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Gas vs Electric Appliance Cost Calculator

Compare annual gas and electric appliance operating costs from user-entered energy use and utility rates.

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Inputs

units/yr
$/unit
kWh/yr
$/kWh

Your values stay on this device.

Results

Lower Operating Cost
Gas Annual Cost$128.00
Electric Annual Cost$148.32
Annual Difference$20.32

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Assumptions

  • All prices, rates, taxes, and usage values are entered by the user.
  • Calculations run locally in your browser and are not stored by Calwarden.
  • This is planning math, not financial, tax, engineering, or legal advice.

Sensitivity preview

Gas Use -10%: Lower Operating Cost Gas is lower

Gas Use Current: Lower Operating Cost Gas is lower

Gas Use +10%: Lower Operating Cost Gas is lower

Formula: Gas cost = gas units x gas price + gas-only fees. Electric cost = kWh x electricity rate + electric-only fees.

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About this Gas vs Electric Appliance Cost Calculator

Gas and electric appliance comparisons work best when you use appliance-specific annual energy estimates and local utility rates.

Who this calculator is for

  • Homeowners comparing real-life household costs.
  • Renters and buyers building a practical monthly budget.
  • Families testing assumptions before a repair, upgrade, or purchase.

When to use it

  • Estimate the budget impact before making a home decision.
  • Compare quotes with consistent assumptions.
  • Turn usage, rates, and maintenance assumptions into transparent outputs.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter your household usage, project, or payment assumptions.
  2. Replace defaults with local rates, quote values, and utility prices.
  3. Review the primary output and compare scenarios by changing one input at a time.

Key assumptions

  • All prices, rates, taxes, and usage values are entered by the user.
  • Calculations run locally in your browser and are not stored by Calwarden.
  • This is planning math, not financial, tax, engineering, or legal advice.

Dataset sources

EIA retail electricity price data
Effective date
2024
Last reviewed
2026-05-05

State and national average retail rates are planning references, not a utility tariff or time-of-use schedule.

Public U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

Accuracy and testing

Review formula sources, default test cases, assumptions, unit handling, rounding rules, and changelog for this calculator.

View accuracy page

How this calculator works

Annual gas cost = gas units x gas price. Annual electric cost = electric kWh x electricity rate. Difference identifies the lower operating cost.
Gas cost = gas units x gas price + gas-only fees. Electric cost = kWh x electricity rate + electric-only fees.

Inputs explained

Rates and prices

Use your current utility bill, HOA statement, tax notice, quote, or lender estimate where possible.

Usage assumptions

Enter expected daily, monthly, or annual usage rather than relying on national averages.

Planning period

Use a realistic ownership or analysis period for ROI and comparison calculators.

Understanding your results

Results are planning estimates. Local tariffs, taxes, weather, building condition, loan terms, and contractor quotes can materially change the real outcome.

Example scenarios

Practical scenario

A dryer using $120/year of gas and fees compared with $210/year of electricity would show gas as $90 cheaper to operate.

Key Features

  • Instant Calculation
  • Private & Secure
  • Mobile Optimized

Tips & Best Practices

  • Use all-in rates when bills separate supply, delivery, taxes, and fees.
  • Run conservative and optimistic cases before making a purchase decision.
  • Keep quote-specific rebates, maintenance, and financing terms separate when they matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should fixed utility fees be included?
Include them only if they change because of the appliance choice. Existing unavoidable account fees can be excluded.
Does this include purchase price?
No. It compares operating cost only.
Can this compare dryers, ranges, or water heaters?
Yes, as long as you can enter reasonable annual energy-use assumptions for each option.