Free online tool
Air Conditioner Energy Cost Calculator
Calculate exactly what your air conditioner costs to run per day, month, and year — based on your actual usage, room size, and local electricity tariff.
Know your running costs before you buy
Electricity costs in South Africa have risen sharply. Before investing in a new air conditioner, it pays to understand exactly what it will cost to run.
Our calculator uses real engineering formulas — BTU-to-kW conversion, inverter efficiency curves, and South African tariff bands — to give you an accurate monthly cost estimate tailored to your situation.
01
Enter your room details
Room size and ceiling height determine the BTU capacity your air conditioner needs to cool or heat effectively.
02
Set your usage pattern
How many hours per day and days per month you run the unit directly drives your energy consumption figure.
03
Choose your tariff
We include Eskom and major municipal tariff bands for 2025/26, or you can enter your exact rate from your electricity bill.
04
Get your cost breakdown
See daily, monthly, and annual running costs — plus a comparison between inverter and fixed-speed units.
Electricity settings
Active tariffR2.80/kWh
Load-sheddingNone
Units configured1
Air conditioner units
1
R412.64/mo
Custom area20 m²
5 m²200 m²
= 3.52 kW cooling capacity
Daily runtime8 hrs
1 hr24 hrs
Monthly usage22 days
1 day31 days