Updated June 25, 2026
Electric Heater Running Cost Calculator
Calculate how much an electric heater costs to run per hour, day, month, and winter using your own electricity price.
Live calculator
Calculate your actual running cost
Running this electric heater for 5 hours a day, 7 days a week uses about 303.3 kWh each month.
Quick answer
How much does an electric heater cost to run?
A 2,000 W electric heater used for 5 hours a day, 7 days a week, consumes about 303.3 kWh per month. At $0.30 per kWh, that is approximately $91.00 per month. Replace these example figures with the wattage and electricity rate from your appliance and bill.
What changes the real running cost?
Electric resistance heaters turn almost all the electricity they use into heat, so their running cost follows their rated wattage closely while the heating element is on.
A thermostat usually switches the heating element on and off. If your heater only draws full power half the time, reduce the daily hours to reflect that duty cycle.
Example electric heater costs
These examples use 2,000 W for 5 hours a day and 7 days per week.
| Electricity rate | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.15 / kWh | $0.30 | $45.50 | $546.00 |
| $0.25 / kWh | $0.50 | $75.83 | $910.00 |
| $0.35 / kWh | $0.70 | $106.17 | $1274.00 |
Ways to reduce the cost
Start with changes that reduce active runtime without compromising safety or the job the appliance needs to do.
- Heat the occupied room instead of the whole home.
- Use the thermostat rather than running continuously.
- Reduce draughts before increasing the heat setting.
Estimate only. Actual consumption varies by model, setting, condition, temperature, duty cycle, and tariff. Use a plug-in meter or energy-label figure when accuracy matters.