How many hours of air conditioning could this amount buy?

How it works

Understand the estimate

Divide your budget by (electricity rate × average power use in kW). An aircon averaging 1.2 kW at R3/kWh costs about R3.60 an hour.

Make it more accurate

Inverter air conditioners can consume significantly less than their maximum rated input under light loads.

The starting figures are examples. Replace them with the rates or prices that apply to you.

Why the rated power can differ from actual use

An inverter air conditioner changes output as the room reaches its set temperature. Its average power use may be well below the maximum on the label. Insulation, outside temperature, your chosen temperature, sunlight and room size all affect it.

Example: For a unit averaging 1 kW while operating, one hour at R3/kWh costs R3. A R300 budget represents roughly 100 operating hours in that simplified example. If the actual average is 0.5 kW, the same budget lasts twice as long.

Before relying on the estimate

Measure consumption with a suitable energy monitor where possible. Do not confuse a cooling-capacity number expressed in BTU/h with electricity input power in kW.

For more detail, read our calculation and editorial standards. Use your own bill, receipt or quote for current prices. These tools do not fetch live rates.