How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split)? (2026)

A heat pump moves heat rather than generating it, delivering 2 to 4 units of heat for every unit of electricity. A single-zone mini-split draws under 1 kW; a whole-house ducted unit can pull 4 kW in cold weather.

A typical heat pump (ducted or mini-split) (2,000 W) costs $0.37 per hour, or about $88.03 per month at 8 hours a day in the US. Expensive to run

Electricity price region

Hours used per day

Days used per year

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low 800 W	$0.15	$1.17	$35.21	$246.49
Typical 2,000 W	$0.37	$2.93	$88.03	$616.22
High 4,000 W	$0.73	$5.87	$176.06	$1,232

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day for about 210 days a year (the heating and cooling seasons) ≈ 3,360 kWh per year.

One hour of a heat pump (ducted or mini-split) (2.0 kWh) is the same electricity as

11km in an electric car
20hours of TV
44hours of a laptop
222hours of an LED bulb

Electricity per year at typical use, on a log scale: #90 of 95 appliances, from least to most.

Around the world per year at typical use, local prices

How to lower the cost of running a heat pump (ducted or mini-split)

Set it and leave it. Heat pumps are most efficient holding a steady temperature rather than being cranked up and down.
Clean filters monthly during heavy use.
Keep the outdoor unit clear of snow, leaves, and shrubs.

In standby it draws about 5 W, which adds roughly 44 kWh ($8.03) per year if it is never unplugged.

Is switching from a space heater to a heat pump worth it? Savings and payback