How much does it cost to run a dehumidifier? (2026–27)
At typical draw · official state tariffs
Typical household use — 8 h/day, 120 days a year at 400 W — runs $105–$161 a year depending on your state's tariff.
Wattage basis: Compressor + fan input: small refrigerant units 150–300 W, common 10–20 L/day domestic units 250–500 W, large 800 W+.
| State | Tariff c/kWh | Per hour | Typical year |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 33.1c | $0.13 | $127 |
| Victoria | 27.5c | $0.11 | $105 |
| Queensland | 28.0c | $0.11 | $107 |
| South Australia | 41.9c | $0.17 | $161 |
| Western Australia | 33.3c | $0.13 | $128 |
| Tasmania | 28.0c | $0.11 | $107 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 37.0c | $0.15 | $142 |
| Northern Territory | 31.7c | $0.13 | $122 |
Appliance running-cost calculator
NSWDehumidifier: 200–900 W typical range.
~8 h/day in damp months.
- Per day (8 h)
- $1.06
- Per month
- $32.24
- Per year (120 days)
- $127.25
Tariff: 33.1c/kWh — AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) for the Ausgrid network, effective 1 July 2026. Wattage basis: EcoFlow AU — dehumidifier power consumption. Full dehumidifier costs in NSW →
Cutting the cost
Shut the room's windows and doors so it isn't fighting a fresh supply of damp air, and empty or plumb the tank so it doesn't keep cutting out and idling. Set a sensible target humidity rather than the driest possible setting, and run it only where damp is a genuine problem. Clean the filter regularly. Fixing the source of the moisture cuts the run time more than any setting can.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the running cost calculated?
- Watts ÷ 1,000 × your electricity rate = cost per hour. A dehumidifier drawing 400 W on a 33.1c/kWh tariff costs $0.13 an hour — the calculator above lets you change every input.
- Does a higher star rating cut the cost?
- Yes — the star rating compresses the power draw or energy per use, which scales this page's figures directly. The low–high band in the table (200–900 W) roughly spans efficient to inefficient models.
- Why does the state matter?
- The appliance draws the same power everywhere — but each state's reference usage rate differs, so the same hour of running costs $0.11 in the cheapest state and $0.17 in the dearest. Pick your state above for exact figures.
Related
- Ducted aircon
- Split-system aircon
- Portable aircon
- Ceiling fan
- Reverse-cycle heating
- Electric heater
- All appliances
- Appliance calculator
- EcoFlow AU — dehumidifier power consumption
- State reference tariffs (per-zone determinations)verified
Costs use each state's representative-zone reference usage rate, effective 1 July 2026. ~8 h/day in damp months.