Electricity cost · running cost

Appliance electricity cost calculator

Find what any appliance costs to run — per hour, day, week, month, and year — plus the kWh it uses. Pick an appliance to auto-fill a typical wattage, or enter your own, then set your hours of use and your electricity rate. Every figure is indicative; for accuracy, use the $/kWh on your bill.

Typical wattages & rates indicative, as of — use your bill's $/kWh

The formula

Running cost comes down to two steps. First, energy: kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours. Then cost: kWh × your rate ($/kWh). A 1,500 W heater for 8 hours uses 12 kWh; at $0.17/kWh that's about $2.04 a day. The calculator just runs that math across every period so you can see the hourly, monthly, and yearly picture at once.

Use your own numbers

The presets are indicative typical wattages — handy for a ballpark, but your model may differ. For the most accurate result, enter the watts from the appliance's label and the $/kWh from your electricity bill. Cycling appliances like fridges and AC don't run flat-out all day, so they use an effective-average wattage or equivalent run-hours.

Indicative typical wattages and a ~$0.17/kWh US average rate, as of 2026-06. Use your bill for accuracy.

FAQ

How do I calculate the cost to run an appliance?

Multiply the appliance's power in kilowatts (watts ÷ 1,000) by the hours you run it to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply kWh by your electricity rate in dollars per kWh. For example, a 1,500 W space heater run 8 hours a day uses 1.5 × 8 = 12 kWh per day, and at $0.17/kWh that's 12 × $0.17 = about $2.04 a day, or roughly $745 a year.

What electricity rate should I use?

Use the price per kWh printed on your own electricity bill — that is the only accurate figure. The calculator defaults to an indicative US average of about $0.17/kWh, but real rates vary widely by state, utility, season, and rate plan (some have time-of-use or tiered pricing). Higher-cost states can be $0.25–$0.35/kWh while lower-cost states are nearer $0.12–$0.15.

Why are the wattages only typical values?

Appliance power draw varies a lot by model, size, age, and settings, so the presets are round, indicative typical values, not exact specs for your unit. For an accurate result, enter the wattage from your appliance's label or nameplate. Cycling appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners don't run at full power continuously, so they are modeled with an effective average wattage or typical active run-hours.

Does this account for appliances that cycle on and off?

Partly. A refrigerator, for instance, is modeled as an effective average draw (about 150 W) spread over 24 hours rather than its compressor's peak. For air conditioners and water heaters, set the hours per day to the equivalent of full-power running. It's an indicative estimate — for exact figures a plug-in energy meter measuring real kWh is the most accurate.

Indicative estimate only. Wattages and electricity rates here are typical indicative values, not exact specifications or current tariffs — real cost varies widely by model, efficiency, how you use the appliance, and your local rate and plan. Cycling appliances do not run at full power continuously. For an accurate figure, use the $/kWh on your own electricity bill. Data as of 2026-06.