What Utilities Are Typically Included in Student Apartments Near CU Boulder?

Most CU Boulder student apartments include water, sewer, and trash in rent. Almost none include electric or gas — those come from Xcel Energy and run $40 to $100 a month per unit depending on season and apartment size. Internet is rarely included off-campus and runs $25 to $40 a month. Roughly: $70 to $150 a month total per apartment in utilities, before you split with roommates.

Quick Numbers

• Water, sewer, trash: usually in rent.
• Electric and gas: separate, Xcel Energy. $40-$100/month, peaks in winter.
• Internet: separate, Comcast. $25-$40/month for student plans.
• Apartment total: $70-$150/month.
• Per-person after splitting with 3 roommates: $20-$50/month.
• January gas bills routinely hit double the summer rate.
• CU on-campus Graduate and Family Housing rolls all utilities plus internet into rent.

What’s Usually In Rent at Off-Campus Buildings

The default package: water, sewer, trash collection. Some older buildings throw heat in too — usually because they run a central boiler system that’s hard to meter individually. That’s the exception, not the rule. Rent quoted on most listings is base rent without electric, gas, or internet. The “utilities included” line in the lease tells you which apply.

What You Pay Separately

Xcel Energy handles both electric and gas in Boulder. Bill arrives monthly, separate from rent, addressed to whoever set up the account. A typical Boulder student apartment burns $40 to $100 a month combined for electric and gas, with the high end during heating season (December through February). For reference: a 900-square-foot Boulder apartment averages about $145 monthly for combined heat, electric, and gas; a studio is closer to $94.

Internet is almost always separate. Comcast Xfinity dominates Boulder residential, with student plans at $25 to $40 a month. Building-wide WiFi exists in a few newer buildings — speeds tend to be mediocre, so test before relying on it.

Heating Season Is Real

December through February utility bills are a different animal. Gas can double from the August baseline. A roommate group paying $50 in July might land at $100 to $130 in January. Plan for it. The university’s Graduate and Family Housing rolls heating into rent, which is one reason some grad students pick on-campus despite higher base rent — the winter spike disappears into a fixed monthly number.

Per-Person Math With Roommates

Most CU students live with roommates. That changes the practical number. Apartment paying $130 in winter utilities + $35 for Comcast = $165 total / 4 roommates = about $41/person/month. That’s what to plan around. Studios skip the splitting and pay the full hit, which is why utilities feel disproportionately heavy in solo apartments.

What CU On-Campus Includes

On-campus Graduate and Family Housing covers all utilities, basic and expanded cable, and Comcast high-speed internet inside rent. That’s worth a real comparison. A $1,400 GFH unit with all-in utilities is roughly equivalent to a $1,275 off-campus base rent once you add the typical $125/month in utilities and internet on top of the off-campus rent. Compare current off-campus pricing on the FMP CU Boulder listings page against on-campus rates from CU Graduate and Family Housing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What utilities are typically included in student apartments near CU Boulder?

Water, sewer, and trash are usually in. Electric, gas, and internet usually aren’t. A few older buildings include heat through central boiler systems. Always confirm “included” in writing — verbal claims from a leasing agent aren’t enforceable when you get the first bill.

How much should I budget for utilities at CU Boulder?

Plan $70 to $150 a month per apartment for electric, gas, and internet combined. With 3 roommates, your share is roughly $20 to $50/month. Winter months can push the apartment total to $200 — don’t anchor your budget on summer numbers.

Who’s the utility provider in Boulder?

Xcel Energy for both electric and gas. Account setup is online, takes maybe 15 minutes, and needs your move-in date and apartment address.

What’s the cheapest way to handle internet at CU?

Comcast Xfinity is the default. Student plans start $25 to $40 a month. CenturyLink covers some neighborhoods. If your building advertises included WiFi, test it before committing — building-wide setups are often underpowered.

Do CU dorms include utilities?

Yes. Both undergraduate dorms and Graduate and Family Housing roll all utilities (electric, gas, water, sewer, trash) and internet into rent. That’s part of why the on-campus monthly number can look higher at first glance.

How do roommates split utilities?

Splitwise or a shared spreadsheet. Cleanest setup: one person puts bills in their name, pays them when they hit, and gets reimbursed monthly. Track actual statements, not estimates — Boulder winters blow up rough estimates fast.

When does heating season hit?

Mid-October through mid-April. Gas typically peaks in January. If you’re moving in May or June, don’t extrapolate from your first three bills — winter numbers are different.