How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Japan?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at Japan'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 ¥38.87 per kWh (October 2026, TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power)), 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 ¥27 an hour to run, or ¥6,530 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about ¥16,325 in Tokyo (about $103), and from ¥14,965 in Yokohama to ¥17,155 in Osaka. In U.S. terms the price is about 24.62¢/kWh, 34% more than the U.S. average.
Per hour
¥27
1.5 hp (3.5 kW) inverter, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
¥6,530
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Tokyo
¥16,325
600 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Japan
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
¥27,209/yr
¥45/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
¥16,325/yr
¥27/hr
You would save
¥10,884/yr
¥130,603 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 Tokyo and the price at ¥38.87; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka | Kansai Electric | ¥35.01 | 700 | ¥17,155 | $109 |
| Kyoto | Kansai Electric | ¥35.01 | 700 | ¥17,155 | $109 |
| Kobe | Kansai Electric | ¥35.01 | 650 | ¥15,930 | $101 |
| Tokyo | TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power) | ¥38.87 | 600 | ¥16,325 | $103 |
| Yokohama | TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power) | ¥38.87 | 550 | ¥14,965 | $95 |
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 price of each kWh above 300 kWh a month on the standard metered plan (TEPCO Juryo Dento B, Kansai Juryo Dento A), plus the October 2026 fuel cost adjustment before the temporary government discount, plus the 2026 renewable energy levy of ¥4.18, tax 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power) | Tokyo and the Kanto region | ¥38.87 | 24.62¢ | ¥27 |
| Kansai Electric | Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe and the Kansai region | ¥35.01 | 22.18¢ | ¥25 |
Cost by unit size
In Japan, room air conditioners are sold by cooling capacity in kW and the room size they suit, in tatami mats: a 2.8 kW unit is for about 10 mats, a 3.6 kW unit for about 12 and a 4.0 kW unit for about 14. 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 ¥38.87 per kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Tokyo (600 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hp · 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom | ¥19 | ¥4,664 | ¥11,661 |
| 1.5 hp · 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or living room | ¥27 | ¥6,530 | ¥16,325 |
| 2 hp · 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | large living room | ¥39 | ¥9,329 | ¥23,322 |
| 2.5 hp · 7 kW (24,000 BTU) | open-plan living area | ¥54 | ¥13,060 | ¥32,651 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | ¥39 | ¥9,329 | ¥23,322 |
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 Tokyo (600 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 | ¥27,209 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | ¥20,407 | ¥6,802 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | ¥16,325 | ¥10,884 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | ¥13,605 | ¥13,605 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | ¥11,661 | ¥15,548 |
What to know about electricity prices in Japan
Japan's standard household plans charge three prices: a low one for the first 120 kWh a month, a middle one up to 300 kWh, and a top one above that. In summer most air-conditioned homes go past 300 kWh, so each extra kWh the AC uses is billed at the top tier. That's the price used here.
Every kWh also carries a monthly fuel cost adjustment and the renewable energy levy (¥4.18 a kWh from May 2026). The government cut bills by ¥3.5–4.5 a kWh for August to October 2026 usage; that temporary discount isn't included here, because it isn't a lasting part of the price.
Many households have switched from the regional utility to another retailer since the market opened in 2016. Their plans, often with time-of-day pricing, can be cheaper or dearer than the standard tariff used 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 Japan compares
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
Indonesia
Rp1,444.70/kWh
≈ 8.01¢ US
Brunei
B$0.08/kWh
≈ 6.26¢ US
Japan: ≈ 24.62¢ 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 Japan?
About ¥27 an hour in Tokyo 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 ¥38.87 per kWh. A 1 hp (9,000 BTU) bedroom unit costs about ¥19 an hour, an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit about ¥45, and a portable unit about ¥39.
How much does air conditioning add to a monthly bill in Japan?
Running a 1.5 hp inverter split 8 hours a day for 30 days uses about 168 kWh, or about ¥6,530. Over a year in Tokyo, at our estimate of 600 cooling hours, one unit costs about ¥16,325 (about $103).
Is an inverter air conditioner worth it?
Where the AC runs as many hours as it does in Tokyo, usually yes. Replacing an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit (efficiency about 3) with a typical inverter split (about 5.0) saves about ¥10,884 a year at 600 hours.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × price. Price: TEPCO Energy Partner and Kansai Electric standard metered tariffs (third tier, above 300 kWh: TEPCO ¥40.49, Kansai ¥28.59), October 2026 fuel cost adjustment before the government discount (TEPCO −¥5.80, Kansai +¥2.24) and the FY2026 renewable energy levy (¥4.18), tax included. U.S. figures use 1 JPY = $0.006334 (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.