AC Running Cost Calculator (UAE)
Work out what your air conditioning actually costs to run each month — by BTU, hours of use, and DEWA tariff slab. See how much you'd save by raising the thermostat one degree.
How to use
- 1
Pick your AC type. Most Dubai apartments have modern split units. Villas often have central AC. Older buildings sometimes still use window units.
- 2
Enter the AC size in tons. Look at the AC nameplate or the original installation paperwork. 1 ton = 12,000 BTU. Most rooms use 1-1.5 tons per AC.
- 3
Tell the calculator how many hours per day you run it. Summer averages 10-14 hours; winter usually 2-6 hours. Use the summer figure to budget worst case.
- 4
Enter days per month (usually 30) and your typical non-AC household kWh from your DEWA bill. This positions your AC consumption in the right tariff slab.
- 5
The result shows your AC's cost per day, month, and year. It also tells you how much you'd save monthly by raising the thermostat 1°C — usually around 6%.
- 6
Quick tip: if your current monthly DEWA bill is much higher than the AC cost shown here, your AC is probably old and inefficient. Service it, or budget for replacement — a modern inverter unit pays for itself in 2-3 years.
Frequently asked questions
Because cooling 30+ degree air down to 23 degrees, 10+ hours a day, is energy-intensive. For most Dubai apartments, AC accounts for 60-70% of total electricity use in summer. A 1.5-ton split AC running 12 hours/day in summer typically uses 600-800 kWh per month — about AED 180-240 in DEWA charges plus fuel surcharge.
Yes, roughly. AC compressor work scales with the temperature difference between indoor and outdoor air. Raising your thermostat from 21°C to 24°C reduces that gap meaningfully — typical savings are 5-7% per degree. The exact number depends on outdoor temperature, but the rule of thumb is solid.
Modern inverter split AC, hands down. Inverters adjust compressor speed to demand instead of cycling on/off, using 30-40% less energy than non-inverter units. VRV/VRF systems are even more efficient but only make sense for whole villas. Window units are the least efficient — replace them if you can.
For short absences (under 4 hours), yes — leaving it at a higher temperature (28-29°C) costs less than cooling a hot room from scratch. For long absences (full workday, weekend trip), turn it off. The cooling-down energy is almost always less than the running cost for 8+ hours away.
Annually before summer (March-April). A dirty filter or low refrigerant can reduce efficiency by 20-30%. A AED 250-400 servicing call typically pays for itself in 2-3 months of summer savings. Replace filters every 3 months if you use the AC daily.
Yes, usually 10-20% per month. Smart thermostats (like Nest or Ecobee) learn your schedule and adjust automatically. For a household spending AED 400/month on AC, that's AED 40-80 monthly savings. Payback on a AED 700 thermostat is 9-18 months.
The housing fee (5% of annual rent ÷ 12) is calculated from your rent, not your electricity consumption. It's on your bill but unrelated to how much AC you use. Same with the 10 fils admin charge per month.
No. DEWA has no time-of-use pricing for residential customers. A kWh used at 2am costs the same as a kWh used at 3pm. Industrial customers sometimes get off-peak rates, but residential plans don't.
Related tools
Source: DEWA tariff schedules, typical UAE AC EER ratings · Last verified 2026-06. Verify on DEWA. This tool provides estimates only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Always verify your specific situation with the relevant UAE authority or a licensed advisor before taking action.