Checked against official sources on 15 October 2026
How much does a space heater cost to run?
About $33 a month
for a 1,500 W heater used 4 hours a day in No match. Pick "Another country" to type your own price. , at 18.31 cents per kWh.
Type your electricity price to see the cost.
- Draws while on
- 1,500 W
- Costs per hour
- $0.27
- Start-up surge
- None
Electric heaters are simple: almost every watt they draw turns into heat, and they draw a lot. Run one for a few hours every evening through winter and it can become one of the biggest items on your bill. Check the watts on your heater's label, because many list a higher figure than the example here.
Most plug-in heaters in North America are rated up to 1,500 W. In the UK and Europe, plug-in heaters often go up to about 3,000 W, so check the label on yours and choose "I know its watts" in the calculator.
Work out your own space heater
Draws about 1,500 W
Look on the label or plug for a number followed by W.
Heater sizes compared
Champion's generator wattage chart lists space heaters at 750–1,500 W; Honda's guide lists a radiant heater at 1,300 W. Costs below use the price you set above.
| Heater | Power while on | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Low setting or small heater | $0.14 | |
| Radiant heater | $0.24 | |
| High setting, typical North American heater | $0.27 |
What it costs in other countries
For a 1,500 W heater used 4 hours a day, at each country's official average electricity price.
| Country | Price per kWh | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 18.31 cents | $33 | $401 |
| United Kingdom | 26.32 pence | £48 | £576 |
| Germany | 36.18 cents | €66 | €792 |
| Ireland | 38.71 cents | €71 | €848 |
| France | 24.85 cents | €45 | €544 |
| Spain | 25.09 cents | €46 | €549 |
| Italy | 31.42 cents | €57 | €688 |
| Netherlands | 24.40 cents | €45 | €534 |
Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.
How to cut the cost of running your space heater
-
Run it one hour less a day
A 1,500 W heater uses 1.5 kWh every hour it's on, so one hour less a day adds up over a year.
Saves about $100 a year
-
Heat only the room you're in
Close the door and heat a small space rather than the whole home.
-
Use the thermostat
A heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm, so it draws less than its full rating.
Savings use the electricity price you set above and figures from this page's sources.
What can power it
A heater element is a resistive load with no motor, so it has no real start-up surge. A generator or power station needs to cover its full running watts, up to 1,500 W for a typical North American heater on high, the whole time it's on.
Common questions
How many watts does a space heater use?
Champion's generator wattage chart lists 750–1,500 W, and most plug-in heaters in North America are rated at up to 1,500 W on high. In the UK and Europe, many go up to about 3,000 W. Check your heater's label.
How much does it cost to run a space heater per hour?
About $0.27 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.31 cents per kWh, or about £0.39 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a 1,500 W heater drawing 1,500 W.
Sources
- Honda Power Equipment, generator wattage estimation guide
- Champion Power Equipment, generator wattage chart
- Eurostat, Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204): consumption band 2,500–4,999 kWh, all taxes and levies included, January–June 2026 (updated 13 October 2026)
- Ofgem energy price cap: average Direct Debit electricity unit rate, England, Scotland and Wales, 1 October to 31 December 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Monthly Update: average residential price, July 2026 (released 24 September 2026)
Last checked 15 October 2026. How we get our numbers.