Free calculator

Electricity Cost Calculator

Estimate appliance electricity usage and running cost.

Your estimate

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Ready when you are

Enter the appliance power, usage and electricity rate to estimate energy use and running cost.

Plan with confidence

How to use the Electricity Cost Calculator

Estimate how much an appliance costs to run per day, month or year using its power rating, usage time and your electricity rate.

Step by step

What to enter

Enter the appliance power in watts or kilowatts.
Enter how many hours per day and days per week you expect to use it.
Enter your electricity price per kWh and choose a currency.
Review estimated energy use and daily, monthly and annual running cost.

Method

How the calculation works

Electrical energy is calculated by converting the appliance power to kilowatts and multiplying it by operating time.

PlanCalq converts the usage schedule into average daily, monthly and annual kWh, then multiplies those values by the electricity rate you entered.

Calculation summaryPower (kW) × operating hours = energy use (kWh)Energy use × electricity rate = running costWeekly usage is converted into average monthly and annual totals

Worked example

Example: a 1 kW appliance used 8 hours every day

Rated power: 1 kW
Use: 8 hours/day
7 days/week
Electricity rate: $0.20/kWh

Planning resultThe appliance uses 56 kWh per week, about 242.7 kWh per average month, and costs about $48.53 per month at the example rate.

Energy is power multiplied by time. Weekly energy is converted to annual energy using 52 weeks and then divided by 12 for an average month. Cost is simply energy multiplied by the rate you enter.

Interpret the output

How to read the result

The result is only as accurate as the power and usage inputs; a rated wattage is often a maximum or nominal figure.
For cycling or variable-speed equipment, measured kWh from a plug-in monitor or manufacturer energy data can be a better input.
Use your own all-in electricity rate rather than a generic national price when you want a personal budget estimate.

Planning limits

What this calculator does not cover

Tariffs with time-of-use pricing, demand charges, tiered rates or fixed monthly fees are not modelled by a single rate per kWh.
Standby consumption and variable load are not automatically estimated.
The tool estimates operating cost; it does not assess electrical safety, wiring capacity or appliance suitability.

PlanCalq methodology & safety boundaries →

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Common questions