Air conditioning: estimate the electricity cost of your routine

Start with the appliance and room

Record the unit’s electrical input information, room size and the hours you expect to use it. Cooling capacity is not the same as electricity consumption. Actual draw can vary with the system, temperature settings and conditions. A label can help define a scenario, but it cannot establish the measured monthly bill for an apartment you have not occupied.

Show the calculation transparently

Illustration only: assumed average electrical draw of 0.8 kW for six hours a day over 30 days uses 144 kWh. At a hypothetical marginal rate of 0.20 per kWh, that is 28.80 before other charges. The assumed average draw is the uncertain input here. Do not present rated maximum power as constant measured consumption or add this estimate to a bill that already includes cooling.

Test a hotter or longer-use month

Repeat the calculation for different hours and a plausible draw assumption, clearly labelled. Check the actual tariff for tiers, fixed charges and taxes; a flat-rate example may not match it. Ask for comparable occupied-period bills if available. Keep the cooling increment separate from appliances, water heating and common-building charges so another component is not silently omitted.

Sources and further reading

• Lifovra — methodology and limitations