How Much Does Your Geyser, Air Con, or Kettle Really Cost?
Estimate what you're paying to run your household appliances. Just enter your wattage, usage, and tariff—we'll calculate daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly costs.
Free. No sign-up. No data collection. Results are estimates based on your inputs—actual costs vary by appliance efficiency, usage, and your local tariff structure.
What Is What Does It Cost?
What Does It Cost? is a South African household electricity resource designed to help you understand how much it costs to run your appliances. Whether you're concerned about your electricity bill, comparing appliances, or planning your household budget, our free calculator and detailed appliance guides help you estimate real-world electricity costs.
Simply enter your appliance's power rating (watts), how often you use it, and your electricity tariff. We'll show you estimated daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly costs—so you can estimate what your geyser, air conditioner, washing machine, and other appliances are costing you.
Start Calculating
Select an appliance or enter custom details. Add multiple appliances to see your complete household estimate.
Important: The calculator uses the appliance wattage you enter as its assumed power draw while the appliance is running. Many appliances do not draw their rated wattage continuously, so actual electricity consumption may be lower or higher depending on the appliance, operating cycle, efficiency and usage pattern.
Enter the number of hours you expect the appliance to actively operate at its rated power. For appliances that cycle on and off, such as geysers and refrigerators, actual electricity consumption can differ substantially from a simple rated-wattage calculation.
Disclaimer: These are rough estimates only. Actual electricity consumption and costs depend on your appliances, usage patterns and electricity tariff. Factors like appliance efficiency, exact daily usage, your municipality's tariff structure, seasonal variations, and any demand charges also affect your actual costs. Check your latest bill to verify your actual tariff rate.
Understanding Watts, kW, kWh and Electricity Cost
To understand appliance costs, it helps to know the difference between power and energy consumption:
Watts (W): The power rating of your appliance. This is the maximum power it can draw when operating. For example, a kettle might be rated at 2200W.
Kilowatt (kW): 1,000 watts equals 1 kilowatt. So a 2200W kettle = 2.2 kW. Kilowatts make large power numbers easier to read.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): One kWh is commonly called a "unit" of electricity on your bill. It is 1 kilowatt of power used for 1 hour. This is what you pay for—the actual electricity consumed over time.
Your cost: Estimated cost = electricity consumed in kWh multiplied by your electricity tariff (R per kWh).
Important: An appliance's rated wattage is not the same as actual electricity consumption. Many appliances cycle on and off or operate at different power levels. For example, a washing machine might have a 2.5 kW power rating, but it does not draw 2.5 kW continuously throughout the wash cycle. This is why actual consumption can be lower than the theoretical maximum.
Real-World Appliance Cost Examples
These are illustrative examples based on typical wattages and usage patterns. Actual costs vary significantly depending on the specific appliance model, how you use it, and your electricity tariff.
Electric Kettle
A typical 2200W kettle used 3 times dFaily for 7 minutes per use (total 21 minutes daily) would consume approximately 23–24 kWh per month. At an illustrative rate of R3.50/kWh, this is roughly R80–85 per month. Learn more
Washing Machine
A typical 2.5 kW washing machine used 4 times weekly for 45 minutes per cycle would consume approximately 32.5 kWh per month. At R3.50/kWh (illustrative), this is roughly R113.75 per month. Learn more
Tumble Dryer
A typical 2500W tumble dryer used 2 times weekly for 50 minutes per cycle would consume approximately 18 kWh per month. At R3.50/kWh (illustrative), this is roughly R63 per month. Learn more
Electric Stove
A typical 3 kW electric stove used 1 hour daily would consume approximately 90 kWh per month. At R3.50/kWh (illustrative), this is roughly R315 per month. Actual usage varies widely based on cooking frequency and heat settings. Learn more
Important: These examples use R3.50/kWh, which is an illustrative rate for calculation purposes only—not a current South African tariff. Use the calculator above with your own electricity tariff for a more accurate estimate specific to your situation.
