Appliance cost
Calculate an appliance’s electricity cost
Turn nameplate watts and a realistic usage pattern into an understandable estimate.
Start with the right input
Use measured watts or the product’s electrical input—not output capacity. For cycling devices such as refrigerators, annual label consumption or measured kWh is better than multiplying peak watts continuously.
Use a realistic schedule
Record active hours, days and quantity. If the device switches on and off, estimate a duty factor or measure it over several representative days.
Interpret the cost correctly
A simple per-kWh calculation is useful when the household stays inside one tier. Near 6,000 kWh, compare the household bill before and after adding the appliance.
A worked energy example
An 800 W appliance used three hours per day for 30 days consumes 72 kWh: 0.8 × 3 × 30. At SAR 0.18 per kWh, that is SAR 12.96 before VAT and before any tier-crossing effect. The calculator keeps energy and price assumptions visible.
Handle cycling loads
Refrigerators, pumps, irons and thermostatic heaters do not normally draw rated power every minute. Measure kWh over several representative days or use verified annual consumption. Dividing measured energy by the observation days gives a stronger daily estimate than guessing continuous full-power operation.
Separate active and standby use
Some devices draw little power while active for short periods but remain in standby all day. Estimate these modes separately because their schedules differ. A standby controller also consumes energy, so subtract its own demand before describing the result as a saving.
Test a replacement premium
For two appliances that provide the same service, compare annual energy and calculate annual cost difference. Divide the additional purchase price by that difference for a simple payback. Include maintenance and expected life when they differ materially, and do not replace a working product solely on an uncertain energy estimate.
Related guides
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Primary sources
Last source check: 2026-07-29