How much should I pay for internet?
What the average home internet plan costs in 2026, how much it changes by state, what that is as a share of income, and how to get the bill down.
Checked October 26, 2026
What internet costs
| A month | A year | |
|---|---|---|
| National average plan | $81.16 | $974 |
| Lowest state, New Jersey | $65.43 | $785 |
| Highest state, Alaska | $109.88 | $1,319 |
Is your bill too high?
Hold your bill against the average and against your state. If you pay well above both, check three things on the bill: whether an introductory price has ended, what equipment rental you pay for, and whether your plan's speed is more than your household uses.
Ways to pay less
- Call when a promotion ends. Ask what new customers pay for the same plan.
- Use your own router. If the provider allows it, equipment rental stops.
- Step down a tier. Try the slower plan for a month; if nobody notices, keep it.
- Look at bundles carefully. A bundle with TV or phone can cost more than the services you would keep.
Internet in the whole budget
Internet is a fixed bill, like rent and utilities. It is small next to them, but fixed bills add up, and they are the part of a budget that keeps going whether you watch it or not. The fixed expenses guide has the rest of the list.
Questions people ask
How much should I pay for internet?
The national average home internet plan cost $81.16 a month in March 2026, per BroadbandNow. Paying around or under that is typical; well over $100 a month is worth a second look unless you need very fast speeds or live somewhere with few providers.
What is the average internet bill a month?
$81.16, about $974 a year, from BroadbandNow's study of more than 2,100 providers' plans and a survey of 954 adults in March 2026.
Which states pay the most and least for internet?
By BroadbandNow's state averages, New Jersey is lowest at $65.43 a month and Alaska highest at $109.88.
What percentage of income should go to internet?
No published plan sets one. At the average plan price, internet is about 0.9% of the average household's income before tax in 2024 ($104,207). It counts as a fixed bill, so it sits with rent and utilities in a budget.
Should couples split the internet bill?
It is a shared bill, so most couples split it the way they split rent, by income or 50/50. One account, paid from a shared card or account, saves chasing the other person each month.
Sources
2 sources · read October 26, 2026
Every number on this page comes from broadbandnow.com and bls.gov. If a source has changed since, the source is right.
Wonderful gives general information. It isn't a financial or tax advisor.