This calculator is based on South Korea's KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) 2026 residential progressive rate system. Enter your usage (kWh) to instantly see base fees, energy charges, climate/fuel surcharges, VAT, and the Electric Power Industry Fund included in your final bill.
| Season | Tier | Usage Range | Base Fee (KRW/month) | Energy Rate (KRW/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Summer | Tier 1 | 0~200 kWh | 910 | 120.0 |
| Tier 2 | 201~400 kWh | 1,600 | 214.6 | |
| Tier 3 | 401~1,000 kWh | 7,300 | 307.3 | |
| Super User | 1,001+ kWh | 7,300 | 736.2 | |
| Summer | Tier 1 | 0~300 kWh | 910 | 120.0 |
| Tier 2 | 301~450 kWh | 1,600 | 214.6 | |
| Tier 3 | 451~1,000 kWh | 7,300 | 307.3 | |
| Super User | 1,001+ kWh | 7,300 | 736.2 |
Electricity rates have different tier thresholds depending on the season. Summer (Jul-Aug) has wider tier ranges due to cooling demand. Select 'Non-Summer' for Jan-Jun and Sep-Dec, or 'Summer' for Jul-Aug.
Enter your monthly electricity usage in kWh. You can check your usage through your KEPCO customer account, the KEPCO mobile app, or by subtracting last month's meter reading from this month's reading.
Click Calculate to see the full breakdown: base fee, energy charge (with tier details), climate fee, fuel adjustment, VAT, and the Electric Power Industry Fund. The total bill amount is shown prominently.
Use the results to understand which tier you fall into. For example, using 350kWh in non-summer puts you in Tier 3 with significantly higher rates. Reducing usage by even a small amount to stay in Tier 2 can lead to substantial savings.
The progressive electricity rate (nujinji) is a pricing system where the per-unit cost increases as consumption rises. KEPCO implements a 3-tier progressive rate (plus a super-user tier above 1,000 kWh) to encourage energy conservation and ensure equity among consumers. Households with lower usage pay lower rates, while higher consumption incurs higher rates. As of 2026, the system differentiates between non-summer (Jan-Jun, Sep-Dec) and summer (Jul-Aug) periods with different tier thresholds.
Reference your last meter reading to estimate this month's usage and preview your approximate bill. This is especially useful during seasons with heavy heating or cooling.
Check which tier your current usage falls into. If you're near a tier boundary, plan your electricity use to stay in the lower tier. For example, reducing 10kWh from 410kWh to 400kWh in non-summer avoids Tier 3 rates entirely.
Estimate power consumption per appliance (A/C ~1kWh/hr, fridge ~1.5kWh/day, washer ~0.5kWh/cycle) to understand how each contributes to your total usage and tier placement.
The progressive rate encourages energy conservation and ensures social equity by charging lower rates for low-usage households and higher rates for high-usage ones. It also helps distribute power demand, reduce power plant investment costs, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Korea has used a 3-tier system since 2016, reduced from the previous 6-tier system. A super-user rate (736.2 KRW/kWh) applies above 1,000 kWh.
During summer (Jul-Aug), air conditioning causes a surge in electricity consumption. To reflect this, summer tiers have wider ranges so the same usage incurs lower progressive charges. For example, Tier 1 covers 0-200kWh in non-summer but 0-300kWh in summer, ensuring basic cooling access while still discouraging excessive consumption.
The Climate & Environment Fee (9 KRW/kWh) covers costs for renewable energy expansion, greenhouse gas reduction, and air quality improvement. The Fuel Cost Adjustment (5 KRW/kWh) reflects price changes in generation fuels (LNG, coal, oil). Both are proportional to usage and may be periodically adjusted by government policy.
VAT is 10% of the subtotal (base fee + energy charge + climate fee + fuel adjustment), truncated to the nearest won. The Electric Power Industry Fund is 3.7% of the same subtotal, truncated to the nearest 10 won. For example, if the subtotal is 45,230 KRW, VAT is 4,523 KRW and the fund is 1,670 KRW.
The average Korean household uses about 250-350 kWh per month. Single-person households use about 150-200 kWh, two-person households about 200-300 kWh, and four-person households about 300-400 kWh. Usage can increase by 30-50% or more during summer and winter due to heating and cooling.
The most effective strategy is to identify your current tier and minimize entry into higher tiers. In non-summer, staying below 200kWh keeps you in Tier 1 (120 KRW/kWh), while exceeding 400kWh enters Tier 3 (307.3 KRW/kWh). Reduce A/C usage, choose high-efficiency appliances, and cut standby power to stay in lower tiers.
No, the progressive rate only applies to residential electricity. Commercial and industrial users have separate rate structures based on contracted capacity and time-of-use pricing (off-peak/mid-peak/on-peak). This calculator only covers residential electricity bills.
Learn everything about Korea's electricity rate structure, seasonal differences, and savings strategies.
Korea's residential electricity rates are managed by KEPCO and use a progressive rate (nujinji) system where per-unit costs increase with usage. Before the 2016 reform, a 6-tier system created an 11.7x difference between lowest and highest rates. The current 3-tier system (plus a super-user tier at 736.2 KRW/kWh above 1,000 kWh) significantly reduced the progressive burden. Bills consist of a base fee, energy charge, climate/environment fee, and fuel cost adjustment, plus VAT (10%) and the Electric Power Industry Fund (3.7%). Base fees are 910, 1,600, or 7,300 KRW depending on tier, while energy rates are 120.0, 214.6, 307.3, and 736.2 KRW/kWh respectively.
Progressive tier thresholds vary by season. Non-summer (Jan-Jun, Sep-Dec) tiers are 0-200, 201-400, and 401+ kWh. Summer (Jul-Aug) tiers expand to 0-300, 301-450, and 451+ kWh to accommodate cooling demand. Strategically, using 350kWh in non-summer reaches Tier 2, but the same usage in summer stays in Tier 1. During summer, set A/C to 26-28 degrees and use fans to reduce consumption. Analyzing usage patterns to eliminate unnecessary consumption prevents entry into higher tiers.
Smart meters now enable real-time usage monitoring. KEPCO's smart app provides time-based usage analysis and projected tier threshold dates. Home energy storage systems (ESS) and solar panels are increasingly popular, reducing grid purchases and progressive rate burden. The government continues reforming electricity pricing for carbon neutrality goals, with potential adjustments to climate fees as renewable energy adoption grows. Consumers benefit from choosing high-efficiency appliances and improving consumption habits for long-term savings.