How is the running cost calculated?

Watts ÷ 1,000 × the electricity rate gives cost per hour: $1.33 at 4,000 W on the NSW rate; the yearly figure uses 6 h/day, 90 days a year at 4,000 W.

How much does it cost to run a ducted air conditioner? (2026–27)

At typical draw · official state tariffs

$1.10–$1.68 per hour at 4,000 W

Typical household use (6 h/day, 90 days a year at 4,000 W) runs $593–$905 a year depending on your state's tariff.

Wattage basis: Rated cooling power input from manufacturer specs (Daikin 14–20 kW ducted systems draw 4.3–6.1 kW; small/zoned or part-load ~2 kW).

Ducted aircon running cost by state and model, at 6 h a day for 90 days a year (2026–27 reference usage rates)
State	Model	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
New South Wales33.1c/kWh · Ausgrid	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.66	$3.98	$120.88	$358
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.33	$7.95	$241.77	$716
	High (6,500 W)	$2.15	$12.92	$392.87	$1,163
Victoria27.5c/kWh · Jemena	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.55	$3.30	$100.21	$297
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.10	$6.59	$200.42	$593
	High (6,500 W)	$1.79	$10.71	$325.68	$964
Queensland28.0c/kWh · Energex	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.56	$3.36	$102.05	$302
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.12	$6.71	$204.10	$604
	High (6,500 W)	$1.82	$10.91	$331.66	$982
South Australia41.9c/kWh · SA Power Networks	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.84	$5.03	$152.89	$453
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.68	$10.06	$305.78	$905
	High (6,500 W)	$2.72	$16.35	$496.89	$1,471
Western Australia33.3c/kWh · Western Power (SWIS)	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.67	$3.99	$121.34	$359
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.33	$7.98	$242.68	$718
	High (6,500 W)	$2.16	$12.97	$394.36	$1,167
Tasmania28.0c/kWh · TasNetworks	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.56	$3.35	$101.98	$302
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.12	$6.71	$203.95	$604
	High (6,500 W)	$1.82	$10.90	$331.42	$981
Australian Capital Territory37.0c/kWh · Evoenergy	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.74	$4.43	$134.81	$399
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.48	$8.87	$269.61	$798
	High (6,500 W)	$2.40	$14.41	$438.12	$1,297
Northern Territory31.7c/kWh · Power and Water	Efficient (2,000 W)	$0.63	$3.80	$115.56	$342
	Typical (4,000 W)	$1.27	$7.60	$231.13	$684
	High (6,500 W)	$2.06	$12.35	$375.58	$1,112

Where a ducted air conditioner costs more

South Australia is the dearest state to run one: $1.68 an hour at 4,000 W on its 41.9c/kWh rate, against $1.10 in Victoria. Over a year of typical use that gap is $312 (52.6% more).
By yearly running cost at typical use it ranks 5th of the 26 appliances costed on this site (1st costs the most): $716 a year at the NSW rate.
An efficient 2,000 W model costs $453 a year less than a typical 4,000 W one in SA at 6 hours a day for 90 days ($297 less in VIC); a high-draw 6,500 W model uses 3.3 times the power of the efficient one.
At the 1 July 2026 price reset, typical-use cost fell $49 in VIC (Jemena usage rate 29.7c to 27.5c/kWh) and rose $19 in WA (Western Power (SWIS) usage rate 32.4c to 33.3c/kWh).

Typical household use per year, cheapest state first (6 h/day, 90 days a year at 4,000 W)
Rank	State	Usage rate	Typical year	Above the cheapest
1	Victoria	27.5c	$593	—
2	Tasmania	28.0c	$604	+$10
3	Queensland	28.0c	$604	+$11
4	Northern Territory	31.7c	$684	+$91
5	New South Wales	33.1c	$716	+$122
6	Western Australia	33.3c	$718	+$125
7	Australian Capital Territory	37.0c	$798	+$205
8	South Australia	41.9c	$905	+$312

Rates by state (each state's capital-city network): NSW: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); VIC: ESC Victorian Default Offer 2026–27; QLD: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); SA: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8); WA: WA Government Standard Electricity Prices 2026–27 (Synergy Home Plan A1); TAS: OTTER-approved Aurora Energy Standing Offer 2026–27 (approved 25 June 2026) — Tariff 31; ACT: ICRC retail electricity price recalibration 2026–27 (ActewAGL standing offer); NT: NT Electricity Pricing Order 2026–27 (Jacana Energy standard residential). All effective 1 July 2026.

Appliance running-cost calculator

NSW

State

Power draw (watts)

Ducted aircon: 2,000–6,500 W typical range.

Hours per day

Days per year

4–8 h/day across summer for a whole home; near-continuous in heatwaves.

$1.33 per hour · $716/year at your settings

Per day (6 h): $7.95
Per month: $241.77
Per year (90 days): $715.76

Tariff: 33.1c/kWh — AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) for the Ausgrid network, effective 1 July 2026. Wattage basis: Daikin ducted specifications (via Advanced Air). Full ducted aircon costs in NSW →

Cutting the cost

Zone it. Only condition the rooms you're actually using, close the vents and doors elsewhere, and hold a moderate thermostat setting rather than blasting cold air. A gentle set-point costs far less to maintain than a chilly one, and running the fan on "auto" stops it circulating once the room is comfortable. Service the filters before summer so the system isn't fighting a clogged return.

Frequently asked questions

How is the running cost calculated?: Watts ÷ 1,000 × the electricity rate = cost per hour. A ducted air conditioner drawing 4,000 W on NSW's 33.1c/kWh rate costs $1.33 an hour; the calculator below 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 these figures directly. The low–high band in the table (2,000–6,500 W) roughly spans efficient to inefficient models.

Sources — figures current as at 17 July 2026.

Costs use each state's representative-zone reference usage rate, effective 1 July 2026. 4–8 h/day across summer for a whole home; near-continuous in heatwaves.

How much does it cost to run a ducted air conditioner? (2026–27)

Where a ducted air conditioner costs more

Appliance running-cost calculator

Cutting the cost

Frequently asked questions

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