Address surcharge math · estimates as of 2026-09-01
Starlink demand surcharge break-even
A demand (congestion) surcharge is a one-time, address-specific fee that can appear at Residential checkout in busy cells. Public reports put it anywhere from $0 to about $1,500. It is not a national list price — drag the slider to whatever starlink.com shows for your address.
Roam typically does not attach service to a home address, so this calculator treats Roam’s surcharge as $0 in the side-by-side. The break-even question is: how many months of extra Roam service cost equal the surcharge you would pay to stay on Residential?
Formula: break-even months = surcharge ÷ (Roam monthly − Residential monthly), when Roam is more expensive per month. If Roam’s monthly rate is lower or equal, any surcharge makes Residential more expensive from day one in this model.
| Surcharge | Residential /mo | Roam /mo | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | $55 | $55 | Equal monthly rates. Roam wins as soon as the surcharge is greater than $0. |
| $500 | $55 | $175 | $120 extra per month on Roam Unlimited. 500 ÷ 120 ≈ 4.2 months. |
| $1500 | $85 | $80 | Roam 300GB is $5 cheaper per month than Residential 200, so Roam wins at every horizon if it avoids the surcharge. |
Residential vs Roam break-even
Same hardware, install, tax, and electricity. Surcharge is applied to Residential only — Roam is modeled at $0 surcharge because it typically avoids a fixed-address fee. Surcharge math.
| Horizon | Residential 100 | Roam 100GB |
|---|---|---|
| Month-1 | $404 | $404 |
| Year-1 | $1,009 | $1,009 |
| Monthly service | $55 | $55 |
The two families tie at this horizon in this model.
Monthly rates are equal or Roam is cheaper ($55 vs $55). Any Residential surcharge makes Roam win from month 1 in this comparison.
- Month-1
- $404
- Year-1 TCO
- $1,009
Surcharge questions
Does the Starlink demand surcharge apply to Roam?
The surcharge is address-specific and typically appears on Residential checkout in congested cells. Roam usually does not require a fixed service address, so it typically avoids that surcharge — that is the comparison StarCost models. Some third-party reports say a surcharge can still appear in certain Roam activations. Treat $0 as the Roam default and verify the live cart.
How do I estimate demand-surcharge break-even vs Roam?
If Roam’s monthly rate is higher than Residential, extra monthly cost × months eventually exceeds the one-time surcharge. Break-even months ≈ surcharge ÷ (Roam monthly − Residential monthly). Example: $500 surcharge and Roam Unlimited at $175 vs Residential 100 at $55 is $120 extra per month, so about 4.2 months. After that, paying the surcharge and staying on Residential is cheaper in this model. If monthly rates are equal (both $55), any surcharge makes Residential more expensive from month 1.
What is Starlink first-year TCO?
First-year total cost of ownership (TCO) is hardware for the year (the kit purchase, or 12 × monthly rent) plus 12 × the monthly plan, plus one-time surcharge and install, plus optional tax and optional dish electricity. Defaults: $349 + 12 × $55 = $1,009 before tax, surcharge, or install. StarCost does not include shipping or accessories unless you add them as install.
Are these official Starlink prices?
No. Presets are unofficial US list-price estimates dated 2026-09-01 (Aug/Sep 2026 public bands). Live checkout is authoritative and can include promotions, regional hardware pricing, shipping, or a surcharge that never appears on marketing pages.
More detail lives in the full FAQ and methodology.