Charging cost depends almost entirely on where you charge, home charging is by far the cheapest option, public Level 2 typically runs 2 to 4 times higher, and DC fast charging costs the most per kWh, though it’s still generally cheaper than the equivalent distance in gasoline.
The three tiers of charging cost
| Where you charge | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Home (Level 1 or 2) | Roughly $6 to $13 for a full charge on most EVs, varying by province and battery size, essentially your local residential electricity rate |
| Public Level 2 | Typically 2 to 4 times your home rate, often billed per hour or per kWh |
| DC fast charging | According to Paren’s Canadian EV fast-charging industry data, national average pricing has generally sat in the low-to-mid 40 cents per kWh range, though it varies by province and network, from roughly 40¢/kWh in BC and Quebec to 60 to 70¢/kWh in parts of the Prairies |
For context on why home charging costs vary so much by where you live, see our guide on electricity cost per kWh by province.
What this looks like annually
For a typical Canadian driver covering around 15,000 to 20,000 km a year, home charging alone commonly totals somewhere in the range of $400 to $800 annually, well below the $1,800 to $2,400 a comparable gas vehicle would cost in fuel over the same distance. The exact figure depends heavily on your province’s electricity rate and your vehicle’s efficiency, which is exactly what a calculator is better suited for than a single national average.
Why most owners barely notice public charging cost
Since the large majority of charging happens at home overnight, at the cheapest rate available, public charging cost matters far less to most owners’ overall budget than the per-kWh sticker price at a fast charger might suggest. It becomes a real line item mainly on road trips, where DC fast charging is the practical option, not the exception.
💡 Tip: If your utility offers time-of-use pricing, scheduling home charging for overnight off-peak hours can meaningfully lower your cost further. In Ontario, for example, the Ultra-Low Overnight rate is a fraction of the daytime on-peak rate, worth setting up if you have access to it.
⚠️ Note: The figures above are general estimates and change as electricity rates and network pricing shift. Use our charging cost calculator with your specific province and vehicle for a more accurate personal estimate rather than relying on these national ranges alone.