Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a fan cost to run?
About $1.34 a month
for a ceiling fan on high, 8 hours a day in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Draws while on
- 30 W
- Costs per hour
- $0.01
- Needs at start-up
- about 120 W
Fans are about the cheapest way to feel cooler. A typical certified ceiling fan uses about 30 W on high and only a few watts on low, so running one through a summer night costs very little.
Work out your own fan
Draws about 30 W
Look on the label or plug for a number followed by W.
Ceiling or portable
Ceiling fan figures are medians for ENERGY STAR certified fans; the portable fan figure is from Honda's guide. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Fan | Power while on | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling fan, high speed1,455 models | $0.01 | |
| Ceiling fan, low speed1,386 models | $0.00 | |
| Portable fan | $0.01 |
What it costs in other countries
For a ceiling fan on high, 8 hours a day, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $1.34 | $16 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £1.92 | £23 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €2.64 | €32 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €2.83 | €34 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €1.81 | €22 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €1.83 | €22 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €2.29 | €28 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €1.78 | €21 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your fan
-
Use the low speed when it's enough
A typical certified ceiling fan uses about 30 W on high and 3.5 W on low. Running it on low for 8 hours a day instead of high saves this much.
Saves about $14 a year
-
Switch it off when you leave the room
Fans cool people, not rooms, so there's no point running one in an empty room.
Savings use the electricity price you set above and figures from this page's sources.
What can power it
To run a portable fan from a generator or a portable power station, check two numbers. It must supply the running power, about 40 W, all the time. It must also handle about 120 W for a moment each time it starts.
Common questions
How many watts does a ceiling fan use?
The typical ENERGY STAR ceiling fan uses about 30 W on high and about 3.5 W on low, across 1,455 certified fans.
How many watts does a portable fan use?
Honda's generator guide lists a portable fan at about 40 W running and 120 W at start-up.
How much does it cost to run a fan per hour?
About $0.01 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.01 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a ceiling fan on high, 8 hours a day drawing 30 W.
Sources
- ENERGY STAR Certified Ceiling Fans data set (U.S. EPA), 1,455 models, fetched 15 October 2026
- Honda Power Equipment, generator wattage estimation guide
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.