How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in China?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at China's current electricity prices, by unit size and efficiency and city, in local currency and U.S. dollars.
By Mark Curant·Updated
Quick answer
At CN¥0.6670 per kWh (tiered tariffs current in 2026, Shanghai (State Grid)), a typical 1.5 hp (12,000 BTU, 3.5 kW) inverter air conditioner, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, costs about CN¥0.47 an hour to run, or CN¥112 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about CN¥374 in Shanghai (about $56), and from CN¥188 in Beijing to CN¥749 in Shenzhen. In U.S. terms the price is about 9.99¢/kWh, 45% less than the U.S. average.
Per hour
CN¥0.47
1.5 hp (3.5 kW) inverter, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
CN¥112
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Shanghai
CN¥374
800 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in China
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
CN¥623/yr
CN¥0.78/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
CN¥374/yr
CN¥0.47/hr
You would save
CN¥249/yr
CN¥2,988 over 12 years
Efficiency = kW of cooling per kW of electricity over a season (our assumption for a typical new inverter split is 5.0; an old non-inverter or window unit is closer to 3). Hours start at our estimate for Shanghai and the price at CN¥0.6670; change them for your home and your bill.
Yearly cost by city
This table is for one 1.5 hp (12,000 BTU, 3.5 kW) inverter split, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity for each hour it runs. Hours per year is our estimate of how long it runs at full power in each city's climate. Cost per year is those hours × 0.70 kWh × the price on that city's utility.
| City | Utility | Price per kWh | Hours the AC runs per year | Cost per year, 1.5 hp inverter split | Same in U.S. dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenzhen | Shenzhen (China Southern Power Grid) | CN¥0.7130 | 1,500 | CN¥749 | $112 |
| Guangzhou | Guangzhou (China Southern Power Grid) | CN¥0.6390 | 1,400 | CN¥626 | $94 |
| Shanghai | Shanghai (State Grid) | CN¥0.6670 | 800 | CN¥374 | $56 |
| Beijing | Beijing (State Grid) | CN¥0.5383 | 500 | CN¥188 | $28 |
Cooling hours are our estimate of full-load hours for each city's climate, for one unit. A home cooling several rooms uses more.
The price used here
What this table shows
- Price per kWh: the second-tier household price in each city, the band an air-conditioned home typically reaches (Beijing: 241–400 kWh a month, ¥0.5383; Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen: second tier, approximately ¥0.667, ¥0.639 and ¥0.713); the third tier costs about ¥0.25 a kWh more.
- Cost per hour: one 1.5 hp (12,000 BTU, 3.5 kW) inverter split running for an hour at full power (0.70 kWh × the price).
| Utility | Area covered | Price per kWh | Same in U.S. cents | Cost per hour of ACone 1.5 hp inverter split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai (State Grid) | Shanghai | CN¥0.6670 | 9.99¢ | CN¥0.47 |
| Beijing (State Grid) | Beijing | CN¥0.5383 | 8.06¢ | CN¥0.38 |
| Guangzhou (China Southern Power Grid) | Guangzhou and Guangdong province | CN¥0.6390 | 9.57¢ | CN¥0.45 |
| Shenzhen (China Southern Power Grid) | Shenzhen | CN¥0.7130 | 10.68¢ | CN¥0.50 |
Cost by unit size
In China, air conditioners are sold by "pi" (匹, horsepower): a 1.5 pi unit is about 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) of cooling. The size is how much cooling the unit puts out, not the electricity it uses.
