Appliance Electricity Cost Calculator
Estimate what one appliance costs to run per day, month, and year from its watts, daily hours, and your kWh rate.
Results
Cost per day: $1.04
Cost per month: $31.76
Cost per year: $381.06
Energy per day: 5.8 kWh
Energy per month: 176.42 kWh
Energy per year: 2,117 kWh
How it works
This is the DOE Energy Saver cost formula: turn watts and hours into kilowatt-hours, then multiply by the price you pay per kWh. The same day scales to a 365-day year.
daily_kwh = watts / 1000 × hours_per_day
cost_per_day = daily_kwh × rate
cost_month = cost_per_day × (365 / 12)
cost_year = cost_per_day × 365
watts- Running watts while the appliance is on. Motor startup does not change the energy total unless you also raise the hours.
hours_per_day- Hours per day at that wattage, in (0, 24]. Cycling loads (fridge, dehumidifier) should use on-time, not wall-clock time.
rate- Price per kilowatt-hour in dollars. $0.18 is the EIA 2026 residential average rounded to a cent; type your own rate over it.
daily_kwh- watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per day.
cost- daily kWh × rate. Month uses 365 ÷ 12 days so twelve months equal one year.
Assumptions
- The default $0.18/kWh is EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.3, U.S. residential, 2026 year-to-date 18.16¢ rounded to the nearest cent (rolling 12 months through June 2026: 17.90¢).
- State rates spread widely — New England residential was near 28¢/kWh in June 2026 against an 18¢ national average. The box is there so you can type the number on your bill.
- Watts are running watts, not startup surge and not a peak or boost nameplate. A 1,500 W space heater that cycles still costs from the watts it actually draws.
- A fridge, freezer, or dehumidifier is not on at nameplate for 24 hours. DOE's cycling note is already in the 8-hour fridge default; use the wattage tool if you want a whole-house list.
- A month is 365 ÷ 12 ≈ 30.42 days, not 30. That keeps year = 12 × month with no leftover day.
FAQ
How much does it cost to run a refrigerator per month?
At the DOE frost-free 16 cu ft figure (725 W) and DOE's cycling hint (8 h/day), 5.8 kWh/day at $0.18/kWh is about $1.04 a day, $32 a month, $381 a year. A high-efficiency fridge that actually draws 150 W while running will come in much lower — type that wattage over the default.
Why is my bill different from this estimate?
The formula only prices one appliance at a constant wattage. Real bills add every other load, standby draw, a rate that is not the national average, and seasonal hours. Use your bill's cents per kWh (supply plus delivery) and the hours that appliance actually runs.
Where do I find my electricity rate?
On the bill: divide the energy charges by the kWh used, or read the listed ¢/kWh and divide by 100. Include delivery / distribution if it is billed per kWh. A flat monthly customer charge does not belong in this box.
Sources
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