How do I work out what an appliance costs to run?

Multiply the appliance’s power in watts by the hours it runs, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatt-hours (kWh), then multiply by your tariff in dollars per kWh. Add standby the same way, using the standby watts and hours, and multiply a day’s kWh by the days you use it in a year. This is arithmetic, not an official rule. Our illustration: a 1,000 W unit that runs 8 hours a day uses 1,000 × 8 ÷ 1,000 = 8 kWh a day. At S$0.27 per kWh that is S$2.16 a day, or S$788.40 over 365 days.

Which tariff does the calculator use, and is it today’s price?

It starts at S$0.27 per kWh, which is NEA’s comparison figure, not a current price: NEA’s energy label page bases the annual energy cost on the label on 27 cents per kWh for single-phase air-conditioners, refrigerators, clothes dryers, televisions and electric water heaters, and does not say whether that includes GST. SP Group’s tariff page gives the regulated electricity tariff for 1 October to 31 December 2026 as 31.16 cents per kWh with GST, or 28.59 cents before GST (read on 19 October 2026 through a page-reading service). Type 0.3116 in the tariff box to use that rate, or your retailer plan’s rate if you buy electricity from a retailer; the box takes dollars per kWh, not cents. The page says tariffs are regulated by the Energy Market Authority and revised quarterly, so 31.16 cents applies only until 31 December 2026. NEA’s own figures also differ by appliance: the label page uses 15 cents for three-phase VRF air-conditioners, and NEA’s tips page uses $0.29 per kWh before GST in its dryer and lamp examples. Our Q4 2026 tariff guide costs three appliances at 27 cents, at 31.16 cents and at a higher placeholder rate, and our energy label running-cost guide shows how to rescale a label’s kWh figure to your own rate.

What hours does NEA’s energy label assume?

The label page bases its figures on these uses. The buttons under the hours fill them in, and the watts are still yours to enter.

  • Single-phase air-conditioner: 8 hours of daily use and 16 hours of standby
  • Refrigerator: 24 hours of daily use
  • Television: 5 hours of daily use

The page adds the disclaimer “Actual energy consumption and cost may vary.”

How do I compare two appliances and work out payback?

Enter each appliance’s energy use, either as the annual kWh on its energy label or as watts with the hours above, plus its price (or a repair quote for the old one). The tool works out each yearly running cost, the difference, and the payback: the extra price divided by the yearly saving. NEA’s tips page gives a life-cycle cost formula, purchase price plus annual energy cost times lifespan in years, and the tool applies it over the years you enter. Our illustration, the invented fridge from our repair-or-replace guide: labels of 330 kWh and 190 kWh a year differ by 140 kWh, and 140 × S$0.27 = S$37.80 a year, or S$302.40 over eight years. A S$1,100 replacement costs S$820 more than a S$280 repair, and S$820 ÷ S$37.80 is about 21.7 years.

What does this calculator not do?

It does not know how much power your appliance really draws: NEA’s label says actual consumption and cost may vary. It does not model tiered or time-based plans, fees or GST changes, and its default does not follow SP Group’s quarterly tariff changes. Payback counts energy cost only and ignores repairs, lifespan, interest and price changes, so it cannot say whether to repair or replace. NEA’s pages state no rounding rule for costs. The daily, monthly and yearly costs are each rounded to the nearest cent (half a cent up) from the unrounded kWh, so they may not multiply exactly, and the yearly difference is the difference of the two rounded yearly costs: that is the tool’s convention.

For label ticks and kWh, see our guides to reading the energy label, water heater labels and costs and what shops cannot sell.

How do I calculate electricity cost from kWh?

Multiply the kWh by your tariff in dollars per kWh. For 140 kWh at S$0.27 per kWh, 140 × 0.27 = S$37.80.

What is the electricity tariff in Singapore now?

SP Group’s tariff page gives 31.16 cents per kWh with GST, or 28.59 cents before GST, for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (read on 19 October 2026 through a page-reading service). The page says tariffs are regulated by the Energy Market Authority and revised quarterly, so check it again for the quarter from 1 January 2027. If you buy electricity from a retailer, use your plan’s rate.

What tariff does NEA use for energy labels?

27 cents per kWh for single-phase air-conditioners, refrigerators, clothes dryers, televisions and electric water heaters, and 15 cents for three-phase VRF air-conditioners, according to NEA’s energy label page (last updated 1 July 2026). They are NEA’s comparison figures, not today’s price. This tool starts at 27 cents, but SP Group’s tariff for October to December 2026 is 31.16 cents per kWh with GST, so type 0.3116 or your own plan’s rate instead.

How do I use the kWh printed on an energy label?

In the comparison mode choose “Annual kWh from its energy label” for each appliance and enter your own tariff. The label’s figure assumes NEA’s hours, which may not match your use.

About 5 minute read · Send a correction or suggestion

Sources