How much does an electric shower cost to run?
At the current price cap, an electric shower costs about 37.5p per 9-minute shower, or around £136.90 a year with typical use.
Electric shower
- An hour
- £2.50
- A day used
- 37.5p
- A week
- £2.63
- A month
- £11.41
- Energy a year
- 520 kWh
9,500 W for 9 minutes a day, every day, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Electric shower running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 9 minutes a day, every day.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per 9-minute shower | 1.43 kWh | 37.5p |
| Per hour in use | 9.5 kWh | £2.50 |
| Per week | 9.98 kWh | £2.63 |
| Per month | 43.3 kWh | £11.41 |
| Per year | 520 kWh | £136.90 |
How the cost varies
8.5 kW to 10.5 kW showers, for 9 minutes.
| Energy use | Per 9-minute shower | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 33.6p | £122.49 |
| Typical | 37.5p | £136.90 |
| Higher | 41.5p | £151.31 |
Bathroom appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Electric shower (this page) | £2.50 | £136.90 |
| Hair dryer | 52.6p | £20.59 |
Ways to spend less
- Every minute counts: an electric shower uses its full power the whole time it’s on.
- A higher kW shower gives a better flow in winter but costs more per minute.
- Descale the shower head regularly in hard-water areas to keep the flow strong.
How we calculate this
We take a typical electric shower at 9,500 watts, used 9 minutes a day, every day, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One 9-minute shower uses about 1.43 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does an electric shower cost to run a year?
With typical use (9 minutes a day, every day), about £136.90 a year at the current price cap, or £11.41 a month.
How much does an electric shower cost to run?
A 9.5 kW shower uses about 0.16 kWh a minute, so a 9-minute shower uses about 1.4 kWh. Cutting a minute or two saves straight away.
Is an electric shower cheaper than a gas boiler shower?
Electricity costs more per kWh, but electric showers use less hot water. Our shower cost calculator compares the two for your own use.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.