PC Power Cost Calculator
Estimate the electricity cost of gaming, streaming, or using a desktop computer.
What this calculator does
This calculator estimates how much it costs to run a computer based on average wattage, daily use, and electricity price. It is useful for gaming PCs, workstations, home office desktops, and always-on systems.
Inputs and results
PC average wattage is the estimated power draw while the computer is being used. Gaming or use hours per day is your average daily runtime. Electricity price per kWh is the rate from your utility bill.
The results show daily, monthly, and yearly electricity cost. The calculation uses average wall power, not the power supply rating printed on the PSU.
How the calculation works
The calculator converts watts to kilowatts, multiplies by daily hours, and multiplies by your kWh rate. A 400 W PC used for 4 hours per day uses 1.6 kWh daily. At $0.15 per kWh, that costs about $0.24 per day.
Worked example
A gaming PC averaging 550 W for 5 hours per day uses 2.75 kWh daily. At $0.16 per kWh, that is about $0.44 per day, $13.20 for a 30-day month, and $160.60 for a full year of daily use.
Tips for interpreting results
Computer power use changes with workload and hardware. A PC may draw much less power while browsing than while gaming or rendering. Monitors, speakers, external drives, and networking gear should be included only if their wattage is part of the number you enter.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use my power supply rating?
No. A power supply rating is maximum capacity, not typical power use. Use measured or estimated average wall power.
Does this include the monitor?
Only if the monitor wattage is included in the wattage you enter.
Why does gaming use more electricity than browsing?
Games and rendering workloads push the GPU and CPU harder, which raises power draw.
How can I get a better wattage estimate?
Use a plug-in power meter or reliable hardware power measurements for your specific PC and workload.