Electricity Cost Calculator – Estimate Your Appliance Running Cost
Use this free electricity cost calculator to estimate how much electricity your home appliance uses and find out the running cost per day, month and year.
This appliance will consume about 12.00 units of electricity per day, costing around ₹2,880 per month (₹34,560 per year) based on your inputs.
3-star rated appliance, as entered above.
*A refrigerator is plugged in 24 hours, but its compressor runs roughly 8 hours a day. Typical values are starting points — use your appliance’s label for an exact estimate.
Your electricity bill at the end of the month often comes as a shock — but it doesn’t have to. Our Electricity Running Cost Calculator lets you calculate exactly how much any home appliance costs to run per day, per month, and per year based on its wattage, daily usage hours, and your local electricity tariff (₹/unit). Know where your money is actually going before your next bill arrives.
How to Use the Electricity Cost Calculator
- Enter the appliance wattage — found on the product label, user manual, or specification sheet. For ACs, use the rated input power (not cooling capacity).
- Enter daily usage hours — how many hours per day you typically run the appliance.
- Enter your electricity tariff — your state’s per-unit rate in ₹/kWh. Check your electricity bill or your DISCOM’s website.
- Click Calculate to see daily, monthly, and annual running cost in rupees.
- Add multiple appliances one by one to see your total household electricity cost.
Typical Appliance Wattage Reference (India)
| Appliance | Typical Wattage | Monthly Cost (8 hrs/day, ₹8/unit) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 Ton Split AC (5-star) | 1,200 – 1,500 W | ₹2,304 – ₹2,880 |
| Refrigerator (300L) | 100 – 150 W | ₹576 – ₹864 |
| Ceiling Fan | 50 – 75 W | ₹96 – ₹144 |
| LED TV (43 inch) | 60 – 100 W | ₹115 – ₹192 |
| Washing Machine | 400 – 800 W | ₹48 – ₹96 (1 hr/day) |
| Water Heater/Geyser | 2,000 W | ₹384 (30 min/day) |
| Microwave | 700 – 1,200 W | ₹67 – ₹115 (30 min/day) |
| Induction Cooktop | 1,200 – 2,000 W | ₹230 – ₹384 (1 hr/day) |
Home Electricity Tariffs in Five States (Checked October 2026)
Every state sets its own tariff for home connections, and most charge in slabs, so each unit costs more as your usage rises. These are the current domestic rates in five states, checked against each state’s tariff order or supplier in October 2026.
| State (supplier) | Billing | Energy charge per unit | Added on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi (BSES, Tata Power-DDL) | Monthly | ₹3.00 for 0–200 units, rising to ₹8.00 above 1,200 units | Under the Delhi government subsidy, homes using up to 200 units a month pay no energy charge and homes using 201–400 units get 50% off. Surcharges and a monthly power-purchase adjustment are added. |
| Maharashtra (MSEDCL) | Monthly | ₹5.56 for 1–100 units, ₹12.40 for 101–300, ₹16.64 for 301–500 and ₹19.13 above 500 (including wheeling charge) | ₹130 fixed charge a month, plus fuel adjustment charge and electricity duty. Mumbai’s BEST, Adani and Tata Power areas have their own tariffs. |
| Karnataka (BESCOM and other ESCOMs) | Monthly | Flat ₹5.80 for all units | ₹150 per kW fixed charge a month and a 35 paise pension surcharge per unit (BESCOM adds 56 paise until April 2027). Gruha Jyothi gives eligible homes free power up to their average use plus 10 units, capped at 200 units. |
| Tamil Nadu (TNPDCL) | Every two months | First 100 units free, rising in steps to ₹11.55 above 1,000 units | Since May 2026, homes using 500 units or less in two months get the first 200 units free. Slab limits are for two months of use. |
| Gujarat (UGVCL, MGVCL, DGVCL, PGVCL) | Monthly | ₹3.05 for 0–50 units, rising to ₹5.20 above 250 units (urban) | A fuel surcharge (FPPAS) of about ₹2.45 per unit and 15% electricity duty in cities, so the real rate is much higher than the base slab. Torrent Power areas (Ahmedabad, Surat) differ. |
Tariffs are revised almost every year, and fixed charges, duty and surcharges are added on top of the energy charge. Check the rate on your latest bill, and enter the rate of the highest slab you reach in the calculator, as explained below.
Sources: Delhi tariff schedule (BSES); MERC order of 25 March 2026 (MSEDCL); KERC tariff schedule 2026–28; Tamil Nadu tariff (DT Next) and 200 free units order (ANI); GERC tariff schedule from 1 April 2026.
