Refrigerator Electricity Cost Calculator

Estimate what your refrigerator costs to run per month and per year using the appliance's annual kWh rating or your measured energy use.

Annual refrigerator energy use (kWh/year) Electricity price ($/kWh)

Best input: annual kWh

For refrigerators, annual kWh is generally more useful than multiplying nameplate watts by 24 hours because the compressor cycles rather than running continuously. If an EnergyGuide label or measured annual consumption is available, use that value.

Formula

Annual cost = annual kWh × electricity price. Monthly cost = annual cost ÷ 12.

What changes refrigerator consumption?

Appliance size and design.
Age and condition.
Room temperature.
Door-opening frequency.
Temperature settings.
Dirty condenser coils or poor ventilation around the unit.
Ice maker and other features.

Compare replacement scenarios

To compare an older refrigerator with a new one, calculate annual operating cost for both annual-kWh ratings. The annual dollar difference provides a simple operating-savings estimate.

Related calculators

Try the Electricity Cost Calculator and Electricity Usage Calculator.