If you're considering moving to Palm Springs, you shouldn't just look at home prices or rent.

When searching for a home, there are many factors to consider. In Palm Springs, there's one more thing to look at: summer electricity bills.

This is a desert. In July and August, stepping outside feels like more than just "hot"; the moment you open the door, the hot air hits your face.

The thought of living without air conditioning is simply unrealistic.

Electricity in Palm Springs is primarily supplied by Southern California Edison (SCE) and Desert Community Energy (DCE).

In simple terms, the power grid uses SCE's infrastructure, while DCE handles power procurement.

From a resident's perspective, since you receive a bill from SCE, you might not notice much difference at first.

The issue is the cost. The average residential electricity bill in the Palm Springs area can be around $300 per month, but the important thing is that this is an annual average. In winter, air conditioning is hardly used, so the bill is relatively low, and summer spikes it significantly.

Typically, a family of four should expect to pay around $300 to $500 during the peak summer months, and if the house is large or has a pool, it can easily exceed $600.

In larger homes with multiple air conditioning units and pool pumps running continuously, some bills can exceed $1,000.

Depending on the conditions, there are cases where bills reach $1,500, and in large estates, summer bills can even hit $2,000.

If you've lived in Korea and receive such a bill for the first time in the U.S., it can be quite shocking.

In fact, to maintain an indoor temperature of around 75 degrees on days when it exceeds 110 degrees in the desert, the air conditioning has to run all day long.

Moreover, you need to check not only the usage but also the rate plans. Homes using time-of-use rates can see significantly higher costs during peak demand times, like summer weekday afternoons. Therefore, some households try to run appliances like washing machines and dishwashers during off-peak hours.

This is why solar power is often discussed in Palm Springs.

The sunlight is abundant in this area, so the conditions for solar power generation are good. However, installation costs are significant, and you need to consider California's solar incentive programs and whether to install batteries, so it's not always beneficial to install solar panels without careful consideration.

If your household meets certain income criteria, it's also worth checking out electricity discount programs like CARE or FERA.

In contrast, gas bills are relatively less significant. With a short winter and minimal heating needs, they are much less burdensome compared to summer electricity bills.

Ultimately, when looking for a home in Palm Springs, you can't just calculate the home prices listed on Zillow.

If you find a house you like, try to ask the previous owner or landlord, "How much were the electricity bills in July and August last year?"

In Palm Springs, choosing a home with efficient air conditioning, good insulation, and proper solar setup is just as important as negotiating a $50,000 price reduction.

The sunlight in the desert is free, but keeping your home cool from that sunlight is definitely not free.