Fan vs air conditioner: what each costs to run
Updated 14 October 2026
The Australian Government's energy.gov.au says a portable fan costs around 2 to 3 cents an hour to run. An air conditioner drawing 2 kW costs about 60 cents an hour at an example price of 30 cents per kWh. That's 20 to 30 times as much.
Side by side over a summer
Running 6 hours a day for 90 days (540 hours):
| Per hour | 540 hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Portable fan | 2 to 3 cents | $10.80 to $16.20 |
| Air conditioner, 2 kW power input, at 30c per kWh | 60 cents | $324 |
The air conditioner figure is the most it would cost: inverter units draw less once the room is cool. Even so, the gap is large.
Why fans are so cheap
A fan only spins a motor. It moves air across your skin, which helps you feel cooler, but it doesn't lower the temperature of the room. An air conditioner pumps heat out of the room, which takes far more electricity.
That also means a fan only helps while you're in front of it. Leaving a fan on in an empty room cools nothing.
Getting the best of both
- Use a fan first on warm days, and save the air conditioner for the hot ones.
- On hot days, a fan alongside the air conditioner can let you set the temperature higher and still feel comfortable. See what temperature to set the air conditioner.
- Close blinds and curtains during the hottest part of the day to keep the sun's heat out.
Work out your own fan
Check the watts on the fan's label. Watts divided by 1,000 x hours x your price per kWh gives the cost. A 50 W fan running 8 hours uses 0.4 kWh, which costs 12 cents at 30 cents per kWh. Smaller fans cost less to run than bigger ones.
Try it: Electricity running cost calculator: type the watts, hours and your price per kWh.
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See the Monthly Budget PlannerSources
- Australian Government energy.gov.au: summer energy savings
- ACT Government: how to stay cool in summer and save
Last checked 14 October 2026. Prices in the examples are examples only: use the rate on your own bill. General information only, not financial advice.