How to Estimate What Your Appliances Cost on Your Electric Bill

Find your real rate per kWh, read appliance wattage, and work out which appliances drive your Meralco or electric cooperative bill.

Updated October 7, 2026

Electric bills are charged in kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kWh is 1,000 watts used for one hour. Once you know your rate per kWh and each appliance’s wattage, you can estimate what anything in your house costs to run.

Step 1: find your real rate per kWh

Your bill lists many charges: generation, transmission, system loss, distribution, metering, subsidies, universal charges, and VAT. The simplest way to get an all-in rate:

rate per kWh = total amount due ÷ kWh consumed

For example, a ₱3,240 bill for 270 kWh means you pay about ₱12.00 per kWh. Rates change monthly, so recompute whenever a new bill arrives.

Step 2: find the appliance’s wattage

Look for the rating sticker on the back or bottom of the appliance, or check its manual. If it shows amperes only, multiply by 220 volts for an approximate wattage. Typical ranges:

Step 3: do the math

monthly cost = watts × hours per day × days ÷ 1,000 × rate per kWh

A 60 W fan used 8 hours a day for 30 days uses 14.4 kWh. At ₱12 per kWh, that’s ₱172.80 a month.

Appliances that cycle

Refrigerators and aircons don’t draw their full wattage all the time. The compressor switches off, or slows down in inverter models, once the target temperature is reached. That’s why their real cost is lower than wattage × hours. The Aircon Electricity Calculator lets you set an average load to account for this.

Where the savings are

1. The aircon. Usually the biggest item. Set it to 24–25°C, clean the filters, and close doors and curtains.
2. Heating appliances. Flat irons, water heaters, and electric stoves draw a lot of power; batch your ironing.
3. Old refrigerators. A worn door gasket makes the compressor run much longer.
4. Standby power. Unplug or switch off at the outlet what you don’t use daily.

Try any appliance in the Electricity Cost Calculator.