電気代(でんきだい)

A compound of 電気(でんき) (electricity) + 代(だい) (cost/charge). Refers to the monthly electricity bill.

Common collocations

• 電気代(でんきだい)を払(はら)う: to pay the electricity bill
• 電気代(でんきだい)を節約(せつやく)する: to save on electricity costs
• 電気代(でんきだい)が上(あ)がる/下(さ)がる: the bill goes up/down
• 電気代(でんきだい)がかかる: electricity costs add up

Similar words

電気料金(でんきりょうきん) is the more formal/official term for electricity charges, used on bills and by utility companies. 電気代(でんきだい) is the everyday conversational form.

Related utility costs

• 水道代(すいどうだい): water bill
• ガス代(だい): gas bill
• 光熱費(こうねつひ): utility costs (electricity + gas + heating combined)
• 通信費(つうしんひ): communication costs (phone, internet)

The 〜代(だい) suffix is commonly used for costs: 電話代(でんわだい) (phone bill), 食事代(しょくじだい) (meal cost), 家賃(やちん) (rent, though this uses a different suffix).