How Much Does It Cost to Run an Electric Blanket in Australia? (2026)
An electric blanket warms you directly instead of the whole room, which is why it costs a small fraction of a space heater. Single blankets draw around 50 watts, doubles up to 200 on the highest setting, and most cycle down once warm.
A typical electric blanket (100 W) costs A$0.035 per hour, or about A$8.40 per month at 8 hours a day in Australia. Cheap to run
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low 50 W | A$0.017 | A$0.14 | A$4.20 | A$21.00 |
| Typical 100 W | A$0.035 | A$0.28 | A$8.40 | A$42.00 |
| High 200 W | A$0.070 | A$0.56 | A$16.80 | A$84.00 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day for about 150 days a year (the heating season) ≈ 120 kWh per year.
One hour of an electric blanket (0.10 kWh) is the same electricity as
- 2.0hours of a fridge
- 2.2hours of a laptop
- 10hours of Wi-Fi
- 11hours of an LED bulb
In Australia, with electricity at 35.0¢ per kWh (source: AER Default Market Offer 2026–27, 2026-07), a typical electric blanket costs A$0.035 per hour and about A$42.00 per year at 8 hours a day. Each A$1.00 of electricity buys roughly 28.6 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running an electric blanket
- Turn the room thermostat down a few degrees at night and let the blanket make up the difference.
- Preheat the bed for 20 minutes, then switch to the lowest setting or off.
- Use a timer model so it does not run all night on high.
Frequently asked questions
Is an electric blanket cheaper than a space heater?
Yes, by roughly ten to fifteen times. A 100 watt blanket for 8 hours uses under 1 kWh, while a 1,500 watt heater uses 12 kWh.
How much does it cost to leave an electric blanket on all night?
At 100 watts for 8 hours, under 1 kWh, so a few cents in most regions.
Do electric blankets use a lot of electricity on low?
No. On low most blankets draw 20 to 40 watts, similar to a bright LED bulb.
Compare with
Cost by region
US states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Canadian provinces
Related appliances
- Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split)2,000 W typical
- Baseboard Heater1,500 W typical
- Portable Fan (Box or Pedestal)50 W typical
- Evaporative (Swamp) Cooler300 W typical
Use the generic electricity cost calculator · Which uses more? Take the quiz