

Alquiler de equipos de medida

Meter rental, typically under €1 per month. It is regulated, so it does not vary by supplier.

IVA

21% VAT on the whole subtotal. Reduced rates have applied during energy crises — check the current rate on your factura.

Typical monthly household costs