Air Conditioner Running Cost Calculator
Work out what your ducted, split system or portable air conditioner costs to run per hour, day and month.
How it works
The calculator multiplies your unit’s electrical running power (in kW — what the meter sees, not the cooling capacity printed on the box) by the hours you run it and your electricity tariff. It then scales that daily cost up by the days-per-week you enter, then out to a full year (52 weeks) and a monthly average.
To compare the running cost of other household appliances — dryers, heaters, pool pumps — see the Appliance Electricity Cost calculator.
cost per day = power (kW) × hours × tariff ($/kWh)
Worked example
A ducted system drawing 5.0 kW, run 4 hours a day at $0.30/kWh:
- Per hour
- 5.0 × $0.30 = $1.50
- Per day
- $1.50 × 4 = $6.00
- Per week
- $6.00 × 7 = $42
- Per year
- $42 × 52 ≈ $2,180
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the unit's power draw, how long you run it, and your electricity tariff. A typical single-room split system drawing around 1.2kW, run for 6 hours a day at $0.30/kWh, costs roughly $0.36/hour — about $65 a month. Enter your own numbers above for an estimate that matches your unit and usage.