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How to Calculate Your Aircon's Monthly Electricity Cost (with Worked Examples)

How to calculate an aircon's monthly electricity cost in the Philippines: the formula, where to find the watts, inverter vs fixed-speed factors and worked peso examples.

By SmartEnergyPH Editorial 4 min read

Checked against the sources listed below. How we research.

Key takeaways

  • Monthly kWh = rated watts × hours per day × days ÷ 1,000. Monthly cost = monthly kWh × your rate per kWh.
  • Use the power input (W) on the DOE energy label, not the maximum watts some listings quote.
  • Full rated power gives an upper estimate. Inverters often run below it once the room is cool; the DOE's older labels assume 0.5 for inverters and 0.8 for fixed-speed units.
  • Example: a 1HP TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 (850 W), 8 hours a night for 30 days, is 204 kWh at full power, or 102 kWh with the 0.5 example factor.
  • Use your own bill's rate. The ₱12 per kWh used here is only an example.
On this page
  1. The formula
  2. Step 1: Find the right watts
  3. Step 2: Find your rate
  4. Worked example 1: inverter window aircon
  5. Worked example 2: fixed-speed window aircon
  6. Worked example 3: using the label’s monthly kWh
  7. Worked example 4: is a more efficient model worth it?
  8. Quick reference: full-power kWh for 8 hours × 30 days
  9. Ways to bring the number down
  10. Bottom line

To calculate your aircon’s monthly electricity cost, multiply its rated power input in watts by the hours you use it per day and the days in the month, divide by 1,000 to get kWh, then multiply by your peso-per-kWh rate. For an inverter, you can multiply by an example factor (such as 0.5) to allow for it running below full power once the room is cool.

The formula

Monthly kWh = watts × hours per day × days ÷ 1,000

Monthly cost = monthly kWh × your rate (₱ per kWh)

Optional, clearly an assumption: × duty factor. Older DOE labels use 0.8 for fixed-speed and 0.5 for inverter units. These are standard assumptions, not measurements of your room.

The aircon electricity cost calculator does this for you.

Step 1: Find the right watts

Use the “Power Input (W)” on the yellow DOE energy label, which is stuck on the indoor unit. Don’t use the maximum figures some listings show:

  • One TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 listing says 1,450 W. The label’s rated input is 850 W; 1,450 W is the top of its power range.
  • A retailer lists the Midea MSCH-10CRFN8 at “2,050 W rated input power”. Midea’s own spec gives 830 W at standard cooling conditions.

Our guide to reading the energy label shows where each number sits.

Step 2: Find your rate

Take your rate from your own electricity bill or your electric company’s published rate. Our electricity rates page lists published rates by utility. The examples below use an example rate of ₱12 per kWh to keep the maths simple. Replace it with your own.

Worked example 1: inverter window aircon

TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 1HP inverter, label input 850 W, used 8 hours a night for 30 days.

  • Full power: 850 × 8 × 30 ÷ 1,000 = 204 kWh → 204 × ₱12 = ₱2,448
  • With example factor 0.5: 204 × 0.5 = 102 kWh → ₱1,224

Your real figure depends on how hard the unit works in your room; the 0.5 factor is an assumption, not a measurement.

Worked example 2: fixed-speed window aircon

Everest ETA07WDR3-HF 0.7HP non-inverter, label input 565 W, same 8 hours × 30 days.

  • Full power: 565 × 8 × 30 ÷ 1,000 = 135.6 kWh → ₱1,627
  • With example factor 0.8: 135.6 × 0.8 = 108.5 kWh → ₱1,302

A fixed-speed compressor switches off when the room reaches the set temperature and back on when it warms. The 0.8 factor is the DOE’s standard allowance for that.

Worked example 3: using the label’s monthly kWh

Older labels print a monthly figure based on 9 hours a day. To adjust for your hours, multiply by your hours ÷ 9.

The TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 label shows 114.75 kWh. For 8 hours a day: 114.75 × 8 ÷ 9 = 102 kWh, the same as worked example 1 with the 0.5 factor. At ₱12, that’s ₱1,224.

Don’t do this with newer labels. They print lower monthly figures calculated differently. The LG LA080ENT (800 W) label, for example, shows 57 kWh, while the older formula would give 108 kWh.

Worked example 4: is a more efficient model worth it?

Compare two 2HP splits whose labels were issued in the same year:

Difference: 60.75 kWh a month on the label’s 9-hour basis, about ₱729 a month at ₱12. If the more efficient model costs more, divide the extra price by the monthly saving to see how many months it takes to pay back. Our inverter vs non-inverter guide explains payback in more detail.

Quick reference: full-power kWh for 8 hours × 30 days

Rated input kWh per month Cost at example ₱12/kWh
500 W 120 kWh ₱1,440
750 W 180 kWh ₱2,160
1,000 W 240 kWh ₱2,880
1,500 W 360 kWh ₱4,320
2,000 W 480 kWh ₱5,760

Halve these for a rough inverter estimate using the 0.5 example factor, or multiply by 0.8 for fixed-speed. Your real use will differ.

