TV Electricity Cost Calculator
Enter your appliance data and electricity tariff to calculate energy use and cost. Example inputs are editable.
Enter your values and select Calculate.
Includes standby for the remaining hours of each day. Enter measured input power for your settings. Energy charges only; fixed fees and taxes are excluded unless included in your rate. Use one currency consistently. Decimal point or comma accepted; no thousands separators.
Calculation formula
Daily kWh = [watching watts × viewing hours + standby watts × (24 − viewing hours)] / 1000. Period energy = daily energy × days. Period cost = period energy × price per kWh.
A TV's electricity use depends on its model, picture settings and viewing time. Use its measured on-mode power or model-specific energy information. A 100 W TV operating for five hours uses 0.5 kWh in that interval; this is a worked example, not a rating for every screen.
Calculate your electricity cost with your own watts, hours and tariff.
Screen size alone is not a wattage specification
Two televisions with the same diagonal can draw different power. Brightness controls, display technology and the content being shown affect the operating point. ENERGY STAR discusses automatic brightness control and efficient picture settings. When comparing your own measurements, use the same content, room conditions and viewing settings rather than mixing an energy-saving mode with a brighter mode.
Separate watching from the remaining hours
Suppose a measured TV averages 100 W while playing for five hours and 0.5 W during the other 19 hours. Viewing uses 0.500 kWh; the remaining period adds 0.0095 kWh. The total is 0.5095 kWh/day, or 15.285 kWh over 30 identical days. At an illustrative $0.20/kWh, the charge is $3.06. The assumed standby value is not a claim about your model.
Six examples of power, time and electricity cost
Illustrative average on-mode watts and viewing hours per day; standby and separate accessories are excluded. The $0.20/kWh tariff is illustrative, not a quoted local rate. Calculations use unrounded inputs; displayed results are rounded.
| Input power | Operating time | Energy | Cost at $0.20/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 W | 4 hours | 0.160 kWh | $0.032 |
| 60 W | 4 hours | 0.240 kWh | $0.048 |
| 80 W | 5 hours | 0.400 kWh | $0.080 |
| 100 W | 5 hours | 0.500 kWh | $0.100 |
| 150 W | 6 hours | 0.900 kWh | $0.180 |
| 200 W | 6 hours | 1.200 kWh | $0.240 |
Energy (kWh) = average electrical input watts × hours ÷ 1,000. Multiply energy by the actual price per kWh for the energy charge. Include other billing components separately. The watts to kWh calculator handles another duration.
Count the rest of the entertainment setup
A soundbar, streaming box, game console and external receiver may draw power separately. If a meter records the entire setup, do not add those devices again. If it measures only the TV, account for accessories individually. A gaming session with a console is a different load from streaming directly through the television, even if the same screen is used. For backup-runtime estimates, use the total intended setup and usable battery energy.
Use the right inputs in the electricity-cost calculator
Enter one device or add it to a household inventory. When watts already represent the average over your entered hours, use a 100% duty factor. When watts represent an on-state value, use accumulated on-time or an appropriate duty factor, but do not apply both reductions. Keep product ratings, measured results and assumptions distinguishable in your comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Does a 65-inch TV always use more than a 55-inch TV?
Not necessarily. Compare model-specific power in comparable modes; diagonal size alone cannot settle it.
What does watts per hour mean for a TV?
For electricity consumption, use watts for power and Wh or kWh for energy over a viewing interval.
Can I use the maximum label rating to estimate every evening?
It is a rating, not proof of the average draw during your shows. Measure the intended viewing mode when possible.
Technical source
ENERGY STAR's television guidance explains picture settings, brightness controls and energy use across operating modes. This calculator's worked scenarios are calculations, not measurements performed on products.
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