Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026

Maintained by Karan S.

How much does a heat pump cost to run?

About $55 a month

for a heat pump heating a home with typical UK heating needs in , at 18.31 cents per kWh.

Uses: 9.92 kWh a day
Uses per year: 3,620 kWh

A heat pump's running cost comes down to two numbers: how much heat your home needs, and how efficiently the heat pump makes it. This page starts from a typical UK gas-heated home and works out the electricity a heat pump would need to make the same heat. The table below shows each step.

For a better answer, divide your home's heat need by the SCOP on your heat pump's energy label, and type the result into the calculator with "I know its kWh per year".

Work out your own heat pump

Example

Typical use: 3,620 kWh a year

Electricity price

cents per kWh

Per day$1.82

Per month$55

Per year$663

Split or mini-split

Electricity a year to heat the same typical UK home, using the median ENERGY STAR heating rating for each type. Costs below use the price you set above.

Example	Energy per year	Cost per year
Typical UK home, split-system heat pump	3,620 kWh	$663
Typical UK home, mini-split heat pump	3,080 kWh	$564

How the example is worked out

Step	Split system	Mini-split	Source
Gas a typical UK home uses for heating and hot water	9,500 kWh a year	9,500 kWh a year	Ofgem
Efficiency of a modern gas boiler	95%	95%	ENERGY STAR boilers, median
Heat the home needs (gas × boiler efficiency)	about 9,025 kWh	about 9,025 kWh	Calculated
Heat pump heating rating (HSPF2)	8.5	10	ENERGY STAR heat pumps, median
Seasonal efficiency (HSPF2 ÷ 3.412)	about 2.5	about 2.9	Calculated
Electricity needed (heat ÷ efficiency)	about 3,620 kWh a year	about 3,080 kWh a year	Calculated

ENERGY STAR ratings are measured in US test conditions on mostly air-to-air systems. For your own home, use your gas bills and the SCOP on your heat pump's energy label.

What it costs in other countries

For a heat pump heating a home with typical UK heating needs, at each country's official average electricity price.

Country	Price per kWh	Per month	Per year
United States	18.31 cents	$55	$663
United Kingdom	26.32 pence	£79	£953
Germany	36.18 cents	€109	€1,310
Ireland	38.71 cents	€117	€1,401
France	24.85 cents	€75	€900
Spain	25.09 cents	€76	€908
Italy	31.42 cents	€95	€1,137
Netherlands	24.40 cents	€74	€883

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 heat pump

Turn the flow temperature down

Air-to-water heat pumps work most efficiently with radiators or underfloor heating running at lower water temperatures.
Insulate first

A well-insulated home needs less heat, so the heat pump runs less.
Set the thermostat a degree lower

Each degree warmer adds to the heat your home needs.
Check your heat pump's SCOP

A higher SCOP on the energy label means less electricity for the same heat.

What can power it

A heat pump is wired in by an installer rather than plugged in, and it's one of the biggest loads in a home. Running one from backup power needs a system designed by a qualified electrician.

Check a specific setup with the generator size calculator.

Common questions

How much electricity does a heat pump use?

Roughly the heat your home needs divided by the heat pump's efficiency. For a typical UK gas-heated home (9,500 kWh of gas a year, according to Ofgem), with a 95% efficient boiler and the median ENERGY STAR heating rating, that's about 3,620 kWh of electricity a year.

How do I work out my own heat pump's running cost?

Take the gas you use for heating in a year from your bills, multiply by your boiler's efficiency to get the heat you need, then divide by the SCOP on the heat pump's energy label. Type the result into the calculator above.