Want to know how much your refrigerator costs to run? Use our free Refrigerator Cost Calculator to estimate the daily, monthly, and yearly electricity costs of running your refrigerator.
Enter your refrigerator’s power consumption, average daily operating hours, the number of days you want to calculate, and your electricity rate. The calculator will estimate its electricity consumption and approximate running costs.
Refrigerator Cost Calculator
Estimate your refrigerator’s electricity use and running costs.
The calculator estimates electricity use based on average power consumption and operating time. Refrigerators cycle on and off, so actual consumption depends on the model, age, temperature settings, room temperature, and usage. For a more accurate estimate, use the refrigerator’s measured average power consumption or energy-monitoring data.
How Does the Refrigerator Cost Calculator Work?
The Refrigerator Cost Calculator estimates how much electricity a refrigerator uses and how much it costs to operate.
The calculation is based on four inputs:
- Average power consumption: The estimated average electrical power used while the refrigerator is operating, measured in watts (W).
- Operating hours per day: The estimated number of hours the refrigerator operates at that average power level each day.
- Days used per month: The number of days included in the monthly estimate.
- Electricity rate: The price you pay for electricity, measured in dollars per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The calculator converts watts into kilowatt-hours and multiplies the estimated energy consumption by your electricity rate to calculate running costs.
Because refrigerators cycle on and off, their actual energy use varies. For a more accurate estimate, use measured consumption data or the appliance’s annual energy consumption label where available.
Example: How Much Does a Refrigerator Cost to Run?
For example, let’s assume a refrigerator averages 150 watts of power consumption for 8 hours per day at that average power level. Your electricity rate is $0.16 per kWh, and the refrigerator runs throughout a 30-day month.
The estimated electricity consumption is:
- 1.20 kWh per day
- 36 kWh per month
- 432 kWh per year
The estimated electricity cost would be:
- $0.19 per day
- $5.76 per month
- $69.12 per year
This example is an illustration, not a typical consumption figure for every refrigerator. Actual energy use depends on the appliance’s efficiency, size, age, temperature settings, and environment.