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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Refrigerator in the UK? (2026)

A refrigerator is plugged in all day, but the compressor only runs about a third of the time. The wattage figures here are the compressor draw, and the hours figure reflects typical compressor run time, not 24 hours.

A typical refrigerator (150 W) costs £0.039 per hour, or about £9.36 per month at 8 hours a day in United Kingdom. Average running cost

Electricity price region Hours used per day

Wattage	Per hour	Per day	Per month	Per year
Low (100 W)	£0.026	£0.21	£6.24	£75.92
Typical (150 W)	£0.039	£0.31	£9.36	£113.88
High (250 W)	£0.065	£0.52	£15.60	£189.80

Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 8 h/day ≈ 438 kWh per year.

In the UK, with electricity at £0.26 per kWh (source: Ofgem price cap 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026, 2026-07), a typical refrigerator costs £0.039 per hour and about £113.88 per year at 8 hours a day. Each £1.00 of electricity buys roughly 25.6 hours of use.

How to lower the cost of running a refrigerator

Set the fridge to 37 to 40 F (3 to 4 C) and the freezer to 0 F (-18 C). Colder settings waste power.
Vacuum the coils at the back or underneath once a year. Dust makes the compressor work harder.
Leave a gap for airflow behind and above the unit.
A fridge from before 2000 can use twice the electricity of a new one. Replacement often pays for itself within a few years.

Frequently asked questions

How many watts does a refrigerator use?

Most modern household fridges draw 100 to 250 watts while the compressor runs, averaging 1 to 2 kWh per day.

Does an empty fridge use more electricity?

Slightly. Food and drinks hold cold, so a full fridge recovers faster after the door opens.

Should I unplug my fridge when on vacation?

Only for trips longer than a month, and only if you empty and clean it first.

Cost by region

Related appliances

Use the generic electricity cost calculator →