How many hours of air conditioning could this amount buy?

How it works

Understand the estimate

Divide budget by (electricity tariff × average electrical draw). A system averaging 1.2 kW at R3/kWh costs about R3.60 per operating hour.

Make it more accurate

Inverter air conditioners can consume significantly less than their maximum rated input under light loads.

These figures are examples based on editable inputs. They do not represent verified current rates, supplier prices or quotes.

Rated input is not a constant average

An inverter air conditioner changes output as the room reaches its set temperature. The electrical draw may differ significantly from the nameplate maximum. Room insulation, outside temperature, set-point, sunlight and the size of the space all matter.

Try the numbers: For a unit averaging 1 kW while operating, one hour at R3/kWh costs R3. A R300 budget represents roughly 100 operating hours in that simplified example. If the actual average is 0.5 kW, the same budget lasts twice as long.

Before relying on the estimate

Measure consumption with a suitable energy monitor where possible. Do not confuse a cooling-capacity number expressed in BTU/h with electricity input power in kW.

For more detail, read our calculation and editorial standards. The current price and personal circumstances must come from you; we do not fetch or invent live supplier rates.