Electricity Cost Calculator

Common appliance wattages

Air conditioner 1–3 kW · Water heater 2–3 kW · Fridge 100–200 W · TV 80–150 W · Laptop 50–100 W · LED bulb 5–15 W

How electricity cost is calculated

Electricity is billed in kilowatt-hours (kWh), also called "度" (dù) in China. One kWh means using 1,000 watts for one hour. To find the cost of running an appliance, you need three numbers: its power in watts, how long it runs, and your electricity rate. The formula is:

Step-by-step: estimate your electricity bill

1. Find the appliance's wattage. Check the label on the back or bottom of the device. It is usually printed in watts (W) or kilowatts (kW). For example, a heater might be 2,000 W.
2. Estimate daily usage hours. A heater used 3 hours a day gets 3 in the hours field. A fridge running 24/7 uses about 8–12 effective hours (the compressor cycles on and off).
3. Enter your electricity rate. In China, residential rates are typically ¥0.5–0.8/kWh. Check your latest bill or your power company's website for the exact tiered rate.
4. Click Calculate. You get daily kWh, monthly kWh and monthly cost in yuan.

Common appliance wattage reference

Note: costs are estimates at ¥0.56/kWh. Actual costs vary by city, tier and usage pattern.

Understanding China's tiered electricity pricing

Most Chinese cities use tiered (阶梯) pricing for residential electricity. As you use more, the rate per kWh goes up. A typical 3-tier structure looks like this:

• Tier 1 (≤ 180 kWh/month): base rate, around ¥0.50–0.55/kWh
• Tier 2 (181–400 kWh/month): base + ¥0.05/kWh
• Tier 3 (> 400 kWh/month): base + ¥0.30/kWh

The exact thresholds and rates vary by province. Some provinces also offer a "峰谷电价" (peak-valley pricing) where night-time electricity (typically 22:00–8:00) is 30–50% cheaper. Running high-power appliances like water heaters or EV chargers at night can significantly lower your bill.

Practical examples

• Electric heater: 2,000 W × 3 h/day = 6 kWh/day × ¥0.56 = ¥3.36/day ≈ ¥100.80/month.
• Air conditioner in summer: 1,200 W × 8 h/day = 9.6 kWh/day ≈ ¥5.38/day ≈ ¥161/month. Using the AC at 26°C instead of 22°C can cut usage by 20–30%.
• LED vs incandescent: A 10 W LED produces the same light as a 60 W bulb. Over 8 hours/day, the LED costs ¥1.34/month vs the incandescent's ¥8.06/month — a savings of ¥80/year per bulb.
• EV home charging: A 7 kW charger for 4 hours = 28 kWh ≈ ¥15.70 per charge. Charging at valley hours (22:00–8:00) drops this to about ¥9–10.

Tips to reduce your electricity bill

• Use LED bulbs. They use 80–85% less energy than incandescents and last 10–25 times longer.
• Set AC to 26°C. Every degree lower increases energy use by about 6–8%. Use a fan to feel cooler at higher temperatures.
• Run high-power appliances at night. If your province has valley pricing, charge EVs and run water heaters between 22:00 and 8:00.
• Unplug idle devices. Standby power (phantom load) can account for 5–10% of your bill. Use power strips to turn off groups of devices.
• Choose energy-efficient appliances. Look for the 能效等级 (energy efficiency label) — Level 1 uses the least energy.