How Much Does It Cost to Run a Ceiling Fan?

Calculate ceiling fan running costs. Ceiling fans cost only $0.01-0.02 per hour, or $3-8 per month running constantly.

1 min read

Quick Answer

A ceiling fan costs about $0.01-0.02 per hour to run (50-75 watts). Running 12 hours daily costs $0.60-1.00 per month—far less than air conditioning. Even running 24/7 costs only $3-8 monthly.

Key Takeaways

Ceiling fans are extremely efficient.
Turn fans off when leaving—they cool people, not rooms.
Reverse fan direction in winter to circulate warm air (clockwise, low speed).

Explanation

Ceiling fans are extremely efficient. A typical 52-inch fan uses 50-75 watts on high speed, 30-40 watts on medium, and 15-25 watts on low. LED light kits add minimal cost.

Fans cool people through air movement, not by lowering room temperature. This allows you to raise the AC thermostat 4°F while maintaining comfort, saving significant cooling costs.

At $0.16/kWh, running a 60W fan 12 hours daily costs about $0.12/day or $3.50/month. Compare this to a 1,200W window AC costing $1.90/day for the same 12 hours.

Things to Know

Turn fans off when leaving—they cool people, not rooms.
Reverse fan direction in winter to circulate warm air (clockwise, low speed).
Energy Star ceiling fans are 60% more efficient than conventional models.