How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Indonesia?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at Indonesia'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 Rp1,444.70 per kWh (October–December 2026, PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes), 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 Rp1,011 an hour to run, or Rp242,710 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about Rp2,528,225 in Jakarta (about $140), the hottest city we list, and Rp2,224,838 in Medan. In U.S. terms the price is about 8.01¢/kWh, 56% less than the U.S. average.
Per hour
Rp1,011
1.5 hp (3.5 kW) inverter, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
Rp242,710
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Jakarta
Rp2,528,225
2,500 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Indonesia
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
Rp4,213,708/yr
Rp1,685/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
Rp2,528,225/yr
Rp1,011/hr
You would save
Rp1,685,483/yr
Rp20,225,800 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 Jakarta and the price at Rp1,444.70; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakarta | PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes | Rp1,444.70 | 2,500 | Rp2,528,225 | $140 |
| Surabaya | PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes | Rp1,444.70 | 2,500 | Rp2,528,225 | $140 |
| Denpasar (Bali) | PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes | Rp1,444.70 | 2,300 | Rp2,325,967 | $129 |
| Medan | PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes | Rp1,444.70 | 2,200 | Rp2,224,838 | $123 |
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: PLN's non-subsidised household tariff for October–December 2026, unchanged from the previous quarter: Rp1,444.70 a kWh for 1,300–2,200 VA connections (the usual size for an air-conditioned home) and Rp1,699.53 for 3,500 VA and above; the regional street-lighting tax isn't included.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLN, 1,300–2,200 VA homes | the whole country | Rp1,444.70 | 8.01¢ | Rp1,011 |
| PLN, 3,500 VA and larger homes | the whole country | Rp1,699.53 | 9.42¢ | Rp1,190 |
Cost by unit size
In Indonesia, air conditioners are sold by PK (horsepower): a 1.5 PK unit is about 12,000 BTU (3.5 kW) 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 Rp1,444.70 per kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Jakarta (2,500 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hp · 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom | Rp722 | Rp173,364 | Rp1,805,875 |
| 1.5 hp · 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or living room | Rp1,011 | Rp242,710 | Rp2,528,225 |
| 2 hp · 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | large living room | Rp1,445 | Rp346,728 | Rp3,611,750 |
| 2.5 hp · 7 kW (24,000 BTU) | open-plan living area | Rp2,023 | Rp485,419 | Rp5,056,450 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | Rp1,445 | Rp346,728 | Rp3,611,750 |
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 Jakarta (2,500 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 | Rp4,213,708 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | Rp3,160,281 | Rp1,053,427 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | Rp2,528,225 | Rp1,685,483 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | Rp2,106,854 | Rp2,106,854 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | Rp1,805,875 | Rp2,407,833 |
What to know about electricity prices in Indonesia
PLN sets household prices by the size of the connection, in volt-amperes (VA), and reviews them every quarter. Most air-conditioned homes have a 1,300 or 2,200 VA connection; larger homes on 3,500 VA or more pay about 18% more per kWh.
Prices for October–December 2026 were kept the same as the previous quarter. Very small 450 and 900 VA connections for low-income households are subsidised and much cheaper, but can rarely run an air conditioner.
Bills also carry a regional street-lighting tax (PPJ), set by each local government, which isn't included here.
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 Indonesia 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
China
CN¥0.6670/kWh
≈ 9.99¢ US
Brunei
B$0.08/kWh
≈ 6.26¢ US
Indonesia: ≈ 8.01¢ 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 Indonesia?
About Rp1,011 an hour in Jakarta 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 Rp1,444.70 per kWh. A 1 hp (9,000 BTU) bedroom unit costs about Rp722 an hour, an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit about Rp1,685, and a portable unit about Rp1,445.
How much does air conditioning add to a monthly bill in Indonesia?
Running a 1.5 hp inverter split 8 hours a day for 30 days uses about 168 kWh, or about Rp242,710. Over a year in Jakarta, at our estimate of 2,500 cooling hours, one unit costs about Rp2,528,225 (about $140).
Is an inverter air conditioner worth it?
Where the AC runs as many hours as it does in Jakarta, usually yes. Replacing an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit (efficiency about 3) with a typical inverter split (about 5.0) saves about Rp1,685,483 a year at 2,500 hours.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × price. Price: PLN household tariff adjustment for October–December 2026 (R-1 1,300–2,200 VA Rp1,444.70/kWh; R-2/R-3 3,500 VA and above Rp1,699.53/kWh), as reported October 12, 2026. U.S. figures use 1 IDR = $0.00005542 (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.