Worked example
A 230W desert cooler running 8 hours/day in Tamil Nadu uses about 1.84 units/day and costs roughly ₹372.60/month (₹4,533.30/year) at ₹6.75/unit.
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Air Cooler Cost Calculator
Estimate your air cooler's electricity cost
Estimated monthly cost
₹538.20
≈ ₹6,548.10/year · 55.2 units/month
- Wattage
- 230 W
- Units per day
- 1.84
- Billed at (top slab)
- ₹9.75/unit
How this is calculated
Units = wattage × hours ÷ 1000. A cooler's daily energy use in kWh is its wattage multiplied by daily running hours, divided by 1000 to convert watts to kilowatts.
Priced at your top slab. Since a cooler adds to your existing consumption, its units fall in your highest tariff slab — we use that marginal rate (plus fuel cost adjustment and electricity duty) for a realistic cost.
*The “~78% less power” stat is computed from this site's own engines: a 230W desert cooler running 8 hours/day uses about 78% fewer units than a 1.5-ton 3-star AC over the same 8 hours. It compares electricity draw, not cooling effectiveness — a cooler works by evaporation and performs very differently from an AC depending on your climate's humidity.
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Frequently asked questions
How much electricity does an air cooler use?
A personal/small cooler typically draws around 150W, a tower cooler around 180W, and a larger desert or window cooler around 230W — mostly from the fan motor and water pump, which is why coolers use far less power than an AC of similar cooling area.
Is an air cooler cheaper to run than an AC?
Yes, significantly — a cooler's motor and pump draw a fraction of an AC compressor's power. The tradeoff is cooling method: a cooler works by evaporation and is most effective in hot, dry climates, while an AC actively removes heat and works well in humid conditions too.
Why is the cooler priced at my top tariff slab?
Indian electricity tariffs are telescopic — usage is billed in progressively pricier slabs. Any appliance you add sits on top of your existing consumption, so its units land on your highest slab, not a blended average rate.
How can I find my cooler's exact wattage?
Check the rating label on the back or base of the cooler, or the box it came in — it lists rated wattage (sometimes split as fan motor + pump).