Aircon running cost calculator.
Estimate what a split, multi-head, ducted or heat pump hot water system will actually cost to run per day, week and year at your current electricity rate. Works from either the unit’s input rating (kW) or its capacity + COP.
Unit & usage
Estimated cost
At 1.25 kW input × 6 hr / day × 200 days / yr × 32 c/kWh.
Estimate only. Real usage varies with outdoor temperature, thermostat setpoint and how well-sealed the room is. Old (2005-and-earlier) non-inverter units may draw 30-50% more than the spec sheet under high load.
How the calculation works
An aircon’s capacity (the kW of cooling/heating it produces) is different from its input (the kW of electricity it draws from the wall). The ratio is the COP (Coefficient of Performance) — a COP of 4.0 means the unit produces 4 kW of cooling for every 1 kW of electricity used.
We convert capacity → input using: Input (kW) = Capacity (kW) ÷ COP. Then multiply by usage hours × electricity rate to get daily cost, then extend to weekly and yearly. Real running cost varies with outdoor temperature, thermostat setting and how well-sealed the room is.
The Victorian VEU rebate can knock up to $2,700 off a new heat pump — if you’re still on gas storage or electric-storage hot water, the running-cost gap will pay back the install in 3-5 years on typical usage. See our rebate breakdown.
Ready to lock in the numbers?
Send us the room and the current unit — we’ll quote the swap fixed.