Ceiling Fan vs AC Cost Calculator
Enter your fan's and your AC's watts and hours, pick your state, and see both monthly costs, plus what you'd keep by running the fan and setting the thermostat 4 °F higher.
Ceiling fan vs AC cost
A15Scenario A
Sets the electricity rate. Pick US average if you're not sure.
From EIA for US average. Use the rate on your bill if you know it.
Rate used: 18.4¢/kWh · US average · EIA reference 2025–26 (data as of 2026-09-26) ·
Most ceiling fans draw 30–75 W on high.
Window units 700–1,500 W; central systems 2,000–3,500 W while running.
Net difference per month (fan + AC 4 °F higher vs AC alone)
Fan + AC at 4 °F higher costs an estimated $9.94 a month less than AC alone.
Estimate. Formula and sources are under “How it works”. Change any input; the result updates as you type.
Formula
How it works
- Fan per month = fan watts ÷ 1,000 × fan hours × 30 × rate
- AC per month = AC watts ÷ 1,000 × AC hours × 30 × rate
- AC with thermostat 4 °F higher = AC per month × (1 − 0.03 × 4), i.e. 12% less
- Net difference = 12% of the AC cost − fan cost
A ceiling fan doesn't cool the air. It moves air across your skin, so the room feels cooler and you can set the thermostat higher. DOE puts the saving at about 3% of cooling cost per degree. Four degrees is worth about 12% of the AC bill, minus what the fan itself costs.
Sources: 3% of AC cost per °F of higher setpoint (U.S. Department of Energy). Electricity rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly table 5.6.A.
Worked example
A worked example
At the Texas rate of 15.5¢/kWh, a 75 W fan running around the clock costs $8.37 a month. A 3,000 W AC running 12 hours a day costs $167.40. With the thermostat 4 °F higher, the AC drops to $147.31. After paying for the fan, the net difference is $11.72 a month.
Reference
Reference table
Fan vs AC cost per month at 18.4¢/kWh (US average), 30 days
Ceiling fan cost per month
| 8 h | 12 h | 24 h | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fan 30 W | $1.32 | $1.99 | $3.97 |
| Fan 60 W | $2.65 | $3.97 | $7.95 |
| Fan 75 W | $3.31 | $4.97 | $9.94 |
Air conditioner cost per month
| 6 h | 8 h | 12 h | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AC 1,000 W | $33.12 | $44.16 | $66.24 |
| AC 2,500 W | $82.80 | $110.40 | $165.60 |
| AC 3,500 W | $115.92 | $154.56 | $231.84 |
Questions
FAQ
Is it cheaper to run a ceiling fan or the AC?
The fan, by far. At the US average rate of 18.4¢/kWh, a 60 W fan for 10 hours a day costs an estimated $3.31 a month; a 2,500 W AC for 8 hours costs $110.40. The fan doesn't replace the AC in real heat, but it lets you run the AC less.
Fan plus AC at 78 °F, or AC alone at 74 °F?
Fan plus AC at the higher setting. In the US-average example above, raising the thermostat 4 °F cuts the AC to about $97.15, and after the fan's $3.31 the net difference is $9.94 a month.
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan 24/7?
A 60 W fan running all day uses 1.44 kWh, about $7.95 a month at the US average rate. Fans cool people, not rooms, so turning them off in empty rooms costs you nothing in comfort.
Does running the fan in winter help?
This calculator covers cooling only. In reverse at low speed, a fan pushes warm air down from the ceiling. Its running cost is the same fan line above.
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