Paying bills in Myanmar

Hello everyone,

Water fees are mostly paid when you pay your rent for 6 months or a year. If you live in a simple apartment without lift, water will cost around 3000 or 4000 Kyats (2/3 USD) a month.

If you live in a condominium, cost will be higher and included in the building services charges. It will mostly be paid monthly. It is a guard or the building manager who will deliver the bill and collect the money.

The building services charges includes: lift maintenance, cleaning of common area, water (no individual water meter), cleaning of car park, swimming pool and gym (if any in the building). The charges will be from 10 000/ 15 000 Kyats (8/12 USD) a month to 100/150 USD a month.

It is also possible to include the utilities in the cost of the rent. Some landlords will be fine with it. It might cost a bit more than if you don't include it in the rent.



Most houses will have a tube well, then there is no bill to be paid. If the house is connected to YCDC water system, a civil servant will come from time to time to check the meter and deliver the bills.

There is no gaz connection in buildings or houses. If you wish to cook with gas, you will need to fill and refill a gas canister. It will cost around 10 000 / 15 000 Kyats a month (8/12 USD) for a couple who cook often at home.

Electric bills are delivered every month in the building ground floor or in one of the apartment (most of the time in the landowner's apartment), a week prior to the last day it has to be paid. You can pay in EPC offices. Nowadays, some banks offer an automatic debit on a burmese bank account. You can also pay remotely with TrueMoney, a system available in most of Yangon's grocery shops and which cost 500 Kyats. It happens that the transfer does not work, it is better to keep the electricity bill and the TrueMoney receipt.

In a condominium, a guard or a manager will deliver the electricity bills and sometimes also collect the money.

Nowadays if there is a failure of payment, EPC will wait more than a month before cutting the electricity.

For internet, some companies now offer unlimited data wifi system for home. Myanmar Net offers competitive pricing: installation fees 49 000 Kyats (37 USD) and monthly fees for 1,5 Mbps 24 000 Kyats (18 USD). Hi WiFi offers similar services a bit more expensive. Prices are changing fast and likely to be even lower in a near future.

'Data Package' for mobile phone with MPT, Ooreddo and Telenor will cost more but will be useful if you travel a lot.

I hope I answered clearly every question !

Marc