Hot Water, Explained

In 2021, PowerOptimal published an analysis of municipal water and electricity tariff increases compared to inflation since 1996. That study revealed a stark reality: the average price of both water and electricity across South Africa's four largest municipalities had increased roughly four times faster than inflation.

A 10-minute shower in South Africa now costs R26.67. For a family of four, that's nearly R39,000 a year — just on showers. Here's the full 2026 breakdown, what's driving it, and what you can actually do about it.

Water heating is the single biggest energy consumer in South African households, accounting for 40% of total household energy use (ref). That makes it an obvious target for cutting your electricity bill.

Eskom tariffs increased by an eye-watering 18.7% in 2023 and again by a painful 12.7% in 2024. This compares to CPI (Consumer Price Index) increases of 5.9% and 4.9% over the same two-year period.

With the rapid increases in the price of electricity and water over the past decade, the question is: what does a shower or bath cost in South Africa in 2024? Most South Africans know electricity prices have skyrocketed — a 937% increase between 2007 and 2024. But water prices have been climbing even faster over the same period.

We first published this analysis in 2021. With updated data through 2024, the trend has not improved: residential water and electricity tariffs have continued to outpace inflation by a wide margin.