All at a seasonal efficiency of 5.0 (our assumption for a typical new inverter split) and CN¥0.6670 per kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Shanghai (800 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hp · 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom | CN¥0.33 | CN¥80 | CN¥267 |
| 1.5 hp · 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or living room | CN¥0.47 | CN¥112 | CN¥374 |
| 2 hp · 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | large living room | CN¥0.67 | CN¥160 | CN¥534 |
| 2.5 hp · 7 kW (24,000 BTU) | open-plan living area | CN¥0.93 | CN¥224 | CN¥747 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | CN¥0.67 | CN¥160 | CN¥534 |
What a more efficient unit saves
Seasonal efficiency is how much cooling a unit delivers for each kW of electricity over a whole season. The higher it is, the less electricity it needs for the same cooling. Yearly cost of one 1.5 hp (3.5 kW) unit in Shanghai (800 hours a year):
| Seasonal efficiency | What it's like | Electricity per hour | Cost per year | Saved per year vs an old 3.0 unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0 | old non-inverter or window unit | 1.17 kWh | CN¥623 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | CN¥467 | CN¥156 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | CN¥374 | CN¥249 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | CN¥311 | CN¥311 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | CN¥267 | CN¥356 |
What to know about electricity prices in China
Chinese households pay three tiers: a basic price for normal use, about ¥0.05 a kWh more in the second tier, and about ¥0.30 more in the third. Some cities (Beijing, Shanghai) count tiers on yearly use, others (Guangzhou, Shenzhen) monthly, with wider tiers in summer.
Prices are set by each province and are low by international standards, so even in the long, humid summers of Guangzhou and Shenzhen a split unit costs far less to run than in Manila or Singapore.
Many cities also offer peak and valley (time-of-day) pricing, which makes overnight cooling cheaper. The figures for Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are approximate; check the second-tier price on your bill.
Cutting the cost
- Set 25–26°C rather than 20–22°C, and run a ceiling or stand fan with it.
- Close curtains on sunny windows, and keep doors closed so you only cool the room you're in.
- Clean the indoor unit's filters every two to four weeks; humid, dusty air clogs them fast.
- Have the unit serviced (coil and drain cleaning) about once a year.
- When you replace a unit, choose an inverter model with a high energy label rating.
How China compares
Japan
¥38.87/kWh
≈ 24.62¢ US
Singapore
S$0.3116/kWh
≈ 24.40¢ US
Philippines
₱15.06/kWh
≈ 23.79¢ US
Hong Kong
HK$1.699/kWh
≈ 21.65¢ US
South Korea
₩257.6/kWh
≈ 19.43¢ US
Cambodia
៛730/kWh
≈ 17.93¢ US
Vietnam
₫3,618/kWh
≈ 14.11¢ US
Thailand
฿4.62/kWh
≈ 13.77¢ US
Malaysia
RM0.4893/kWh
≈ 11.99¢ US
Taiwan
NT$3.80/kWh
≈ 11.73¢ US
Indonesia
Rp1,444.70/kWh
≈ 8.01¢ US
Brunei
B$0.08/kWh
≈ 6.26¢ US
China: ≈ 9.99¢ US/kWh. U.S. average: 18.31¢/kWh (July 2026). See costs in every U.S. state or Australia.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run an air conditioner per hour in China?
About CN¥0.47 an hour in Shanghai for a typical 1.5 hp (12,000 BTU, 3.5 kW) inverter split, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, at CN¥0.6670 per kWh. A 1 hp (9,000 BTU) bedroom unit costs about CN¥0.33 an hour, an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit about CN¥0.78, and a portable unit about CN¥0.67.
How much does air conditioning add to a monthly bill in China?
Running a 1.5 hp inverter split 8 hours a day for 30 days uses about 168 kWh, or about CN¥112. Over a year in Shanghai, at our estimate of 800 cooling hours, one unit costs about CN¥374 (about $56).
Is an inverter air conditioner worth it?
Where the AC runs as many hours as it does in Shanghai, usually yes. Replacing an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit (efficiency about 3) with a typical inverter split (about 5.0) saves about CN¥249 a year at 800 hours.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × price. Price: Beijing Municipal Government household tiered electricity prices (¥0.4883 / 0.5383 / 0.7883 a kWh); Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen second-tier prices as compiled by Living Cost Laboratory (2026). U.S. figures use 1 CNY = $0.1498 (October 21, 2026, European Central Bank). Cooling hours are our estimate for each city. To check your own price, divide the energy part of your bill by the kWh used.