Appliance Running Cost Calculator
Calculate any appliance's daily, monthly, and annual electricity running cost from its wattage, hours used, and electricity rate.
W
hrs
$
/ kWh
Results
Daily Cost
$0.36
Monthly Cost
$10.80
Annual Cost
$131.40
How to Use the Appliance Running Cost Calculator
Enter any appliance's wattage, how many hours a day it runs, and your electricity rate per kilowatt-hour to estimate its running cost. This is the generic, any-wattage version that works for any single appliance — enter the wattage printed on the appliance's label or manual, along with a realistic estimate of daily usage hours.
Daily Cost = (Watts / 1000) × Hours Per Day × Rate per kWh
Example
A 1,200W appliance used 2 hours a day at $0.15 per kWh costs (1,200 / 1000) × 2 × 0.15 = $0.36 per day, about $10.80 a month, and roughly $131.40 a year.
Common Use Cases
- Estimating the running cost of any household appliance from its wattage label.
- Comparing running costs between two appliances before buying a replacement.
- Spotting which appliances contribute most to a monthly electricity bill.
FAQs
- How is this different from the Appliance Wattage Calculator? The Appliance Wattage Calculator solves Ohm's Law (P = V × I) for whichever one of watts, volts, or amps you don't know — it doesn't compute a dollar cost. This calculator takes a known wattage and turns it into an estimated running cost in dollars.
- How is this different from the AC Running Cost or Computer Electricity Cost calculators? Those are device-specific tools with built-in assumptions — for example, the computer calculator splits power draw into separate idle and load states. This is the generic, single-wattage version that works for any appliance: space heaters, hair dryers, dehumidifiers, and anything else with a fixed running wattage.
- Where do I find my electricity rate? Check a recent electricity bill — it's usually listed as a per-kWh rate, sometimes broken into tiers. Use your average or marginal rate for the most realistic estimate.