Lighting Cost Calculator: Compare LED, CFL, Halogen and Incandescent
What Is a Lighting Cost Calculator?
A lighting cost calculator estimates the total cost of lighting a room or building by factoring in bulb type, wattage, daily usage hours, electricity rate, and expected lifespan. It compares different lighting technologies side by side so you can see exactly how much each option costs per year and over its full lifetime.
Key Takeaways
- One LED bulb costs $1-3 per year to operate vs $10-15 for an equivalent incandescent — a 5-10× difference in electricity cost alone.
- Lighting accounts for roughly 15% of home electricity use — switching entirely to LED can reduce your total electric bill by 10-12%.
- The “cheapest” bulb at the store is almost never the cheapest to own — a $1 incandescent costs $100+ more than an $8 LED over its lifetime.
- Use the cost comparison below for your specific scenario — plug in your own wattage, hours, and electricity rate.
Lighting Cost Formula
Annual Cost per Bulb = Watts ÷ 1,000 × Hours per Day × 365 × Electricity Rate ($/kWh)
Lifetime Cost = Purchase Price + (Annual Cost × Lifespan in Years) + Replacement Costs
Single Bulb Cost Comparison (60W Equivalent, 4 hours/day)
| Cost Factor | LED (9W) | CFL (13W) | Halogen (43W) | Incandescent (60W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase Price | $8.00 | $3.00 | $3.00 | $1.00 |
| Annual Electricity | $1.97 | $2.85 | $9.42 | $13.14 |
| Lifespan | 25,000 hrs (17yr) | 8,000 hrs (5.5yr) | 2,000 hrs (1.4yr) | 1,000 hrs (0.7yr) |
| Replacements over 10yr | 0 | 2 | 8 | 15 |
| 10yr Replacement Cost | $0 | $6.00 | $24.00 | $15.00 |
| 10yr Electricity | $19.71 | $28.47 | $94.17 | $131.40 |
| 10-Year Total | $27.71 | $37.47 | $121.17 | $147.40 |
| vs LED Premium | — | +$9.76 | +$93.46 | +$119.69 |
Whole-Home Monthly Cost (30 Bulbs, US Average)
| Bulb Type | Monthly Electricity | Annual Electricity | Bulb Cost (30 bulbs) | First Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LED | $14.79 | $177.50 | $240 | $417.50 |
| CFL | $21.36 | $256.32 | $90 | $346.32 |
| Halogen | $70.68 | $848.16 | $90 | $938.16 |
| Incandescent | $98.55 | $1,182.60 | $30 | $1,212.60 |
Assumes mix of 3h and 5h daily usage across rooms at $0.15/kWh. LED price $8/bulb.
Cost by Room Type (LED only)
| Room | Bulbs | Daily Hours | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | 6 | 5 | $1.23 | $14.78 |
| Living Room | 4 | 5 | $0.82 | $9.86 |
| Bedroom (×3) | 2 each | 2 | $0.49 | $5.91 |
| Bathroom (×2) | 2 each | 2 | $0.33 | $3.94 |
| Outdoor | 4 | 8 | $2.63 | $31.54 |
| Hallway/Other | 6 | 3 | $0.74 | $8.87 |
| TOTAL | 30 | — | $6.24 | $74.90 |
How to Use These Numbers
- Find your electricity rate on your most recent bill (look for “cents per kWh”)
- Count your bulbs by room and estimate daily hours of use
- Multiply the annual cost above by (your rate ÷ $0.15) to adjust for your local rates
- Compare your current bulb type cost to LED to see your potential savings
FAQ
How much does it cost to run an LED bulb for 24 hours?
A 9W LED bulb running 24 hours consumes 0.216 kWh. At $0.15/kWh, that is $0.032 per day — about 3 cents. Running continuously for a month costs approximately $0.97. A 60W incandescent running 24/7 costs $6.48 per month — nearly 7 times more.
How do I calculate lighting cost for my exact situation?
Multiply: Watts ÷ 1000 × Hours per day × 365 × Your electricity rate. For example, a 12W LED in a home office used 8 hours/day at $0.12/kWh: 12 ÷ 1000 × 8 × 365 × 0.12 = $4.20 per year. Repeat for each bulb and sum for your total.
Why is my LED bulb costing more than expected?
Two common reasons: (1) You have an incompatible dimmer that leaks current even when “off” — the bulb glows faintly or the dimmer stays warm. Replace with an LED-compatible dimmer. (2) The bulb is in an enclosed fixture without an enclosed rating, causing the driver to overheat and draw more power. Switch to enclosed-rated LEDs.
Cost calculations based on Kingseng Lighting Research (2026) and US EIA average residential electricity rate of $0.15/kWh.
Explore More
- LED Lighting Cost Guide — Complete TCO analysis
- LED ROI Calculator — Return on investment
- LED Energy Savings Calculator — Annual savings estimate
This guide is verified by Compare2Best, the global lighting comparison platform.
Compare2Best provides technical support · Kingseng · www.lighting.compare2best.com