Appliance Electricity Cost Calculator
Calculate how much an appliance costs to run from watts or kilowatts, usage time, quantity, and your electricity rate per kWh. See weekly, monthly, and yearly electricity use and running cost.
Enter appliance usage
Use the appliance label, a specification sheet, or measured average watts when available.
Changing region updates the USD or CAD labels; it does not convert your entered rate or results.
Planning estimate: This calculator estimates the energy portion of appliance operating cost from the power, runtime, quantity, and electricity rate you enter. Fixed utility charges, taxes, tiered or time-of-use pricing, demand charges, credits, standby power, and automatic appliance cycling are not added unless reflected in your inputs.
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Quick answer
To estimate how much an appliance costs to run, convert watts to kilowatts, multiply by running time and quantity to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply kWh by your electricity rate. This calculator also estimates weekly, average monthly, and annual energy use and running cost.
How to use the calculator
1. Enter the appliance power and choose watts or kilowatts.
2. Enter how many hours it runs on a day when you use it.
3. Enter how many days per week you use it.
4. Enter the energy rate from your utility bill and the number of identical appliances.
Appliance running cost formula
Watts to kWh: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per use day × quantity.
Running cost: kWh × electricity rate per kWh.
Average month: weekly estimate × 52 weeks ÷ 12 months.
Worked example
To estimate the cost to run a 1,500 W space heater for 4 hours per use day, 7 days per week, at $0.20/kWh, the calculator converts 1,500 W to 1.5 kW. It uses 6 kWh per use day and 2,184 kWh per year.
Average monthly cost
$36.40
Annual cost
$436.80
When this estimate is useful
- • Checking how much it costs to run a space heater, fan, TV, computer, dryer, air conditioner, or other appliance.
- • Seeing how runtime changes monthly or annual electricity cost.
- • Estimating several identical devices such as lamps or monitors.
- • Comparing an appliance’s estimated running cost before changing usage habits.
Important limits
- • The calculator assumes the appliance draws the entered power while it is running.
- • Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps, dehumidifiers, and thermostatically controlled appliances can cycle on and off, so nameplate wattage may overstate average consumption.
- • Average monthly values use 52 weeks per year divided by 12 months; they are planning averages, not a specific calendar-month bill.
- • Fixed charges, taxes, tiered rates, time-of-use pricing, demand charges, solar credits, and other utility adjustments are not modeled automatically.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate appliance electricity cost from watts?
Divide watts by 1,000 to convert power to kilowatts, multiply by runtime and quantity to get kWh, then multiply kWh by your electricity rate.
What is the difference between watts, kW, and kWh?
Watts and kW measure power; 1,000 W equals 1 kW. kWh measures energy over time: power in kW multiplied by hours.
What does ‘hours per use day’ mean?
It is the number of hours the appliance runs on a day when you use it. Enter use days separately under days per week.
Where can I find my electricity rate?
Check your utility bill for the energy charge per kWh. Fixed fees, taxes, demand charges, and time-of-use pricing are not added automatically.
Can the electricity rate be zero?
Yes. A zero rate keeps energy results available while cost results remain zero; it does not offset other utility charges.
Is nameplate wattage accurate for cycling appliances?
Not always. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, heat pumps, dehumidifiers, and thermostatically controlled heaters may cycle. Measured average watts can give a more realistic estimate.
How is the average monthly cost calculated?
The calculator multiplies the weekly estimate by 52 and divides by 12. It is an annualized planning average, not a specific month’s bill.
Can I calculate several identical appliances at once?
Yes. Enter the number of identical appliances in Quantity. All energy and cost results include that quantity.
How much does it cost to run an appliance for one hour?
Multiply power in kW by your rate per kWh and by quantity. A 1.5 kW appliance at $0.20/kWh costs about $0.30 for one continuous hour before other charges.
Does this match my final utility bill exactly?
No. It estimates the energy portion from your inputs. Fixed fees, taxes, tiered or time-of-use rates, demand charges, credits, and appliance cycling can change the bill.