How Much Electricity Do Home Appliances Use? (Philippines, ₱ per Hour)
TL;DR
The appliances that cost the most to run are the ones that make heat or cold: water heaters, electric kettles, irons, and induction cookers pull the most watts, while aircon costs the most overall simply because it runs for hours. Small electronics like fans, LED TVs, and routers cost very little. At a 2026 Meralco rate of roughly ₱14/kWh, an electric fan costs under ₱1 per hour, a 1.0 HP inverter aircon around ₱10-13 per hour, and a refrigerator ₱400-650 per month (more for older or larger units). The table below breaks it down.
Knowing what each appliance actually costs to run helps you find the real culprits on your electric bill — and decide what’s worth solar, a timer, or an upgrade. Here are typical figures for Philippine homes, with running cost estimated at a 2026 Meralco rate of about ₱14 per kWh. Your own rate varies (see Meralco rate per kWh), but the method is the same.
The simple formula
Watts ÷ 1000 × rate per kWh = cost per hour
So a 60-watt fan at ₱14/kWh costs 0.06 × 14 = ₱0.84 per hour. That’s it — every
figure below uses this.
Running cost by appliance
| Appliance | Typical power | Approx. cost to run at ~₱14/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Electric fan (stand/desk) | 45-75 W | ~₱0.60-1.00 / hour |
| Ceiling fan | 55-80 W | ~₱0.75-1.10 / hour |
| LED TV (32“) | 30-50 W | ~₱0.40-0.70 / hour |
| WiFi router | 5-15 W | ~₱0.07-0.20 / hour |
| Laptop | 30-65 W | ~₱0.40-0.90 / hour |
| Desktop computer | 100-300 W | ~₱1.40-4.20 / hour |
| Aircon 1.0 HP (inverter) | 700-900 W running | ~₱10-13 / hour |
| Aircon 1.0 HP (non-inverter) | 900-1,200 W | ~₱13-17 / hour |
| Aircon 1.5 HP | 1,100-1,600 W | ~₱15-22 / hour |
| Washing machine (non-heating) | 350-500 W | ~₱5-7 / hour |
| Rice cooker (cooking) | 300-700 W | ~₱4-10 / hour |
| Microwave | 800-1,200 W | ~₱11-17 / hour |
| Electric iron | 1,000-1,800 W | ~₱14-25 / hour |
| Electric kettle | 1,500-2,000 W | ~₱21-28 / hour |
| Induction cooker | 1,200-2,100 W | ~₱17-29 / hour |
| Instant water heater (shower) | 3,000-8,000 W | ~₱42-112 / hour (used only minutes) |
| Water pump | 250-750 W | ~₱3.50-10.50 / hour |
| Refrigerator (inverter) | runs 24/7 | ~₱400-650 / month |
Figures are indicative typical ranges — actual draw depends on the model, age, setting, and how well the appliance is maintained. Use them to compare and prioritize, not as exact meter readings.
The two things that drive your bill
- Heat and cold cost the most per hour. Anything that heats water or a surface — water heater, kettle, iron, induction cooker — pulls a lot of watts. The saving grace is that most run only for minutes.
- Aircon costs the most overall, not because of a huge per-hour figure but because it runs for hours. A ₱12/hour aircon over 8 hours is ₱96 a night, or nearly ₱3,000 a month for one unit. That’s why the inverter vs non-inverter aircon choice matters so much, and why aircon-heavy homes benefit most from solar.
Meanwhile fans, LED TVs, laptops, and routers are cheap to run — leaving them on is rarely where your bill problem is.
What to do with this
- Target the big items. Cutting aircon hours, switching to an inverter unit, or offsetting daytime aircon with solar moves your bill far more than unplugging a phone charger.
- Watch the heaters. Shorter showers on an instant heater, and boiling only the water you need, add up.
- Do your own math. Divide your total bill by the kWh on it to get your real rate (see how to read your Meralco bill), then use the formula above on your biggest appliances.
If aircon and daytime loads dominate your bill, solar is worth a look — it offsets exactly the power you use during the day. Size it with the solar panel calculator, or get free quotes from vetted installers.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an electric fan cost to run in the Philippines?
A typical electric fan uses about 45-75 watts, so at a 2026 rate of around ₱14/kWh it costs roughly ₱0.60-1.00 per hour — well under ₱1 an hour, and far cheaper than aircon. Running one 8 hours a night costs only a few pesos.
What uses the most electricity in a Filipino home?
Aircon usually costs the most overall because it runs for hours at a time. Per hour, the heaviest draws are heat-making appliances — instant water heaters, electric kettles, irons, and induction cookers — which pull 1,000-8,000 watts, though most run only briefly.
How do I calculate an appliance's running cost?
Take the appliance's watts, divide by 1,000 to get kilowatts, and multiply by your rate per kWh (about ₱14 in 2026 for Meralco). For example, a 1,000-watt microwave = 1 kW × ₱14 = about ₱14 per hour of use.
How much does a refrigerator cost to run per month?
A modern inverter refrigerator uses roughly 30-45 kWh a month, or about ₱400-650 at 2026 rates. Older or larger units can use 50-70 kWh, closer to ₱700-1,000 a month. It runs 24/7, so it's best measured monthly rather than per hour.