How Much Does It Cost to Run a Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) in Canada? (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 C$0.28 per hour, or about C$67.20 per month at 8 hours a day in Canada. 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	C$0.11	C$0.90	C$26.88	C$188.16
Typical 2,000 W	C$0.28	C$2.24	C$67.20	C$470.40
High 4,000 W	C$0.56	C$4.48	C$134.40	C$940.80

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.

In Canada, with electricity at 14.0¢ per kWh (source: Canada Energy Regulator 2026 market snapshot, 2026-06), a typical heat pump (ducted or mini-split) costs C$0.28 per hour and about C$470.40 per year at 8 hours a day. Each C$1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.6 hours of use.

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 (C$6.13) per year if it is never unplugged.

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