Space Heater vs Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split): Which Costs More to Run? (2026)
A heat pump wins on cost for anything beyond a single small room. It delivers two to four units of heat per unit of electricity, while a space heater delivers exactly one. The space heater only makes sense when you need heat in one spot for an hour or two, or as a stopgap before a heat pump is installed.
At the hours shown, Space Heater costs about $591.30 per year and Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) about $1,051 in United States (average).
| Appliance | Typical watts | Hours / day | Per hour | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Heater | 1,500 W | $0.27 | $48.60 | $591.30 | |
| Heat Pump (Ducted or Mini-Split) | 2,000 W | $0.36 | $86.40 | $1,051 |
Edit the hours to match your own use. Costs use the typical wattage of each appliance.
When the space heater makes sense
- You heat one small room for a few hours a day
- You rent and cannot install anything
- You need heat right now, not next month
When the heat pump (ducted or mini-split) makes sense
- You heat more than one room or the whole home
- You also want cooling in summer
- You plan to stay long enough to recover the installation cost
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