For a computer drawing a steady 100 watts, running it 24 hours a day for 30 days uses 72 kWh. At an illustrative electricity rate of $0.20 per kWh, that costs $14.40 for the month, before fixed charges and taxes. Your actual cost depends on the equipment’s measured power draw, how long it runs, which devices you include, and your electricity tariff.
Use this formula to estimate your own bill:
Electricity cost = (watts ÷ 1,000) × hours × price per kWh
Compare monthly costs at different power draws and electricity rates
The table assumes each load runs continuously for 720 hours, equivalent to a 30-day month. These are calculations from the stated assumptions, not measurements of a particular streaming setup.
| Continuous load | Energy per 30-day month | At $0.10/kWh | At $0.20/kWh | At $0.30/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 W | 36 kWh | $3.60 | $7.20 | $10.80 |
| 100 W | 72 kWh | $7.20 | $14.40 | $21.60 |
| 200 W | 144 kWh | $14.40 | $28.80 | $43.20 |
| 300 W | 216 kWh | $21.60 | $43.20 | $64.80 |
Watts measure power; kilowatt-hours measure energy used over time. The U.S. Energy Information Administration explains the distinction with an example: a 40 W load used for five hours consumes 0.2 kWh. EIA: Measuring electricity.
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Calculate the cost for your own setup
- Choose what to count. For a creator-side estimate, include the computer and any capture or encoding equipment. Add a monitor or networking equipment only if you want their consumption included in the estimate.
- Find the actual load. Use measured power draw where possible. A computer power supply’s maximum rating is not the same as the computer’s continuous electricity use.
- Convert watts to kilowatts. Divide the watt figure by 1,000.
- Multiply by operating hours. A constant load running all day for 30 days runs 720 hours. For a 365-day year, use 8,760 hours.
- Apply your energy rate. Multiply the resulting kWh by the applicable price per kWh on your current bill or tariff.
For example, a steady 100 W load is 0.1 kW. Over 720 hours, it uses 0.1 × 720 = 72 kWh. At $0.20/kWh, the energy cost is 72 × $0.20 = $14.40. That is a calculated example, not a universal rate or a measured streaming PC.
When power draw changes during the day
A brief instantaneous reading may not represent a workload that fluctuates. Measure cumulative energy over a representative period that includes the actual streaming workload, or estimate a time-weighted average. If the equipment runs at different loads for distinct periods, calculate each period separately and add the kWh totals.
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A plug-in usage monitor is one practical way to measure a device’s consumption at the outlet. Check that the measurement covers the equipment you intend to count; adding only some devices produces an estimate for only those devices. The EIA describes meters and electricity-use measurement at its electricity measurement page.
Use your actual electricity rate, not a national shortcut
The example rates in the table are inputs for comparison, not universal prices. Use the energy rate from your bill or tariff. The U.S. Department of Energy notes that utility rate structures can include time-of-use and dynamic pricing; if your price varies by hour, calculate the energy used in each price period and apply that period’s rate. DOE: Evaluating your utility rate options.
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- 【Estimate Your Energy Bill】 Enhance energy management by integrating with billing systems for clear cost visualization (both single and periodic readings). Additionally, programmable scheduling allows automatic operation of high-consumption devices during off-peak hours with lower electricity rates, resulting in cost savings.
- 【Smart Charging for Devices】Automatically cuts power once your device reaches the low-battery limit you set, preventing overcharging.
- 【Auto-Shutoff】Prevents electrical overload by automatically shutting off devices that use too much power.
- 【Voice & Remote Control】 With built-in support for both Alexa and Google Assistant, issue simple voice commands to adjust settings, turn devices on or off, or even access specific functions without lifting a finger. Manage Tapo P115 and its connected devices from anywhere with the user-friendly Tapo app.
Rates also vary by location. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported 2025 annual-average retail prices from 8.20¢/kWh in North Dakota to 35.72¢/kWh in Hawaii. Those state averages illustrate variation; they are not a substitute for an individual bill. Your total bill may also include fixed charges, taxes, delivery charges, and other items that a simple energy-use calculation does not capture. EIA: Electricity prices and factors affecting prices.
Keep creator electricity separate from streaming and viewing estimates
The calculation above estimates the electricity used by the local equipment you include. It is not an estimate of all energy used to deliver a stream, operate data centres, or watch the video on viewers’ devices.
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The International Energy Agency’s analysis estimated typical Netflix video streaming in 2019 at about 0.077 kWh per viewing hour. That figure concerns viewing, is sensitive to device, network connection, and resolution, and is not a measurement of a creator’s streaming PC. IEA: The carbon footprint of streaming video.
The German Environment Agency reported about 2.3 W per stream for the data-centre component in its HD-video case study; the figure excludes data transmission and local IT. It is not an all-in estimate for a YouTube broadcast system or a household electricity bill. Umweltbundesamt: Digital services and cloud computing.
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Do not multiply audience viewing hours by either figure and label the result the creator’s electricity bill: that would count a different system boundary and different users’ electricity.
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The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. After that, the monthly option is $9.99 per month. Shorter and longer billing periods are available; India checkout supports UPI and cards, while card checkout is available worldwide. This is a service cost rather than a calculation of your household electricity bill.
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