EXCLUSIVEHow much do YOU spend on bills each month? Cities with highest - and lowest - budgets revealed
Households are spending over two-thirds of their wages on essential bills and daily expenses, new data shows.
Comparison website Money Supermarket's latest Household Money Index found that the average household spends £1,524.37 a month on essentials between January and March 2025.
In a 30-day month this is the equivalent of £50.81 per day.
It accounts for 69 per cent of the average take-home pay of £26,480 after tax, or £2,207 per month. This figure doesn't take into account pension contributions and student loan repayments, meaning many people will have less.
The data shows that higher spending on essentials leaves households with an average disposable income of £682 per month, equivalent to £22.73 a day in a 30-day month.
The monthly cost of bills and essentials is also likely to rise after 'Awful April', when huge increases in water, energy, broadband and council tax took effect.
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The data shows that where you live can make a big difference to how much money you'll have left after essential spending.
In Manchester, households spend around 84 per cent of their income (£1,967) per month on essential bills, higher than in London, where people spend 71 per cent of their income (£1,869).
At the other end, Edinburgh residents spend just 63 per cent (£1,276) followed by Nottingham where people spend £1,294, also 63 per cent.
What is driving up bills?
One of the biggest drivers of higher costs has been an increase in gas and electricity bills, which Money Supermarket says increased from £102 to £110 per month, between the last quarter of 2024 and the first of 2025.
The wholesale energy market has been increasingly volatile amid growing geopolitical tensions, which sent the January price cap to £1,738. This increased again in April to £1,849, but it is likely to fall in July when demand on the grid is lower.
Similarly, the average amount spent on rent each month risen from £223 to £235 a month, while mortgages have gone from £236 to £248.
However, this figure includes people who don't have a mortgage or pay rent, for example those who have paid off their mortgage.
At the same time, gross annual income has fallen from £32,246 to £31,889, with monthly income after tax falling by £22 to £2,207.
These higher figures have been partly offset by a fall in grocery spend - from £175 to £164 - and petrol costs - from £50 to £45.
The most recent CPI inflation reading found that food inflation fell from 3.3 per cent to 3 per cent in March 2025 as supermarkets continued to slash prices.
Kara Gammell, personal finance expert at Money Supermarket, said: 'With the cost of living still front of mind for many households, it's never been more important to understand where your money is going - and how it compares to the rest of the UK.
'Our latest data shows just how wide the regional differences are, and highlights the value in regularly reviewing your household bills to make sure you're getting the best deals on essentials like energy, insurance and broadband.'
