Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Sioux Falls for monthly utilities?

Aurora, SD is approximately 2% cheaper than Sioux Falls, SD in average monthly utilities ($293/mo vs $298/mo), saving approximately $5 per month or $62 annually.

What is the average water and sewer bill in Aurora compared to Sioux Falls?

In Aurora, the minimum water and sewer base meter charge is $36.00/month with Tier 1 volumetric water priced at $3.05 per 1,000 gallons. In Sioux Falls, baseline fixed meter fees are $36.00/month with Tier 1 water at $3.05 per 1,000 gallons.

How do weather and climate affect seasonal utility bills in Aurora vs Sioux Falls?

Aurora experiences 1304 Cooling Degree Days (CDD) with a peak summer AC cost spike of 36%, whereas Sioux Falls records 850 CDD with a summer spike of 32%. Heating Degree Days (HDD) are 5433 in Aurora versus 7450 in Sioux Falls.

Aurora, SD vs Sioux Falls, SD Utility Costs Comparison (2026)

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for Aurora and Sioux Falls.

Aurora Est.

$293/mo

Power:$123

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$87

Projected Variance

-$5/mo

Aurora saves your household roughly $62 per year at this consumption tier.

Sioux Falls Est.

$298/mo

Power:$123

Water & Sewer:$89

Gas & Trash:$87

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated

Utility Component	Aurora, SD	Sioux Falls, SD
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh)	$0.124 / kWh	$0.124 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee	$11.00/mo	$11.00/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure	Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy Regulated Monopoly Utility	Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy Regulated Monopoly Utility
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm)	$1.02 / Therm	$1.02 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge	$18.00/mo	$18.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4")	$15.00/mo	$15.00/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal)	$3.05	$3.05
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal)	$4.70	$4.70
Wastewater / Sewer Rates	Base: $21.00/mo Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal	Base: $21.00/mo Volumetric: $5.80/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling	$23.00/mo	$23.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee	$4.00/mo	$4.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee	Deposit: $130 – $230 Turn-on: $20.00	Deposit: $130 – $230 Turn-on: $20.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals

Climate Indicator	Aurora, SD	Sioux Falls, SD
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD)	1,304 CDD	850 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD)	5,433 HDD	7,450 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility	+36% Summer Spike	+32% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary	NOAA 1991-2020 climate averages document 1,304 Cooling Degree Days and 5,433 Heating Degree Days annually across Brookings County.	Northern prairie continental climate characterized by subzero blizzards and warm, sunny summers.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data

Solar Component	Aurora, SD	Sioux Falls, SD
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours	4.2 hrs/day	4.7 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation	SD PUC net metering up to 100 kW with annual reconciliation at avoided cost.	SD PUC net metering up to 100 kW with annual reconciliation at avoided cost.
City Solar Calculator	Aurora Solar Estimator →	Sioux Falls Solar Estimator →

🏙️ Aurora Official Estimator

Aurora, SD Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Aurora.

ZIP: aurora Open Aurora Hub →

🏙️ Sioux Falls Official Estimator

Sioux Falls, SD Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for Sioux Falls.

ZIP: sioux-falls Open Sioux Falls Hub →

Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: Aurora vs Sioux Falls

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in Aurora or Sioux Falls for utilities? ▼

Aurora, SD is approximately 2% cheaper than Sioux Falls, SD in overall monthly utility bills ($293/mo vs $298/mo). A typical household saves around $5 per month or $62 annually.

How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼

Residential electricity in Aurora costs $0.124 per kWh supplied by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy, compared to $0.124 per kWh in Sioux Falls served by Xcel Energy / Black Hills Energy. For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $0.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.

What is the water and sewer rate difference between Aurora and Sioux Falls? ▼

In Aurora, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $15.00/mo plus $21.00/mo sewer baseline. In Sioux Falls, the base water fee is $15.00/mo with $21.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $3.05/1k gal in Aurora versus $3.05/1k gal in Sioux Falls.

How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼

Aurora logs 1,304 Cooling Degree Days with a 36% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, Sioux Falls records 850 CDD with a 32% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 5,433 in Aurora versus 7,450 in Sioux Falls.

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📍 Popular Comparisons for Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls vs Rapid City, SD $298 vs $293 → Sioux Falls vs Brookings, SD $298 vs $293 → Sioux Falls vs New York City, NY $298 vs $440 → Sioux Falls vs New York, NY $298 vs $439 →

Aurora, SD vs Sioux Falls, SD

Aurora

Sioux Falls

Executive Summary & Citability Passage