{
  "slug": "electricity-cost",
  "title": "Electricity Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Electricity Cost Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/electricity-cost",
  "summary": "What any appliance costs to run per day, month, and year.",
  "description": "Multiply watts by hours to get watt-hours, divide by 1,000 for kWh, then multiply by your rate. Always-on devices are the sneaky ones — a 60 W device left running all year costs more than a 1,500 W heater used occasionally.",
  "formula": "Cost = Watts ÷ 1000 × Hours × Rate.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=electricity-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "watts",
      "label": "Device wattage",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1200,
      "unit": "W",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hours",
      "label": "Hours used per day",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 24
    },
    {
      "id": "days",
      "label": "Days used per month",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 31
    },
    {
      "id": "rate",
      "label": "Electricity rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0.17,
      "unit": "$/kWh",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "monthly",
      "label": "Monthly cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "daily",
      "label": "Daily cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "annual",
      "label": "Annual cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "monthlyKwh",
      "label": "Monthly kWh",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "annualKwh",
      "label": "Annual kWh",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Device wattage: 1200 W",
      "Hours used per day: 4",
      "Days used per month: 30",
      "Electricity rate: 0.17 $/kWh"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Monthly cost: $24.48",
      "Daily cost: $0.82",
      "Annual cost: $293.76",
      "Monthly kWh: 144",
      "Annual kWh: 1,728"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter device wattage (W).",
      "Enter hours used per day.",
      "Enter days used per month.",
      "Enter electricity rate ($/kWh).",
      "Read your monthly cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "watts": 720,
        "hours": 2.4,
        "days": 18,
        "rate": 0.17
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "watts": 1200,
        "hours": 4,
        "days": 30,
        "rate": 0.17
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "watts": 1920,
        "hours": 6.4,
        "days": 31,
        "rate": 0.17
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the electricity cost calculator work?",
      "a": "Multiply watts by hours to get watt-hours, divide by 1,000 for kWh, then multiply by your rate. Always-on devices are the sneaky ones — a 60 W device left running all year costs more than a 1,500 W heater used occasionally. The underlying maths is: Cost = Watts ÷ 1000 × Hours × Rate."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "4 values: device wattage, hours used per day, days used per month, and electricity rate. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the monthly cost result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/solar-panel",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hvac-sizing",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/water-usage"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Electricity Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/electricity-cost)"
}