Updated August 24, 2026
Electric Heater Running Cost Calculator
Calculate how much an electric heater costs to run per hour, including 1,500 W and 2,000 W examples, plus daily, monthly, and winter totals from your tariff.
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 £0.2611 per kWh (Ofgem GB illustration for Jul–Sep 2026), that is approximately £79.20 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.
Assumptions used in this example
This page starts with 2,000 watts, 5 hours of use per day, and 7 days per week. Those defaults are only a practical starting point. Replace them with the number on your product label, energy label, smart plug, or electricity bill.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0.20 / kWh | £0.40 | £60.67 | £728.00 |
| £0.26 / kWh | £0.52 | £79.20 | £950.40 |
| £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.
FAQ
Electric heater running cost questions
How do I calculate electric heater running cost?
Divide the watts by 1,000 to get kilowatts, multiply by the hours used, then multiply by your electricity price per kWh. This page pre-fills 2,000 W, 5 hours per day, and 7 days per week as a starting example.
How much does an electric heater cost per hour?
At 2,000 W and £0.2611 per kWh (an Ofgem GB cap illustration), the example cost is about £0.52 per hour while it is actively using that power. Change the rate field to match your own bill.
Why might my real electric heater cost be different?
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.
Should I use rated watts or measured watts?
Rated watts are useful for a quick estimate, but measured wall power or an energy-label kWh figure is usually more accurate because many appliances cycle on and off or change power during use.
Does the calculator include standing charges, taxes, or demand charges?
No. The calculator estimates usage cost from kWh only. If your bill includes standing charges, taxes, delivery fees, or demand charges, add those separately.
Can I share my result?
Yes. Use the share or copy button after entering your wattage, hours, days, rate, and currency. The page stores those inputs in the URL so you can revisit the same estimate.