CALCULATOR · Finance
Electricity Cost Calculator
What any appliance costs to run — per day, per month and per year, from watts and your tariff.
Show formula
Inputs
How long the appliance actually runs each day. Fridges and freezers cycle — count compressor-on hours, not 24.
Your tariff price for one kWh — on the bill it is usually the energy or unit-rate line.
How many days a month it is really used — a washing machine does not run daily.
Result
Your result appears here
Enter Power and the result fills in as you type.
How it works
- Read the appliance’s power in watts off its nameplate or label — or enter the rating from the manual.
- Enter how long it actually runs each day, and your price per kWh from the electricity bill.
- Adjust the days-per-month field for appliances that are not used daily; the year is the month × 12.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my price per kWh?
On the electricity bill, in the tariff or unit-rate line — it is quoted per kWh, the same unit the meter counts. If the bill shows a standing charge as well, leave it out: that is the cost of being connected, not of running the appliance.
How do I find an appliance’s wattage?
On the nameplate sticker, the plug moulding, or the manual — the figure in W. Do not multiply the mains voltage by the fuse rating: that gives what the circuit can supply, not what the appliance draws.
Why does my fridge cost less than 24 hours at nameplate power?
Because a fridge cycles: the compressor runs only a fraction of the day — often 8 to 12 hours depending on the room and the season. Enter the compressor-on hours, not 24, and the estimate will match the meter.
Examples
- A 1200 W air fryer used half an hour a day at 0.30 per kWh
- 0.6 kWh a day — 0.18, or 5.40 over a 30-day month and 64.80 a year.
- A 150 W TV on 4 hours a day at 0.40 per kWh
- 0.6 kWh a day — 0.24, which is 7.20 a month and 86.40 a year.
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