worldofcalcsElectricity Cost Calculator ⚡
Units a Month (kWh)
360
Cost Per Day
₹96.00
Cost Per Month
₹2,880
Cost Per Year
₹35,040
How much electricity does an appliance use?
Your electricity bill counts units, and one unit is one kilowatt-hour (kWh): 1,000 watts running for one hour. This calculator turns an appliance's wattage and daily hours into units and cost per day, month and year, so you can see which appliances drive your bill.
Units and cost formula
Units a day = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 · Cost = units × rate per unit
Find the wattage on the appliance's label or in its manual. A month here is 30 days. Your actual rate per unit depends on your state's tariff slabs and how many units you use in total; check your last bill for the rate, or divide the energy charge by the units used.
Ways to cut your bill
- Most states charge in slabs: the first units are cheap and the rate rises as you use more. Cutting use at the top slab saves the most.
- Your bill also includes fixed charges and electricity duty, so the real cost per unit is usually a bit higher than the energy rate.
- Cooling is the biggest load in most Indian homes. Setting the AC to 24–26 °C instead of 18–20 °C saves a noticeable share of its power.
- A BLDC ceiling fan uses about 30 W against 75 W for an ordinary fan, saving roughly ₹130 a month per fan at 12 hours a day and ₹8 a unit.
- Higher BEE star ratings use less power for the same work. The yellow star label shows the expected units a year.
- Rooftop solar can offset most of a household's units; central subsidies are available under PM Surya Ghar.
Worked example
- A 1.5-ton AC drawing 1,500 W, running 8 hours a day
- Units a day = 1,500 × 8 ÷ 1,000 = 12 units
- Units a month = 12 × 30 = 360 units
- At ₹8 a unit: ₹96 a day, ₹2,880 a month
- A 5-star inverter AC averaging 1,000 W uses 240 units, saving about ₹960 a month
Running cost of common appliances
Typical wattage and use, at ₹8 a unit.
| Appliance | Watts | Hours a day | Units a month | Cost a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED bulb | 9 | 6 | 1.6 | ₹13 |
| Ceiling fan | 75 | 12 | 27 | ₹216 |
| BLDC ceiling fan | 30 | 12 | 10.8 | ₹86 |
| LED TV | 100 | 5 | 15 | ₹120 |
| Refrigerator (average) | 50 | 24 | 36 | ₹288 |
| 1.5-ton inverter AC (5-star) | 1000 | 8 | 240 | ₹1,920 |
| 1.5-ton non-inverter AC | 1500 | 8 | 360 | ₹2,880 |
| Geyser | 2000 | 1 | 60 | ₹480 |
| Washing machine | 500 | 1 | 15 | ₹120 |
| Iron | 1000 | 0.5 | 15 | ₹120 |
| Laptop | 50 | 8 | 12 | ₹96 |
A refrigerator's compressor switches on and off, so its average draw is far below its rated wattage.