Energy costs in Columbia, SC
Energy prices are published by state, not by city, so the rates and bills below are South Carolina figures and apply to Columbia the same as anywhere else in the state. The solar production is different: that is modelled for Columbia's own coordinates, and it varies a lot within a single state.
Solar at Columbia's coordinates
8,646kWh a year from 6 kW
That is close to the South Carolina average, so the state figure would not have misled you here. At 16.18¢ a kilowatt hour it pays back in about 8.5 years with full net metering.
Electricity · South Carolina
16.18¢
per kWh, statewide ›
Typical bill · South Carolina
$164
a month, statewide ›
Air conditioning
$385
a year, statewide ›
Heating
$691
a season, statewide ›
Common questions
What is the electricity rate in Columbia?
16.18¢ per kilowatt hour. That is the South Carolina residential average from the EIA — rates are published per state, not per city, so it applies across Columbia and the rest of South Carolina alike.
What is the average electric bill in Columbia?
About $164 a month for a typical South Carolina household. Again this is a state figure: EIA reports revenue and customer counts by state, so a city-level bill would be an invention.
Is solar worth it in Columbia?
A 6 kW system at Columbia's coordinates is modelled at about 8,646 kilowatt hours a year, which pays for itself in roughly 8.5 years at South Carolina electricity prices with full net metering. This one is genuinely local — production is modelled for this point, not the state.
Other cities in South Carolina
Everything for South Carolina
Rates, bills, heating, cooling and solar for the whole state, with the working behind each figure.
South Carolina energy costsCoordinates from the US Census Bureau place gazetteer. Solar production modelled by NREL PVWatts for those coordinates, south-facing at 20°. Prices from the US Energy Information Administration, residential sector, 2026-05, published per state.