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How much does it cost to run a reverse-cycle air conditioner (heating mode)? (2026–27)

At typical draw · official state tariffs

$0.27–$0.42 per hour at 1,000 W

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.

Reverse-cycle heating running cost by state at typical draw (2026–27 reference tariffs)
StateTariff c/kWhPer hourTypical year
New South Wales33.1c$0.33$179
Victoria27.5c$0.27$148
Queensland28.0c$0.28$151
South Australia41.9c$0.42$226
Western Australia33.3c$0.33$180
Tasmania28.0c$0.28$151
Australian Capital Territory37.0c$0.37$200
Northern Territory31.7c$0.32$171

Appliance running-cost calculator

NSW

Reverse-cycle heating: 600–2,000 W typical range.

4–8 h/day in winter, mostly mornings and evenings; compressor draw rises in cold snaps.

$0.33 per hour · $179/year at your settings
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 × your electricity rate = cost per hour. A reverse-cycle heating drawing 1,000 W on a 33.1c/kWh tariff costs $0.33 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 (600–2,000 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 $0.27 in the cheapest state and $0.42 in the dearest. Pick your state above for exact figures.

Related

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 in winter, mostly mornings and evenings; compressor draw rises in cold snaps.