How Much Does It Cost to Run a ceiling fan?
A typical ceiling fan uses about 60 watts, which costs about $0.01 per hour. Used 8 hours a day, that is $0.09 per day, $3 per month and about $32 per year at the US average of about 18 cents per kWh. Change the numbers below for your own model and rate.
Typical estimate: 8 hours a day, at a medium speed. These are typical estimates – check your own label or use a plug-in meter for exact figures.
Ceiling fan running cost by electricity rate
Rates vary widely across the country. $0.12 is typical of low-cost areas, $0.18 is about the national average, and $0.25–$0.35 or more is common in high-cost areas such as parts of California, New England and Hawaii.
| Rate per kWh | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.12 | $0.007 | $0.06 | $1.75 | $21 |
| $0.18 | $0.011 | $0.09 | $2.63 | $32 |
| $0.25 | $0.015 | $0.12 | $3.65 | $44 |
| $0.35 | $0.021 | $0.17 | $5.11 | $61 |
Based on 60 W for 8 h/day; month = 30.42 days.
Cost by hours of use per day
| Hours per day | kWh per month | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 h | 7 | $0.04 | $1.31 | $16 |
| 8 h | 15 | $0.09 | $2.63 | $32 |
| 24 h | 44 | $0.26 | $7.88 | $95 |
At 18 cents per kWh and 60 W.
Low, typical and high wattage
A fan with a modern DC motor can run as low as 5–15 W on low and about 30–40 W on high; older AC-motor fans draw 50–90 W.
| Case | Watts | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 15 | $0.003 | $0.66 | $8 |
| Typical | 60 | $0.011 | $2.63 | $32 |
| High | 90 | $0.016 | $3.94 | $47 |
At 8 h/day and 18 cents per kWh.
How it is calculated
60 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 0.48 kWh per day
0.48 kWh × $0.18 = $0.09 per day
$0.09 × 30.42 days = $2.63 per month
How to cut the cost of running a ceiling fan
- Fans cool people, not rooms – switch it off when you leave, since it only helps while you are under it.
- Run it counter-clockwise in summer and, on low, clockwise in winter to move warm air off the ceiling.
- DOE says a ceiling fan lets you raise the thermostat setting by about 4°F without reducing comfort, which saves far more than the fan costs.
- Replacing an old AC-motor fan with a DC-motor model can cut its watts substantially.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan per month?
At 18 cents per kWh, a typical 60 W ceiling fan used 8 hours a day costs about $2.63 per month (15 kWh). That is about $32 a year.
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan per hour?
About $0.011 per hour at 18 cents per kWh, or $0.021 per hour if you pay 35 cents per kWh. Multiply by your hours of use to estimate any day.
Why does the cost of a ceiling fan vary so much?
Wattage varies by model and setting – from 15 W to 90 W here. At the same 8 hours a day and 18 cents per kWh, that is $1 to $4 per month. Your electricity rate matters just as much: at 35 cents per kWh the typical unit costs $5 per month.