How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Vietnam?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at Vietnam'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 ₫3,618 per kWh (tariff since May 10, 2025, still current in October 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 ₫2,533 an hour to run, or ₫607,824 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about ₫6,078,240 in Ho Chi Minh City (about $237), the hottest city we list, and ₫3,039,120 in Hanoi. In U.S. terms the price is about 14.11¢/kWh, 23% less than the U.S. average.
Per hour
₫2,533
1.5 hp (3.5 kW) inverter, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
₫607,824
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Ho Chi Minh City
₫6,078,240
2,400 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Vietnam
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
₫10,130,400/yr
₫4,221/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
₫6,078,240/yr
₫2,533/hr
You would save
₫4,052,160/yr
₫48,625,920 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 Ho Chi Minh City and the price at ₫3,618; 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 × ₫3,618.
| City | Hours the AC runs per year | Cost per year, 1.5 hp inverter split | Same in U.S. dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh City | 2,400 | ₫6,078,240 | $237 |
| Da Nang | 1,700 | ₫4,305,420 | $168 |
| Hanoi | 1,200 | ₫3,039,120 | $119 |
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: EVN's residential price for each kWh between 301 and 400 kWh a month (3,350 dong before VAT, under Ministry of Industry and Trade Decision 1279, in force since May 10, 2025), plus 8% VAT; above 400 kWh it is about 3,737 dong.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EVN (Vietnam Electricity) | the whole country | ₫3,618 | 14.11¢ | ₫2,533 |
Cost by unit size
In Vietnam, air conditioners are sold by BTU or horsepower: a 12,000 BTU (1.5 hp) unit is about 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 ₫3,618 per kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Ho Chi Minh City (2,400 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hp · 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom | ₫1,809 | ₫434,160 | ₫4,341,600 |
| 1.5 hp · 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or living room | ₫2,533 | ₫607,824 | ₫6,078,240 |
| 2 hp · 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | large living room | ₫3,618 | ₫868,320 | ₫8,683,200 |
| 2.5 hp · 7 kW (24,000 BTU) | open-plan living area | ₫5,065 | ₫1,215,648 | ₫12,156,480 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | ₫3,618 | ₫868,320 | ₫8,683,200 |
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 Ho Chi Minh City (2,400 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 | ₫10,130,400 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | ₫7,597,800 | ₫2,532,600 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | ₫6,078,240 | ₫4,052,160 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | ₫5,065,200 | ₫5,065,200 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | ₫4,341,600 | ₫5,788,800 |
What to know about electricity prices in Vietnam
EVN charges six rising prices per kWh as monthly use climbs: 1,984 dong for the first 50 kWh, up to 3,350 dong for 301–400 kWh and 3,460 dong above 400 kWh, all before VAT. Air conditioning is usually what pushes a home into the top tiers, so the kWh it adds cost far more than the average.
The tariff has been unchanged since May 2025. A simpler five-tier structure has been approved and will replace it at the next price adjustment, so check your bill if rates change.
Hanoi has a real winter and a hot, humid summer, while Ho Chi Minh City is hot all year, which is why its yearly cooling cost is about twice Hanoi's.
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 Vietnam 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
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
Vietnam: ≈ 14.11¢ 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 Vietnam?
About ₫2,533 an hour in Ho Chi Minh City 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 ₫3,618 per kWh. A 1 hp (9,000 BTU) bedroom unit costs about ₫1,809 an hour, an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit about ₫4,221, and a portable unit about ₫3,618.
How much does air conditioning add to a monthly bill in Vietnam?
Running a 1.5 hp inverter split 8 hours a day for 30 days uses about 168 kWh, or about ₫607,824. Over a year in Ho Chi Minh City, at our estimate of 2,400 cooling hours, one unit costs about ₫6,078,240 (about $237).
Is an inverter air conditioner worth it?
Where the AC runs as many hours as it does in Ho Chi Minh City, usually yes. Replacing an old non-inverter 1.5 hp unit (efficiency about 3) with a typical inverter split (about 5.0) saves about ₫4,052,160 a year at 2,400 hours.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × price. Price: EVN residential tariff, Ministry of Industry and Trade Decision 1279/QĐ-BCT of May 9, 2025 (6 tiers: 1,984 / 2,050 / 2,380 / 2,998 / 3,350 / 3,460 dong a kWh before VAT), 8% VAT. U.S. figures use 1 VND = $0.00003899 (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.