Electricity Cost Calculator.
Enter your appliance wattage, daily usage hours, and electricity rate to instantly calculate running costs per day, month, and year. See exact kWh consumption too.
US average: $0.13/kWh · Check your utility bill for your rate
Processed on our server. What you enter is sent over an encrypted connection, calculated, and returned. It is never written to a database or logged, and nothing is retained once the result is sent. Avoid entering passwords, API keys or other secrets. How we handle data
Find Your Rate
Your electricity rate ($/kWh) is on your utility bill — look for 'rate' or 'energy charge'. US rates range from $0.09/kWh (Louisiana) to $0.30+/kWh (Hawaii). The default $0.13/kWh is the 2024 US national average.
Wattage Labels
Appliance wattage is on the label, usually near the power cord. It may show as watts (W) or amps (A) at a voltage (V). To convert: Watts = Amps × Volts (e.g., 10A at 120V = 1,200W).
Electricity Cost Calculation Methodology.
The Calculation Branch
Industrial Standards.
The calculator multiplies wattage by daily hours to get watt-hours, divides by 1,000 to convert to kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiplies by the rate per kWh. Monthly projections use the specified days-per-month. Annual projections use 365 days for accuracy (not 12 × 30 = 360).
In-Depth Analysis & Reference Data
Common appliance wattages for reference: LED light bulb (10W), laptop (45–65W), desktop computer (150–300W), 55-inch TV (100W), refrigerator cycling average (150W), microwave (600–1200W), electric oven (2000–5000W), central air conditioning (3500W), electric clothes dryer (5000W), electric water heater (4000W). Appliances with heating elements (heaters, dryers, ovens) are almost always the highest electricity consumers.
Registry Questions & FAQ.
Why does my electric bill differ from the calculator estimate?
Utility bills include more than just energy charges. They often add distribution charges, transmission fees, customer service charges, and taxes — which can add 30–50% on top of the raw kWh cost. The calculator shows only the energy cost at the rate you enter. To match your bill exactly, use the total cost-per-kWh from your bill (total bill ÷ total kWh used).
How do I calculate the electricity cost for a whole household?
Run the calculator for each major appliance separately and add the results. Focus on high-wattage appliances: HVAC (central AC: ~3500W, heating: 3500–10000W), water heater (4000W), dryer (5000W), refrigerator (150W cycling), and always-on devices. These typically account for 70–80% of a household's electricity consumption.
Estimates for planning. Always confirm against an authoritative source.