First-year TCO · estimates as of 2026-09-01
Starlink first-year cost
Starlink’s advertised monthly rate is not the first-year bill. Year-1 TCO adds hardware (buy the kit once, or pay rent for 12 months), twelve service invoices, any one-time demand surcharge, optional professional installation, and tax if you model it.
With StarCost’s default US presets — Standard kit bought at $349 and Residential 100 at $55/mo, no surcharge, no install, no tax — first-year TCO is $1,009 and month-1 is $404. Renting the Standard kit at $10/mo instead of buying raises year-1 hardware from $349 to $120, so year-1 TCO falls unless you keep the dish for years.
Use 12 months below (the default). Flip to 36 months when you want a 3-year view of the same inputs. Shipping, mounts, and cable extras are not in the presets — fold them into install if you care.
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
First-year cost questions
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.
How much does Starlink cost the first month?
Month-1 is hardware (buy the kit or pay the first rental month) plus the first month of service, plus any demand surcharge and optional professional installation, then optional tax. With StarCost’s default US presets — Standard kit $349 buy and Residential 100 at $55/mo, $0 surcharge, $0 install, $0 tax — month-1 is about $404. Your checkout on starlink.com can differ.
Should I buy or rent the Standard kit?
Buying the Standard kit at $349 is $0 more after 35 months of $10 rent ($10 × 35 = $350). If you keep service about three years or longer, buying usually wins in this model. Renting can win if you might cancel early, or if your address offers $0 promotional rent. Mini kits are modeled as purchase-only.
Does StarCost include sales tax?
Not unless you enter a tax percent. The default is 0%. When set, the rate applies to hardware + service + surcharge + install for the period. Dish electricity is not taxed in this model. State and local rules vary — this is a convenience overlay, not tax advice.
How much electricity does a Starlink dish use?
Public owner reports cluster around 30–75 W depending on kit and conditions. StarCost’s advanced toggle converts watts × 24 h × 30.44 days × your $/kWh. At 50 W and $0.16/kWh that is only about $6/mo — usually small versus hardware and service, which is why it stays collapsed.
More detail lives in the full FAQ and methodology.