Quick answer: A 1,500 W air conditioner running 8 hours a day for 30 days uses 1,500 × 8 × 30 ÷ 1000 = 360 kWh; at 0.18 SAR/kWh that is 64.80 SAR a month.
How it's calculated
Energy in kilowatt-hours is power in watts × hours of use ÷ 1000. A 1,000 W heater running for one hour uses 1 kWh. Multiply by the number of days and by how many identical appliances you run. A month here is the number of days you enter (30 by default) and a year is 365 days; some calculators use an average month of 30.44 days, which gives slightly higher monthly figures.
Cost = kWh × your price per kWh. Utilities in the Gulf use tiered (slab) tariffs: in Saudi Arabia, residential consumption is charged 0.18 SAR/kWh for the first 6,000 kWh a month and 0.30 SAR/kWh above that until 31 December 2026, and Saudi Energy has announced 0.21 and 0.33 SAR/kWh from 1 January 2027. Dubai (DEWA) and other emirates use their own slabs and add fuel and other charges. Tariffs change, so take the current rate from your bill or your utility's website.
The wattage on the rating label is the maximum. Appliances with thermostats (air conditioners, fridges, water heaters) cycle on and off, so their average draw is lower; a plug-in energy meter gives the real figure.
Worked examples
- 1,500 W AC, 8 h/day, 30 days, 0.18 SAR/kWh: 360 kWh × 0.18 = 64.80 SAR
- Three 2,000 W ACs, 12 h/day, 30 days, 0.30 SAR/kWh: 2000 × 3 × 12 × 30 ÷ 1000 = 2,160 kWh × 0.30 = 648.00 SAR
- 10 W LED bulb, 6 h/day, 30 days, 0.23 AED/kWh: 1.8 kWh × 0.23 = 0.41 AED
Typical appliance power
Rough figures for planning; your appliance's label has the exact rating.
| Appliance | Typical power (W) |
|---|---|
| Split AC 1.5 ton (18,000 BTU/h) | 1,500 – 2,000 |
| Window AC 1 ton | 1,000 – 1,400 |
| Refrigerator | 100 – 250 |
| Electric water heater | 1,500 – 3,000 |
| Washing machine | 500 – 2,000 |
| LED TV 55" | 80 – 150 |
| LED bulb | 8 – 15 |
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate kWh from watts?
kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1000. For example 2,000 W for 3 hours is 6 kWh.
What is the electricity price in Saudi Arabia?
For residential customers, 0.18 SAR per kWh for monthly consumption up to 6,000 kWh and 0.30 SAR per kWh above it, until 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027 the rates are 0.21 and 0.33 SAR per kWh for the same brackets. Saudi Energy (formerly the Saudi Electricity Company) publishes the current tariff.
Why is my bill higher than this?
The bill adds every appliance, standby use, any higher tier, and fixed charges such as meter or service fees and VAT. This calculator shows one appliance's energy cost.
How do I find an appliance's wattage?
Check the rating label, usually on the back or underneath. It gives watts (W), or volts and amps that you multiply together. On an AC, ignore the BTU figure and use the power input in watts.
How do I estimate what a fridge costs to run?
Don't use its rated watts, because the compressor only runs part of the time. Take the yearly kWh from its energy label, divide by 8,760 to get average watts, and enter 24 hours a day.
Is standby power worth worrying about?
Each gadget on standby only draws a few watts, but they never stop. 10 W around the clock adds up to about 7.3 kWh a month.