What Is a kWh? Kilowatt-Hour Meaning (Philippines)
TL;DR
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the amount of energy used by 1,000 watts of load running for one hour. It's the unit your electricity is billed in — Meralco charges roughly ₱13-14 per kWh in 2026. To get an appliance's kWh, take its watts, divide by 1,000, and multiply by the hours it runs: a 1,000-watt microwave for half an hour uses 0.5 kWh, about ₱7. Your monthly bill is just the sum of every appliance's kWh times your rate. Solar cuts your bill by generating kWh you'd otherwise buy.
If you’ve ever squinted at your Meralco bill wondering what “kWh” means, this is the one unit worth understanding — it’s how all your electricity is measured, priced, and how solar savings are calculated.
The definition
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) is the energy used by 1,000 watts running for one hour.
That’s it. It works out the same many ways:
- One 1,000-watt appliance for 1 hour = 1 kWh.
- One 100-watt appliance for 10 hours = 1 kWh.
- Ten 100-watt bulbs for 1 hour = 1 kWh.
kW vs kWh (the common mix-up)
- kW is power — how fast energy is being used right now. Like speed.
- kWh is energy — the total used over time. Like distance.
A 5kW solar system is rated in kW (its output at full sun). Run it for an hour and it produces 5 kWh of energy.
Turning watts into kWh
The formula that unlocks your whole bill:
Watts ÷ 1,000 × hours = kWh
Examples:
| Appliance | Watts | Hours/day | kWh/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric fan | 60 | 8 | 0.48 |
| Refrigerator | ~150 avg | 24 | ~1.2 |
| Aircon 1.0 HP inverter | 900 | 6 | 5.4 |
| LED TV | 50 | 5 | 0.25 |
| Rice cooker (cook + warm) | ~400 avg | 1.5 | 0.6 |
Add every appliance’s daily kWh, multiply by 30, and you have your monthly usage — the same number that appears on your bill.
What a kWh costs here
In 2026, Meralco’s all-in residential rate is roughly ₱13-14 per kWh (it moves monthly and differs by provider and region). To get your exact rate, divide the peso total on your bill by the kWh on it. Details in Meralco rate per kWh and how to read your Meralco bill.
So a 0.75 kWh iron session costs about 0.75 × ₱14 = ₱10.50. The running cost of
every common appliance is worked out this way in
how much electricity appliances use.
Why kWh is the number that matters for solar
Solar’s whole job is to generate kWh you’d otherwise buy from the grid. In the Philippines a 1kW of panels produces roughly 120 kWh a month. So a 5kW system makes about 600 kWh — offsetting a big chunk of a typical bill, and exporting any surplus under net metering.
That’s why sizing starts from your kWh, not from a panel count:
- What size solar system for my bill
- How many solar panels do I need
- Is solar worth it in the Philippines?
See your own numbers with the solar panel calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What does kWh mean?
kWh stands for kilowatt-hour. It's a unit of energy equal to 1,000 watts of power running for one hour. One kWh is what a 1,000-watt appliance uses in an hour, or a 100-watt appliance uses in 10 hours. It's the unit your electricity provider bills you in.
How much does 1 kWh cost in the Philippines?
In 2026, Meralco's all-in residential rate is roughly ₱13-14 per kWh, though it changes monthly and varies by provider and region. To find your exact rate, divide the total amount on your bill by the kWh shown on it.
How do I convert watts to kWh?
Watts ÷ 1,000 × hours = kWh. A 1,500-watt iron used for 30 minutes is 1,500 ÷ 1,000 × 0.5 = 0.75 kWh. Multiply by your rate (about ₱14) to get the cost — here, roughly ₱10.50.
How many kWh does a Filipino household use per month?
It varies widely, but many Metro Manila homes use 200-400 kWh a month, and aircon-heavy households often exceed 500 kWh. Divide the kWh on your bill by 30 to see your daily average. Your consumption in kWh is what sizes a solar system.
What's the difference between kW and kWh?
kW (kilowatt) is power — the rate of energy use at an instant, like the speed on a car. kWh (kilowatt-hour) is energy — the total used over time, like the distance travelled. A 5kW solar system running for one hour produces 5 kWh.