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.

The formula, every assumption, and the primary sources behind this tool are published on this page.

ApplianceFills running watts and a typical daily-hours hint from the Virginia Cooperative Extension table. Both numbers stay editable.

Running watts (W)The power it draws while on, not the startup surge or a boosted nameplate. The wattage tool has a longer list if you need a starting point.

Hours per dayTime it actually draws that wattage. A fridge that is plugged in all day still cycles — the source's hint is about 8 hours, not 24.

Electricity rate ($/kWh)Default is the EIA U.S. residential average. Your bill's supply + delivery cents per kWh is the number that matches your house.

Reset

Results

Example — computed from the default inputs above. Change any field and press Compute.

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

Appliance Wattage Calculator

How it works

This follows the Virginia Cooperative Extension 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_daycost_per_day = daily_kwh × ratecost_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. The source'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 Virginia Cooperative Extension frost-free 16 cu ft figure (725 W) and its 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

Related calculators

Some product links on this site may be affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read the Affiliate Disclosure.