Per-capita cooling electricity consumption reached 191.5 kilowatt-hours in 2022, about a quarter of the 766.2 kWh recorded in the United States in 2020 but well above other major economies.
The figure ran 1.2 times higher than Japan's 160.2 kWh in 2024, 1.5 times Italy's level, and a striking 12 times that of Germany. The gap reflects Korea's hot, humid summers, which keep cooling units humming far longer than Europe's drier heat.
Despite that heavy usage, Korean households pay the least. Applying last year's average July to August consumption of 419 kWh for a four-person household, the monthly bill came to 77,760 won ($53.4), the cheapest among the seven countries surveyed.
KEPCO reached the figure by running identical usage through the tariff schedules of overseas utilities including Tokyo Electric Power, France's EDF and Southern California Edison.
Elsewhere, the same electricity cost far more.
Japanese households would pay 165,983 won, 2.1 times the Korean level, while Germany topped the list at 230,149 won, close to triple.
The pattern held on broader measures.
Korea's residential rate of $0.127 per kWh ranked 81st among 144 countries tracked by GlobalPetrolPrices, below Italy, Germany, Japan and the United States. Among OECD members, only Canada, Hungary, Mexico and Türkiye charged households less.
Still, the low headline price masks a steep progressive tariff. Summer rates climb through three tiers, and once monthly usage tops 450 kWh, the basic charge jumps to 7,300 won and the bill approaches 100,000 won, meaning a stretch of heavy cooling can send costs soaring.
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