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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Ceiling Fan in India? (2026)
Ceiling fans do not cool the air, they cool people through air movement. At 15 to 90 watts they cost a tiny fraction of an air conditioner, which is why the best strategy is to run both and raise the AC thermostat.
A typical ceiling fan (50 W) costs ₹0.30 per hour, or about ₹72.00 per month at 8 hours a day in India. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (15 W) | ₹0.090 | ₹0.72 | ₹21.60 | ₹262.80 |
| Typical (50 W) | ₹0.30 | ₹2.40 | ₹72.00 | ₹876.00 |
| High (90 W) | ₹0.54 | ₹4.32 | ₹129.60 | ₹1,577 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 146 kWh per year.
In India, with electricity at ₹6.00 per kWh (source: Typical urban domestic slab rate; national average ≈ ₹5.5/unit FY2025-26, 2026-04), a typical ceiling fan costs ₹0.30 per hour and about ₹876.00 per year at 8 hours a day. Each ₹1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.3 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a ceiling fan
- Turn the fan off when you leave the room. It only helps if someone is there to feel the breeze.
- Set the blades to spin counterclockwise in summer and clockwise at low speed in winter.
- DC motor fans use about 70 percent less power than older AC motor models.
- Fans with built-in lights add 10 to 40 watts when the light is on.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run a ceiling fan all day?
A 50 watt fan on for 24 hours uses 1.2 kWh, about the same as a window AC unit running for one hour.
Does a ceiling fan use more electricity on high?
Yes, roughly three times more than on low, but still far less than any cooling appliance.
Is it cheaper to run a fan or an AC?
A fan, by a factor of 10 to 30. But a fan cannot lower the room temperature.
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
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- India