Worked Example: What a 1.5 Ton AC Costs to Run
Here is the same calculation the calculator does, step by step, using the AC preset above (1,500 W for 8 hours a day) and an example tariff of ₹8 per unit.
- Convert watts to kilowatts: 1,500 W ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 kW.
- Multiply by hours of use: 1.5 kW × 8 hours = 12 units a day (1 unit is 1 kWh).
- Multiply by days: 12 units × 30 days = 360 units a month.
- Multiply by your tariff: 360 units × ₹8 = ₹2,880 a month.
Treat this as an upper limit for an inverter AC. Its compressor slows down once the room is cool, so its average draw is usually below its rated input. To see how inverter and fixed-speed ACs compare over a whole season, read our inverter vs non-inverter AC guide.
Use Your Highest Slab Rate, Not Your Average Rate
Most Indian states charge domestic electricity in slabs: the first block of units is cheap and each later block costs more. A new appliance does not get the cheap units. Its units are added on top of what your home already uses, so they are charged at your highest slab. For the most realistic estimate, enter the rate of the top slab on your last bill, not the average. This is also why a bill can jump sharply after buying an AC, as explained in why your electricity bill jumped after buying an AC.
Your bill also adds fixed charges and electricity duty to the energy charge, so the calculator’s figure covers the energy part only. Some states, including Tamil Nadu, bill domestic connections every two months, so compare your bill with two months of results.
Refrigerators: Use the Star Label Instead of Wattage
A refrigerator’s compressor switches on and off all day, so wattage multiplied by hours is only a rough guess. The BEE star label on refrigerators sold in India gives a better number: the model’s energy use in units per year. Divide it by 365 for a daily figure.
For example, a label showing 230 units a year works out to about 0.63 units a day, or 19 units a month. At ₹8 per unit, that is about ₹151 a month, which is often well below the preset estimate above. To get the same result in the calculator, enter 630 W for 1 hour a day. To compare star ratings before you buy, try our Star Rating Comparator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 1 unit of electricity?
1 unit of electricity = 1 kilowatt-hour (1 kWh). This is the energy consumed by a 1,000 watt (1 kW) appliance running for exactly 1 hour. A 100W bulb running for 10 hours = 1 unit. A 1,500W AC running for 1 hour = 1.5 units. Your electricity bill charges you per unit consumed at your state’s tariff rate.
How do I find the wattage of my appliance?
The wattage (or power consumption) is printed on a label on the appliance — usually on the back, bottom, or inside the door. For ACs, use the “rated input power” (in watts) from the specification sticker, not the “cooling capacity” or tonnage. For appliances sold in India, the BEE energy label also shows annual energy consumption in kWh, which you can divide by annual usage hours to estimate wattage.
Why is my actual electricity bill higher than the calculator estimates?
A few reasons: (1) Your actual usage may be higher than what you entered. (2) Your tariff may be on a slab system — the more units you consume, the higher the rate per unit. (3) Fixed charges, meter rent, and taxes are added to the energy charge in your bill. (4) Inverter ACs consume variable wattage based on load — their actual consumption is an average, not the peak rated wattage.
Which appliance uses the most electricity in an Indian home?
Air conditioners are the single biggest electricity consumer in Indian homes — a 1.5 ton AC running 8 hours per day can add ₹2,000–₹3,500 to your monthly bill depending on efficiency rating and tariff. Water heaters, induction cooktops, washing machines, and refrigerators follow. Fans and LED lighting, while used constantly, consume relatively little.
How much does a 5-star AC save vs a 3-star AC on electricity?
A 5-star AC typically uses 20–35% less electricity than a 3-star AC of the same tonnage. For a 1.5 ton AC running 8 hours/day in summer (5 months/year), this can mean saving ₹3,000–₹6,000 per year. Over a 10-year lifespan, a 5-star model can pay back its price premium several times over in electricity savings.
How can I reduce my home electricity bill?
The most impactful steps: (1) Set your AC to 24°C instead of 18°C — each degree lower increases consumption by 6%. (2) Service your AC annually for optimal efficiency. (3) Switch to 5-star rated appliances when replacing old ones. (4) Use LED bulbs throughout. (5) Unplug chargers and electronics on standby — they draw phantom loads. (6) Run washing machines and dishwashers with full loads only.
Also useful: AC Tonnage Calculator — Find the right AC size for your room → | All free calculators →
Enter the actual wattage printed on the appliance's rating label for the most accurate estimate — that figure already reflects its star rating.