# Electricity Cost Calculator

> Electricity cost calculator: compute what any appliance costs to run from wattage, hours used, and your rate. Editable rates, free, runs locally in your browser.

- **Canonical URL:** https://boringtoolskit.com/electricity-cost-calculator/
- **Category:** Energy & Electrical
- **Evidence level:** authored-methodology
- **Reviewed:** August 2026
- **Last verified:** 2026-10-12
- **Privacy:** Inputs and results stay in this browser unless the page clearly labels an external request.

## Answer

Appliance electricity cost: estimate and compare daily, monthly, and annual electricity use from watts, runtime, active days, and your entered rate.

## How it works

For each appliance: monthly kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × hours per active day × active days per month; annual kWh = monthly kWh × 12; cost = kWh × electricity rate. Comparison mode subtracts Appliance B from Appliance A and simple payback = additional purchase cost ÷ annual savings when annual savings are positive.

## Worked example

A 1,500-watt appliance used 4 hours per day for 30 active days at $0.20 per kWh uses 180 kWh and costs $36 for that month; annualizing the same entered schedule gives $432.

## Assumptions

- Power draw, active hours, and active days are treated as constant user assumptions.
- Annual use follows the entered monthly schedule by multiplying monthly kWh by 12.
- Taxes, demand charges, time-of-use rates, standby power, maintenance, rebates, and lifespan are excluded unless you account for them separately.
- Worked example: A 1,500-watt appliance used 4 hours per day for 30 active days at $0.20 per kWh uses 180 kWh and costs $36 for that month; annualizing the same schedule gives $432.
- Nameplate watts may differ from average draw as appliances cycle, enter standby, or change load.

## Common questions

### How much does it cost to run an appliance each month?

Multiply the appliance wattage by hours used per day, then by 30 days, divide by 1,000 to get kWh, and multiply by your electricity rate. A 1,500 W appliance run 4 hours/day at $0.20/kWh costs about $36/month.

### How do I calculate the annual electricity cost of an appliance?

Use monthly cost × 12. At the same settings, a 1,500 W appliance used 4 hours/day at $0.20/kWh runs about $432 a year.

### What is the formula for electricity cost?

Cost = (wattage ÷ 1,000) × hours used × days × electricity rate per kWh. Wattage is the appliance's rated power draw; the result is your running cost for that schedule.

### Does this calculator include the electricity rate?

Yes — enter your cost per kWh (shown on your bill as cents per kilowatt-hour, e.g. $0.20/kWh) and the calculator applies it to your wattage and usage schedule.

## Related tools

- /energy-cost-tools/
- /research/appliance-electricity-cost-scenarios/
- /led-savings-calculator/
- /ev-charging-cost-calculator/
- /watts-to-amps-calculator/

## Sources

- [Electricity use in homes](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/electricity-use-in-homes.php)
- [Average retail price of electricity](https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/)

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