Guides
Running costs, worked out with official prices, topic by topic.
Heating
Cheapest Way to Heat a Room: Cost per Hour, US and UK
An electric blanket costs 1–3¢ (US) or 2–4p (UK) an hour. For 1.5 kW of room heat per hour, a space heater costs 27¢ or 39p; gas costs 8–9¢ or 13–14p.
9 min read Read guideHow Much Does an Electric Blanket Cost to Run vs Heating a Room?
A 100 W electric blanket costs at most 14.53¢ a night in the US and 21.06p in the UK (8 hours, full power), far less than heating the room.
8 min read Read guideHeat pump running cost UK: cheaper than a gas boiler in 2026?
A typical UK air source heat pump costs about £765 a year vs £757 for gas at the Oct–Dec 2026 cap. It breaks even at an SPF of about 2.8.
8 min read Read guideHeat Pump vs Furnace Cost: Which Is Cheaper to Run by State?
At US average prices, a heat pump needs a seasonal COP of 2.88 to match an 80% gas furnace and 3.42 for a 95% one. Break-even figures for every state.
10 min read Read guideHow Much Does a Space Heater Cost to Run? US and UK Costs
A 1,500 W space heater costs about 27¢ an hour at the US average electricity price. In the UK, a 2 kW heater costs about 53p an hour on the price cap.
6 min read Read guideKitchen
Lighting
Bills
Average Electric Bill by State: Use, Price and Cost (EIA)
The average US electric bill was $142.26 a month in 2024 (863 kWh at 16.48¢/kWh). See each state's use, price and bill, and why they differ.
6 min read Read guideEnergy price cap explained: October 2026 rates and costs
Ofgem's October-December 2026 cap: electricity 26.32p/kWh plus 54.83p a day, gas 7.97p/kWh plus 29.68p a day (GB average, Direct Debit).
6 min read Read guide