Energy Consumption Calculator — Electricity Cost Estimator
Calculate electricity consumption and cost for any appliance. Enter wattage, usage hours, and electricity rate to estimate daily and monthly costs. Includes a comprehensive reference table of common household appliance energy usage. See also our Energy Converter and Power Converter.
Heating
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Portable heater (1500W) | 1.5 kWh/hour | $0.20/hour |
| Baseboard heater (6ft, 250W/ft) | 1.5 kWh/hour | $0.20/hour |
| Heat pump heat strips | 10 kWh/hour | $1.30/hour |
| Electric furnace | 10.5 kWh/hour | $1.37/hour |
Air Conditioning/Cooling
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Window/wall AC (8kBtu, 12 EER) | 0.73 kWh/hour | $0.09/hour |
| Window/wall AC (18kBtu, 240V) | 1.8 kWh/hour | $0.23/hour |
| Central AC (3 ton, 12 SEER) | 3.0 kWh/hour | $0.39/hour |
| Whole house fan | 0.2-0.4 kWh/hour | $0.03-$0.05/hour |
| Ceiling fan | 0.025-0.075 kWh/hour | <$0.01/hour |
Water Heating
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Electric water heater | 380-500 kWh/month | $49-$65/month |
| Heat pump water heater (50-75 gal) | 77 kWh/month | $10/month |
| Instantaneous (240V, 50A) | 12 kWh/hour | $1.56/hour |
Kitchen
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Oven | 2.3 kWh/hour | $0.30/hour |
| Oven surface/stovetop | 1-1.5 kWh/hour | $0.13-$0.20/hour |
| Microwave oven | 0.12 kWh/5 min | $0.02/5 min |
| Dishwasher (normal cycle) | 1-2.17 kWh/load | $0.13-$0.28/load |
| Coffee maker | 0.12 kWh/brew | $0.02/brew |
| Toaster (2 slices) | 0.04 kWh/use | <$0.01/use |
Refrigerator/Freezer
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| ENERGY STAR Refrigerator (17 cu ft) | 35 kWh/month | $4.55/month |
| ENERGY STAR Refrigerator (21 cu ft, side-by-side) | 51 kWh/month | $6.63/month |
| Older Refrigerator (15 cu ft, 1996) | 150 kWh/month | $19.50/month |
| Freezer (manual defrost, 15 cu ft) | 90 kWh/month | $11.70/month |
Laundry
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Clothes washer (warm wash, cold rinse) | 2.3 kWh/load | $0.30/load |
| Clothes dryer | 2.5-4.0 kWh/load | $0.33-$0.52/load |
| Iron | 1.0 kWh/hour | $0.13/hour |
Lighting
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| LED bulb (10W, replaces 60W) | 0.01 kWh/hour | $0.001/hour |
| CFL bulb (13W, replaces 60W) | 0.013 kWh/hour | $0.002/hour |
| Incandescent bulb (60W) | 0.06 kWh/hour | $0.008/hour |
| Incandescent bulb (100W) | 0.1 kWh/hour | $0.013/hour |
Electronics
| Appliance | Energy Use | Cost (at $0.13/kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop computer | 0.15-0.3 kWh/hour | $0.02-$0.04/hour |
| Laptop | 0.02-0.05 kWh/hour | <$0.01/hour |
| TV (LED, 50 inch) | 0.07 kWh/hour | $0.01/hour |
| Gaming console | 0.1-0.2 kWh/hour | $0.01-$0.03/hour |
Formula
Energy (kWh) = Wattage (W) × Hours / 1000
Cost = Energy (kWh) × Rate ($/kWh)
Monthly Cost = Daily Cost × 30
Example: 1500W heater × 5 hours = 7.5 kWh
Cost = 7.5 × $0.13 = $0.975/day = $29.25/monthFAQ
How to calculate electricity cost?
Multiply wattage by hours of use, divide by 1000 to get kWh, then multiply by your electricity rate. Example: 100W × 10 hours = 1 kWh × $0.13 = $0.13/day.
What uses the most electricity in a home?
Heating/cooling (46%), water heating (14%), appliances (13%), lighting (9%), and electronics (4%) are the biggest consumers in a typical US home.
How much does it cost to run a 1500W heater?
At $0.13/kWh: 1500W × 1 hour = 1.5 kWh = $0.195/hour. Running 8 hours/day = $1.56/day = $46.80/month.
Objective of Measurement:
Measurement is the most important aspect of our life. We use measurement in science, engineering, business trading, personal life, education, and more other fields.