Ways to bring the number down

The DOE suggests setting the aircon at 24°C, putting it in the coolest part of the room (on a shady side if possible), cleaning the filter and vacuuming the outdoor coil regularly, and switching it off or unplugging it when not in use. Choosing a model with a higher CSPF lowers the cost of every hour you run it. See our best picks by size, such as the Kolin KA-100GQAIINV32 1HP window inverter (CSPF 5.60, 740 W) or the TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 on Shopee.

For your whole bill, not just the aircon, see how to calculate your electricity bill and the electricity cost calculator.

Bottom line

Watts × hours × days ÷ 1,000 × your rate gives you the monthly cost at full power. For an inverter, treat that as the upper end and use a factor like 0.5 as a rough lower estimate. Always use the label’s rated watts and your own bill’s rate.

Run your own numbers

Frequently asked questions

How much does a 1HP aircon cost per month to run?
It depends on the model, your hours and your rate. For example, a 1HP Kolin KA-100GQAIINV32 rated 740 W, run 8 hours a night for 30 days, uses 177.6 kWh at full rated power. At an example rate of ₱12 per kWh that is about ₱2,131. If the inverter averages half its rated input, it would be about ₱1,066.
Can I use the monthly kWh printed on the label?
On older labels, yes, as a standard estimate: it assumes 9 hours a day and a factor of 0.8 (fixed-speed) or 0.5 (inverter). Multiply by your hours ÷ 9 to adjust it. Newer labels print lower figures worked out a different way, so don't scale those.
Where do I find my electricity rate?
On your latest bill: divide the total amount by the kWh used, or look at the per-kWh rate your electric company publishes. Our electricity rates page lists utilities' published rates.
Why is my actual aircon cost different from the calculation?
Real use depends on outdoor heat, sun on the room, insulation, how many people are inside, the thermostat setting, door opening and how clean the filter is. The formula gives an estimate; your bill shows the result.

Sources

We link to primary sources wherever possible. Rates, rules and prices change — check the latest version with the publisher.

  1. Implementing Guidelines of the PELP for Air Conditioners, Code of Practice sections 2.2-2.3; cross-checked against DOE labels reproduced by SM Appliance (opens in a new tab) — Department of Energy (Philippines)
  2. ENERTIPS: Smart Use of Cooling Appliances (opens in a new tab) — Department of Energy (Philippines), Consumer Welfare and Promotion Office
  3. TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 energy label image (CN ACU-0049-002666) (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance (retailer reproducing DOE label)
  4. TAC-09CWI/UB2 TCL 1HP AI WNDW INV AC FULL DC (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance
  5. TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 1.0HP (Ansons) (opens in a new tab) — Anson's
  6. TCL TAC-09CWI/UB2 (Lazada) (opens in a new tab) — Lazada / TCL store
  7. Kolin KA-100GQAIINV32 energy label image (CN ACU-0009-002914) (opens in a new tab) — Anson's (retailer reproducing DOE label)
  8. Kolin KA-100GQAIINV32 1.0HP AI inverter window (Ansons) (opens in a new tab) — Anson's
  9. Kolin KA100GQAIINV32 (Lazada) (opens in a new tab) — Lazada / Kolin store
  10. DOE PELP Approved Products - EVEREST ETA07WDR3-HF (label ACU-0011-000340-0622) (opens in a new tab) — Department of Energy, Philippine Energy Labeling Program
  11. EVEREST 0.7HP Non-Inverter Window Type Air Conditioner (Lazada listing; links the DOE label via bit.ly/40lmSft) (opens in a new tab) — Lazada / Everest store
  12. Everest ETA07WDR3-HF 0.7 HP Window Type Airconditioner (opens in a new tab) — Ansons (ansons.ph)
  13. 1.0HP Midea Chione Series High Wall Inverter Split-Type Air Conditioner (opens in a new tab) — Midea Philippines
  14. Midea MSCH10CRFN8 (opens in a new tab) — Western Appliances
  15. Midea MSCH-10CRFN8 High Wall Inverter Split Type Airconditioner (opens in a new tab) — Ansons
  16. TCL TAC-19CSD/P7 energy label image (CN ACU-0049-002567) (opens in a new tab) — Lazada / TCL official store (reproducing DOE label)
  17. TCL TAC-19CSD/KEI2 energy label image (CN ACU-0049-002565) (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance (retailer reproducing DOE label)
  18. TAC-19CSD/KEI2 TCL 2HP AI SPLIT INV AC FULL DC (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance
  19. LG LA080ENT DOE energy label (CN ACU-0020-2026-000035-rev.0) (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance Center (retailer reproducing DOE label image)
  20. LA080ENT LG 0.8HP WDW INV TD AC (opens in a new tab) — SM Appliance Center (retailer)

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