How We Calculate Your Estimated Electricity Cost
The calculation is straightforward:
Power in watts ÷ 1,000 = Power in kilowatts (kW)
kW × operating hours = estimated kWh
kWh × your electricity tariff (R/kWh) = estimated cost
For example: A 2200W kettle used for 7 minutes (0.117 hours) = 0.257 kWh. At R3.50/kWh (illustrative), that's approximately R0.90 per boil.
Why this is an estimate, not an exact bill:
- • Appliances don't always draw their maximum rated power continuously
- • Your actual usage may differ from your estimate
- • South African tariffs often use tiered pricing, time-of-use rates, or fixed charges—we use a simple flat rate for estimation
- • Appliance age, model, and efficiency affect real consumption
Our calculator gives you a useful ballpark estimate based on your inputs. For your actual electricity bill, check with your municipality or electricity provider.
Detailed South African Appliance Guides
Click any appliance below to access our detailed guides. Each guide covers typical wattage ranges, how to find your specific appliance's power rating, how to calculate electricity consumption, factors affecting real-world usage, and how to estimate costs using your own tariff.
Use these wattage ranges in the calculator above, or adjust based on your specific appliance's rating plate for greater accuracy.
Water Heating
Cooking & Kitchen
Electric stove: 2000–3500W | Air fryer: 1500W | Microwave: 800–1200W
Kitchen Appliances
Climate Control
Household
Big Household Appliances
Refrigeration
Fridge: 100–200W | Fridge-freezer: 150–300W | Learn more: Fridge cost guide
Outdoor
Electronics
Entertainment & Tech
Gaming PC: 500–1000W | Gaming Console: 100–200W | Wi-Fi Router: 5–20W
Electricity Cost Comparisons and Unit Guides
Compare electricity costs and learn how South African electricity units translate into real costs.
Appliance Comparisons
Electricity Units and Usage
How to Calculate Appliance Electricity Costs in 6 Steps
- 1. Enter appliance name: Type your appliance name or select from common South African household appliances (geyser, washing machine, air conditioner, kettle, refrigerator, etc.)
- 2. Enter wattage: Find the appliance's power consumption in watts (W) on the rating label, in the manual, or use our reference guide above
- 3. Hours per day: Enter the total number of hours the appliance actively operates on a typical day. For multiple uses, add the operating times together.
- 4. Days per week: Specify how many days per week you use the appliance (default is 7 days)
- 5. Enter your tariff: Find your electricity rate (R per kWh) on your latest municipal or Eskom bill, then click "Calculate My Electricity Cost"
- 6. View results: See estimated electricity usage and costs per day, week, month, and year in South African Rands (R).
Find Your South African Electricity Tariff (Cost per kWh)
Electricity tariffs vary significantly across South Africa depending on your municipality or electricity provider. Your cost per kWh (kilowatt-hour) determines how much you'll pay to run your appliances. Learn more about how electricity tariffs work in South Africa.
How to find your tariff:
- • Check your latest electricity bill for the rate per kWh (R/kWh)
- • Visit your municipality's website for tariff schedules
- • Contact your electricity provider (City Power, Eskom Direct, local municipality, etc.)
Electricity rates vary by municipality, electricity provider, customer category and tariff structure. Enter the rate that applies to your own account or tariff schedule for a more relevant estimate.
Important note: Many municipalities use tiered pricing (rates increase as you use more electricity), seasonal rates, or time-of-use rates. This calculator uses a single flat rate for simplicity. For the most accurate estimate, use the rate that applies to your usage level.
About These Appliance Cost Estimates
These are estimates only. This calculator provides rough estimates to help you understand appliance electricity costs. Actual electricity bills from your municipality or electricity provider may differ from these estimates.
Factors that affect actual costs:
- • Appliance age, model, and energy efficiency
- • Actual daily and seasonal usage patterns
- • Your municipality's tariff structure, tiered pricing, and seasonal rates
- • Fixed charges, minimum charges, and service fees
- • Power factor and electrical losses
- • Demand charges (if applicable to your tariff)
Want to reduce your electricity costs? Check out our energy-saving tips for South African households to learn practical ways to reduce your electricity consumption. For more information about how this calculator works, visit our about page.