kWh Cost Chart

Use this chart for the energy-charge portion of a bill or project estimate before adding demand, delivery, riders, tax, or time-of-use effects.

Open calculator

Quick reference table

kWh cost is the energy portion of an electric bill: kWh x rate. A 500 kWh load at $0.15/kWh costs $75 in energy charges. That is useful for appliance comparisons, lighting retrofits, and runtime estimates, but a real bill can also include demand charges, delivery charges, fixed customer charges, riders, taxes, and time-of-use pricing.

Energy-only monthly cost examples

Energy-only monthly cost examples
Monthly use	$0.10/kWh	$0.15/kWh	$0.20/kWh	$0.30/kWh
50 kWh	$5	$7.50	$10	$15
250 kWh	$25	$37.50	$50	$75
500 kWh	$50	$75	$100	$150
1,000 kWh	$100	$150	$200	$300
2,500 kWh	$250	$375	$500	$750

Which rate should be used for the estimate

Which rate should be used for the estimate
Use case	Rate basis	Bill items to keep separate
Appliance runtime comparison	Marginal energy rate if available	Fixed customer charge
Whole-bill rough check	Average all-in rate from bill	Demand and time-of-use detail
Efficiency project	Avoided marginal kWh rate	Demand savings and incentives
Commercial process load	TOU or tariff block rate	Demand, ratchet, and riders

Formula basis

Energy cost = kWh x energy rate per kWh.

kWh is energy use over the selected period.
Energy rate is the dollar charge per kWh for that period or tariff block.

Worked examples

500 kWh at $0.15/kWh500 x 0.15 = $75 in energy charges before demand, delivery, rider, tax, or fixed customer charges.

1.2 kW load running 6 hours daily for 30 days1.2 x 6 x 30 = 216 kWh. At $0.20/kWh, the energy charge is 216 x 0.20 = $43.20.

Assumptions. Balanced load and line-to-line voltage assumptions behind this chart.

The chart shows energy charges only and does not model full utility bills.
Rates can vary by time of use, tariff block, season, utility rider, and customer class.
Demand charges and fixed charges can dominate commercial bills even when kWh cost looks small.

Code and standard notes. Planning limits that should be checked before final equipment selection.

For energy economics, verify the current utility tariff, billing period, meter class, project load profile, and any applicable program rules.
This chart is not tax, rebate, tariff, or investment advice.

How to use this chart

1Choose the time windowDefine whether the kWh value is hourly, daily, monthly, annual, or tied to a specific billing period before multiplying by a rate.

2Pick the correct rate basisUse average, marginal, time-of-use, or tariff-block rates deliberately and label the source so the estimate can be reviewed later.

3Separate bill componentsKeep energy charges separate from demand charges, fixed customer charges, delivery charges, taxes, riders, and incentive assumptions.

4Use the calculator for load schedulesOpen the calculator when wattage, runtime, days per month, duty cycle, and rate assumptions need to be combined in one record.

Worksheet checklist. Record source basis, review gaps, and assumptions before using the chart result.

Record the kWh basisNote whether kWh comes from a bill, meter reading, equipment estimate, appliance label, trend log, or calculated operating schedule.
Document the rate sourceWrite whether the rate is an average bill rate, marginal energy rate, time-of-use rate, tariff block, or project planning assumption.
List excluded bill itemsName the bill components excluded from the simple chart so the estimate is not mistaken for a full utility bill forecast.

Common mistakes to avoid. Review these before turning chart current into an equipment decision.

Comparing project savings with an energy-only rate when demand charges or time-of-use periods drive the real bill impact.
Using a single average rate for a new load without checking whether the marginal tariff rate is different.
Treating a simple kWh chart as a financial guarantee instead of a transparent energy-charge calculation.

Frequently asked questions

These answers explain how to use the chart without turning a quick reference into a final design decision.

Why does my bill not match kWh times rate?

Many bills include fixed charges, delivery charges, taxes, riders, demand charges, minimum bills, or time-of-use pricing that are not shown in an energy-only chart.

Should I use average rate or marginal rate?

Use average rate for a rough whole-bill explanation. Use marginal or time-specific rate when estimating the cost of a new load or the savings from reducing a load.

Can this chart estimate commercial savings?

Only the energy portion. Commercial savings may also depend on demand intervals, ratchets, power factor penalties, operational schedule, and tariff details.