Electricity Cost Calculators
Four free calculators to break down your electricity costs — your full monthly bill, the cost of any amount of kWh, what each appliance costs to run, and the hidden cost of standby power. All formulas shown. All rate data sourced from official regulators in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
Electricity Bill Calculator
Estimate your total monthly electricity bill from kWh usage, rate, and fixed charges.
All 4 inputs explainedkWh Cost Calculator
Calculate the cost of any amount of electricity at your local rate.
US, UK, CA, AU ratesAppliance Energy Cost Calculator
Find out how much any appliance costs to run based on wattage and hours used.
500+ appliance wattagesPhantom Load Calculator
Calculate how much standby power is adding to your electricity bill.
Often $100+/yearHow your electricity bill is calculated
Your monthly electricity bill is built from three components: how much electricity you use (measured in kilowatt-hours, or kWh), the rate your utility charges per kWh, and any fixed monthly charges (often called a service fee, standing charge, or delivery charge). Every calculator on this page works from these three numbers.
If your bill swings from month to month, the cause is almost always usage rather than rate changes. Each appliance and device in your home pulls a specific number of watts when running. Multiply that wattage by the hours of use, then divide by 1,000, and you have the kWh consumed. Multiply by your rate, and you have the dollar cost.
A simple example: a 1,000-watt window air conditioner running 8 hours a day for 30 days uses 240 kWh in a month. At the US average rate of $0.17/kWh, that single AC unit adds $40.80 to your monthly bill — about $245 per cooling season.
Average electricity rates by country (2025)
| Country | Average rate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | $0.17 / kWh | EIA Electric Power Monthly |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 24.5p / kWh | Ofgem default tariff cap |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $0.13 CAD / kWh | Natural Resources Canada |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | $0.32 AUD / kWh | Australian Energy Regulator |
Rates verified quarterly. Your actual rate may differ — check your latest electricity bill for the exact figure your utility charges, then enter that into the calculators above for personalised results.
What you'll need to use these calculators
For the most accurate result, have these ready before you start:
- Your electricity rate per kWh. Look at your most recent bill — usually shown as "energy charge", "supply charge", or just "unit rate". UK bills show this in pence (p), US/CA/AU in dollars.
- Any fixed monthly charges. Sometimes called "service fee", "daily standing charge", "delivery charge", or "supply charge". These apply even if you used zero electricity.
- For appliance calculators: the appliance wattage (on the label, in the manual, or use our 500+ device database) and typical hours of use per day or week.
- For bill estimates: your monthly kWh usage. This appears on your bill as "kWh used", "consumption", or just kWh.
If you don't have your bill handy, every calculator defaults to the official average rate for your country, so you can still get a useful estimate.
Common questions about electricity costs
How much does electricity cost per kWh in 2025?
Average rates in 2025: United States $0.17/kWh (EIA), United Kingdom 24.5p/kWh (Ofgem), Canada $0.13 CAD/kWh (NRCan), Australia $0.32 AUD/kWh (AER). Within each country, urban areas usually pay more than rural areas, and time-of-use plans can vary the price by 2 to 4 times across the day.
How do I calculate the electricity cost of an appliance?
Multiply the appliance wattage by the hours used, divide by 1,000 to get kWh, then multiply by your rate per kWh. For example: a 1,500W space heater running 6 hours uses 9 kWh, costing $1.53 at the US average rate of $0.17/kWh. Our Appliance Energy Cost Calculator does this for you across 500+ device types.
What is phantom load (standby power)?
Phantom load (also called standby power or vampire load) is the electricity devices use while plugged in but "off". TVs, game consoles, microwaves, set-top boxes, and chargers all draw small continuous amounts. The US Department of Energy estimates phantom load adds $100 to $200 per year to the average household electricity bill.
Why is my electricity bill so high?
The four most common causes: (1) high-wattage appliances running for many hours — electric heating, air conditioning, electric water heaters, and dryers dominate; (2) a rate increase from your utility; (3) added or increased fixed charges; (4) accumulating phantom load from devices on standby. Use our Bill Calculator to identify which input is driving your cost.
How can I lower my electricity bill?
The biggest savings come from reducing high-wattage usage. Replace electric resistance heating with a heat pump (2-4× more efficient), install a programmable or smart thermostat (5-10% savings per US DOE), unplug devices not in use to cut phantom load, and switch incandescent bulbs to LEDs (75% less energy per the US Energy Star programme). See our reduce energy bill guide for the full ranked list.
How these calculators work
Every calculator on this page follows the same five-part standard. The exact formula is shown on the page in plain text — no black-box maths. Every default value (average rate, typical wattage, usage hours) is identified and explained. All numerical defaults link to the official source they came from with a "last verified" date. A worked example with realistic inputs is included so you can verify the output manually. And we explicitly state what each calculator does not include — for example, tiered or time-of-use rates, demand charges, or regional utility riders.
For the full standard and our update schedule, see our Methodology page and the Data Sources page.