Calculate your usage cost in AUD
Invented example values, not current tariffs or product measurements. Enter electrical input watts and non-overlapping hours; both time blocks together must be at most 24 hours per day. Rates are in Australian cents per kWh, not dollars.
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Formula and example
Daily kWh = watts ÷ 1,000 × (hours 1 + hours 2). Daily AUD = watts ÷ 1,000 × (hours 1 × cents 1 + hours 2 × cents 2) ÷ 100. Multiply by days for the period. An illustrative 50 W fan uses 0.30 kWh and costs AUD 0.105 per day, or AUD 3.15 over 30 days, using four hours at 40 c/kWh and two at 25 c/kWh. Neither example is a tested device or tariff recommendation.
Use the speed you actually run
Rated maximum power is not necessarily the power at your usual speed. Use the manufacturer’s speed-specific input data if available, or measure a suitable plug-in fan over a complete session. For fixed ceiling fans, use documentation or advice from a qualified electrician; do not access wiring to take a measurement. Lights attached to the fan and standby outside the chosen hours are separate loads unless already included.
Estimate hours without inventing a saving
Enter the hours when the fan is used and the applicable cents/kWh. The two blocks are non-overlapping periods within one day, not two separate fans. If you compare with air conditioning, compare the same occupied period and whether both options actually provide acceptable conditions. A lower running cost is not evidence of equivalent cooling or safe indoor temperatures.
Personal comfort and room temperature differ
Moving air can help a person feel cooler, but a fan does not refrigerate the room. Do not leave it running in an empty room solely to lower the air temperature. During severe heat, follow current health advice and arrange a cooler location if needed. People with health conditions or limited mobility may need extra support; a cost calculator is not a heat-safety assessment.
Before buying another fan
Check stability, controls, placement, cleaning access and noise information at the speed you plan to use. Keep cables out of walkways and follow instructions around children and moisture. A ceiling fan is a fixed electrical installation: confirm permission and qualified installation rather than treating it like a plug-in desk fan. First test whether repositioning an existing fan improves comfort.
Common questions
Does a fan lower the room temperature?
It does not refrigerate the room. Air movement can improve personal comfort, so cost alone cannot establish equivalent cooling to an air conditioner.
Is the default tariff a current Australian average?
No. All prefilled values are illustrative. Enter the usage rates and time windows from your own plan.
Sources and scope
The following public Australian sources were read on 4 October 2026. Calculations and checklists are editorial work, not independent appliance tests. Local installation, rental and safety requirements vary; check the actual system and location.