How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Singapore?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at Singapore's current electricity prices, by unit size and efficiency, in local currency and U.S. dollars.
By Mark Curant·Updated
Quick answer
At S$0.3116 per kWh (October–December 2026), 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 S$0.22 an hour to run, or S$52 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about S$436 in Singapore (about $342). In U.S. terms the price is about 24.40¢/kWh, 33% more than the U.S. average.
Per hour
S$0.22
1.5 hp (3.5 kW) inverter, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
S$52
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Singapore
S$436
2,000 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Singapore
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
S$727/yr
S$0.36/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
S$436/yr
S$0.22/hr
You would save
S$291/yr
S$3,490 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 Singapore and the price at S$0.3116; change them for your home and your bill.
The price used here
What this table shows
- Price per kWh: SP Group's regulated household tariff for October 1 to December 31, 2026: 28.59 cents per kWh before GST, 31.16 cents with 9% GST. Every kWh costs the same, so this is also what each extra kWh of air conditioning costs..
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP Group regulated tariff | the whole island | S$0.3116 | 24.40¢ | S$0.22 |
Cost by unit size
In Singapore, air conditioners are often sold by horsepower: a 1.5 hp 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 S$0.3116 per kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Singapore (2,000 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hp · 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom | S$0.16 | S$37 | S$312 |
| 1.5 hp · 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or living room | S$0.22 | S$52 | S$436 |
| 2 hp · 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | large living room | S$0.31 | S$75 | S$623 |
| 2.5 hp · 7 kW (24,000 BTU) | open-plan living area | S$0.44 | S$105 | S$872 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | S$0.31 | S$75 | S$623 |
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 Singapore (2,000 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 | S$727 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | S$545 | S$182 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | S$436 | S$291 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | S$364 | S$364 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | S$312 | S$415 |
What to know about electricity prices in Singapore
SP Group resets the regulated household tariff every quarter, mainly following the cost of the natural gas that generates most of Singapore's power. The fourth-quarter 2026 tariff fell 10.4%, but it can rise again just as quickly, so check the current quarter's rate on your bill.
Households can also buy from a retailer in the Open Electricity Market, with fixed-price plans or a discount off the regulated tariff. Those can be cheaper than the price used here.
Air conditioning is often the biggest part of a Singapore power bill. Most of it is bedroom units running through the night, so the setting you sleep at (25°C rather than 22°C) and a clean filter matter more than the size of the living-room unit.
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 Singapore compares
Japan
¥38.87/kWh
≈ 24.62¢ 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
Singapore: ≈ 24.40¢ 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 Singapore?
About S$0.22 an hour in Singapore 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 S$0.3116 per kWh. A 1 hp (9,000 BTU) bedroom unit costs about S$0.16 an hour, an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit about S$0.36, and a portable unit about S$0.31.
How much does air conditioning add to a monthly bill in Singapore?
Running a 1.5 hp inverter split 8 hours a day for 30 days uses about 168 kWh, or about S$52. Over a year in Singapore, at our estimate of 2,000 cooling hours, one unit costs about S$436 (about $342).
Is an inverter air conditioner worth it?
Where the AC runs as many hours as it does in Singapore, usually yes. Replacing an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit (efficiency about 3) with a typical inverter split (about 5.0) saves about S$291 a year at 2,000 hours.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × price. Price: SP Group household electricity tariff, October 1–December 31, 2026 (28.59¢/kWh before GST, down 10.4% from the previous quarter), 9% GST added. U.S. figures use 1 SGD = $0.7830 (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.