How Much Does It Cost to Run Air Conditioning in Australian Capital Territory?
Hourly, monthly and yearly cooling costs at ACT's 2026–27 electricity prices, by city, unit size and efficiency, in Australian dollars.
By Mark Curant·Updated
Quick answer
At the ActewAGL standing offer (Home tariff) usage charge of 36.95¢ per kWh, a typical 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) inverter split system, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, costs about A$0.26 an hour to run, or A$62 for a month at 8 hours a day. Over a year it comes to about A$78 in Canberra. In U.S. terms the price is about 25.72¢/kWh, 40% more than the U.S. average.
Per hour
A$0.26
3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) split, uses 0.70 kWh
Per month
A$62
8 hrs/day × 30 days
Per year, Canberra
A$78
300 cooling hours (our estimate)
Your numbers in Australian Capital Territory
Your AC now (efficiency 3.0)
A$129/yr
A$0.43/hr
New unit (efficiency 5.0)
A$78/yr
A$0.26/hr
You would save
A$52/yr
A$621 over 12 years
Efficiency = kW of cooling per kW of electricity over a season (our assumption for a typical new split is 5.0). Hours start at our estimate for Canberra and the price at the Evoenergy usage charge; change them for your home and your bill.
The price used here
What this table shows
- Usage charge: what each kWh costs on the flat (single-rate) tariff under the ActewAGL standing offer (Home tariff), July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, GST included. This is what running the air conditioner adds to the bill.
- Daily supply charge: a fixed amount for every day of the bill, whether the AC runs or not, so it isn't part of the running costs on this page.
- Cost per hour: one 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) split running for an hour at full power (0.70 kWh × the usage charge).
| Network | Area covered | Usage charge per kWh | Daily supply charge | Cost per hour of ACone 3.5 kW split |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evoenergy (ActewAGL Home tariff) | Canberra and the whole territory | 36.95¢ | A$1.34 a day | A$0.26 |
Cost by unit size
Split systems in Australia are sold by how much cooling they put out, in kW (the BTU size is in brackets). A bigger unit cools a bigger space but uses more electricity. All at a seasonal efficiency of 5.0 (our assumption for a typical new inverter split) and 36.95¢/kWh:
| Unit size (cooling output) | Typical use | Cost per hour of running | Cost per month (8 hours a day) | Cost per year in Canberra (300 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 kW (9,000 BTU) | bedroom or study | A$0.18 | A$44 | A$55 |
| 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) | large bedroom or small living room | A$0.26 | A$62 | A$78 |
| 5 kW (18,000 BTU) | living room | A$0.37 | A$89 | A$111 |
| 7.1 kW (24,000 BTU) | large or open-plan living area | A$0.52 | A$126 | A$157 |
| 14 kW ducted | whole home | A$1.48 | A$355 | A$443 |
| Portable | one room, no installation | A$0.37 | A$89 | A$111 |
The ducted row assumes the whole system runs at full power for the same hours, at an efficiency of 3.5 (ducts lose some cooling). Zoning, or closing off unused rooms, cuts that cost a lot.
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 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) unit in Canberra (300 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 fixed-speed unit (pre-2010s) | 1.17 kWh | A$129 | — |
| 4.0 | older or basic inverter unit | 0.88 kWh | A$97 | A$32 |
| 5.0 | typical new inverter split | 0.70 kWh | A$78 | A$52 |
| 6.0 | efficient model | 0.58 kWh | A$65 | A$65 |
| 7.0 | top models | 0.50 kWh | A$55 | A$74 |
Use the zoned energy rating label
Australian air conditioners carry a zoned energy rating label with separate star ratings, and an estimated yearly energy use, for the hot, average and cold climate zones shown on its map. To compare models, look at the cooling and heating figures for your zone: yearly kWh × 36.95¢ is a quick estimate of that model's running cost, and here the heating figure usually matters more.
What to know about electricity prices in Australian Capital Territory
In the ACT, the Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission regulates ActewAGL's standing-offer prices. The Home tariff charges one price for every kWh at any time of day. Other retailers sell market offers, which can be cheaper.
Canberra summers have hot, dry days and cool nights, so a well-shaded house can often be cooled overnight with open windows and kept closed through the day, using the AC only on the hottest afternoons. Like Tasmania, Canberra's reverse-cycle units do most of their work as heaters in winter, especially as the territory moves homes off gas.
Cutting the cost
- Set the thermostat to 25–26°C rather than 21°C, and run a ceiling fan with it.
- Close blinds and curtains on sunny windows before the heat builds, especially west-facing ones.
- With rooftop solar, cool the house in the middle of the day and let it coast into the evening peak.
- Cool the rooms you're using, with doors closed, rather than the whole house.
- Clean the indoor unit's filters every few weeks in summer.
- Compare your plan with the default offer: a cheaper market offer saves on every kWh.
How Australian Capital Territory compares
SA
41.91¢/kWh
Adelaide · ≈ 29.17¢ US
WA
33.26¢/kWh
Perth · ≈ 23.15¢ US
NSW
33.14¢/kWh
Sydney · ≈ 23.06¢ US
NT
31.68¢/kWh
Darwin · ≈ 22.05¢ US
QLD
27.97¢/kWh
Brisbane · ≈ 19.47¢ US
TAS
27.95¢/kWh
Hobart · ≈ 19.46¢ US
VIC
25.96¢/kWh
Melbourne · ≈ 18.07¢ US
Australian Capital Territory (Canberra): ≈ 25.72¢ US/kWh. U.S. average: 18.31¢/kWh (July 2026). See costs in every U.S. state.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run air conditioning per hour in Australian Capital Territory?
About A$0.26 an hour in Canberra for a typical 3.5 kW (12,000 BTU) inverter split system, which uses about 0.70 kWh of electricity an hour, at the 36.95¢/kWh usage charge. A 7.1 kW unit for a large living area costs about A$0.52 an hour, a 14 kW ducted system about A$1.48, and a portable air conditioner about A$0.37.
How much does air conditioning add to a quarterly bill in Australian Capital Territory?
Running a 3.5 kW split 8 hours a day uses about 510 kWh over a 91-day quarter, or about A$188 at 36.95¢/kWh. Over a whole year in Canberra, at our estimate of 300 cooling hours, it comes to about A$78. The daily supply charge is on the bill whether the AC runs or not.
Is a reverse-cycle split cheaper to run than a portable air conditioner?
Yes, by a wide margin. A portable unit draws about 1 kW and cools less well, partly because its exhaust hose pulls warm outside air back into the room. A 3.5 kW split at a seasonal efficiency of 5.0 draws about 0.70 kW on average while putting out more cooling than a typical portable (about 2.6 kW), so for the same amount of cooling it uses about half the electricity.
How we calculated this
Electricity used (kWh) = cooling capacity (kW) ÷ seasonal efficiency × hours. Cost = kWh × usage charge. Prices: ActewAGL, ACT Standard plan electricity prices, schedule of charges from July 1, 2026 (Home tariff), within the ICRC's regulated standing-offer price path. U.S. cents use A$1 = $0.696 (October 2026). Cooling hours are our estimate for each city. To check your own price, look for the usage (or "peak"/"anytime") rate per kWh on your bill.