How much does it cost to run a reverse-cycle air conditioner (heating mode)? (2026–27)
At typical draw · official state tariffs
Typical household use (6 h/day, 90 days a year at 1,000 W) runs $148–$226 a year depending on your state's tariff.
Wattage basis: Rated heating power input: Daikin Cora 2.5 kW = 640 W, 3.5 kW = 770 W; TCL 5 kW = 1,540 W; up to ~2,000 W in cold conditions or larger units. A heat pump delivers 3–5× its input as heat — far cheaper per unit of warmth than a resistive heater.
| State | Model | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales33.1c/kWh · Ausgrid | Efficient (600 W) | $0.20 | $1.19 | $36.27 | $107 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.33 | $1.99 | $60.44 | $179 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.66 | $3.98 | $120.88 | $358 | |
| Victoria27.5c/kWh · Jemena | Efficient (600 W) | $0.16 | $0.99 | $30.06 | $89 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.27 | $1.65 | $50.11 | $148 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.55 | $3.30 | $100.21 | $297 | |
| Queensland28.0c/kWh · Energex | Efficient (600 W) | $0.17 | $1.01 | $30.62 | $91 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.28 | $1.68 | $51.03 | $151 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.56 | $3.36 | $102.05 | $302 | |
| South Australia41.9c/kWh · SA Power Networks | Efficient (600 W) | $0.25 | $1.51 | $45.87 | $136 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.42 | $2.51 | $76.44 | $226 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.84 | $5.03 | $152.89 | $453 | |
| Western Australia33.3c/kWh · Western Power (SWIS) | Efficient (600 W) | $0.20 | $1.20 | $36.40 | $108 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.33 | $2.00 | $60.67 | $180 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.67 | $3.99 | $121.34 | $359 | |
| Tasmania28.0c/kWh · TasNetworks | Efficient (600 W) | $0.17 | $1.01 | $30.59 | $91 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.28 | $1.68 | $50.99 | $151 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.56 | $3.35 | $101.98 | $302 | |
| Australian Capital Territory37.0c/kWh · Evoenergy | Efficient (600 W) | $0.22 | $1.33 | $40.44 | $120 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.37 | $2.22 | $67.40 | $200 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.74 | $4.43 | $134.81 | $399 | |
| Northern Territory31.7c/kWh · Power and Water | Efficient (600 W) | $0.19 | $1.14 | $34.67 | $103 |
| Typical (1,000 W) | $0.32 | $1.90 | $57.78 | $171 | |
| High (2,000 W) | $0.63 | $3.80 | $115.56 | $342 |
Where a reverse-cycle heating costs more
- South Australia is the dearest state to run one: $0.42 an hour at 1,000 W on its 41.9c/kWh rate, against $0.27 in Victoria. Over a year of typical use that gap is $78 (52.6% more).
- By yearly running cost at typical use it ranks 10th of the 26 appliances costed on this site (1st costs the most): $179 a year at the NSW rate.
- An efficient 600 W model costs $91 a year less than a typical 1,000 W one in SA at 6 hours a day for 90 days ($59 less in VIC); a high-draw 2,000 W model uses 3.3 times the power of the efficient one.
- At the 1 July 2026 price reset, typical-use cost fell $12 in VIC (Jemena usage rate 29.7c to 27.5c/kWh) and rose $5 in WA (Western Power (SWIS) usage rate 32.4c to 33.3c/kWh).
| Rank | State | Usage rate | Typical year | Above the cheapest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria | 27.5c | $148 | — |
| 2 | Tasmania | 28.0c | $151 | +$3 |
| 3 | Queensland | 28.0c | $151 | +$3 |
| 4 | Northern Territory | 31.7c | $171 | +$23 |
| 5 | New South Wales | 33.1c | $179 | +$31 |
| 6 | Western Australia | 33.3c | $180 | +$31 |
| 7 | Australian Capital Territory | 37.0c | $200 | +$51 |
| 8 | South Australia | 41.9c | $226 | +$78 |
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
NSWReverse-cycle heating: 600–2,000 W typical range.
4–8 h/day in winter, mostly mornings and evenings; compressor draw rises in cold snaps.
- Per day (6 h)
- $1.99
- Per month
- $60.44
- Per year (90 days)
- $178.94
Tariff: 33.1c/kWh — AER Default Market Offer 2026–27 (DMO 8) for the Ausgrid network, effective 1 July 2026. Wattage basis: Daikin Cora specifications (via Wholesale Aircon). Full reverse-cycle heating costs in NSW →
Cutting the cost
Reverse-cycle is one of the cheapest ways to heat, but only if you run it well. Hold a steady, moderate set-point instead of overheating and then cracking a window. Warm the rooms you're in and shut the doors on the ones you aren't. Clean filters move heat better. If your plan has a cheaper overnight rate, take the chill off early rather than heating hard through the evening peak.
Frequently asked questions
- How is the running cost calculated?
- Watts ÷ 1,000 × the electricity rate = cost per hour. A reverse-cycle heating drawing 1,000 W on NSW's 33.1c/kWh rate costs $0.33 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 (600–2,000 W) roughly spans efficient to inefficient models.
Related
- Ducted aircon
- Split-system aircon
- Portable aircon
- Ceiling fan
- Electric heater
- Pool pump
- All appliances
- Appliance calculator
- Daikin Cora specifications (via Wholesale Aircon)
- State reference tariffs (per-zone determinations)verified
Costs use each state's representative-zone reference usage rate, effective 1 July 2026. 4–8 h/day in winter, mostly mornings and evenings; compressor draw rises in cold snaps.