How many units (kWh) does a refrigerator use per month?

Running 24 hours a day at 150 W, a refrigerator consumes about 108 units per month — that's 3.6 units per day.

How much does it cost per month on the 200-unit slab?

On the Unprotected 101–200 unit slab (Rs. 22.95/unit) the energy charge alone is about Rs. 2479. Add ~Rs. 324 for FPA + QTA and 18% GST on top.

Is a refrigerator cheaper to run on protected tariff?

Yes — at Rs. 11.69/unit (protected slab 1–100 units) the same 108 units cost only Rs. 1263, roughly half. But qualifying requires staying under 200 units total for 6 months, which is hard when this appliance alone uses 108 units.

Does running it during off-peak hours save money?

Only if you have a Time-of-Use (TOU) meter — typically 3-phase domestic, commercial A-2 or industrial B-2. On a flat single-phase domestic meter the tariff is the same 24 hours. See your DISCO's peak-hours page for exact windows.

Will solar make this appliance free to run?

Solar cuts the daytime portion of this load to nearly zero. Under the 2026 net-billing regime, exported units are worth Rs. 11–13 vs Rs. 27–42 for units you self-consume — so timing the appliance to run in daylight matters far more than it did on old net-metering.

150 W · 24 h/day typical

Refrigerator electricity cost in Pakistan (2026)

A modern 14 cubic-foot no-frost fridge draws about 150 W averaged over its duty cycle. Running 24/7 all year, it adds Rs. 900–2,900 to your monthly bill — the biggest always-on load in most Pakistani homes.

How much energy does a refrigerator use?

Timeframe	Energy used	Notes
Per hour	0.15 kWh	Steady-state draw
Per day	3.60 kWh	24 hours of runtime
Per month	108 kWh	Full month at daily duty cycle
Per year	1296 kWh	Year-round load

Cost per slab — NEPRA Unprotected Residential (FY 2025–26)

Slab	Rs./unit	Per hour	Per day	Per month
1–100 units	16.48	Rs. 2.47	Rs. 59	Rs. 1780
101–200 units	22.95	Rs. 3.44	Rs. 83	Rs. 2479
201–300 units	27.14	Rs. 4.07	Rs. 98	Rs. 2931
301–400 units	32.03	Rs. 4.80	Rs. 115	Rs. 3459
401–500 units	35.24	Rs. 5.29	Rs. 127	Rs. 3806
501–600 units	36.66	Rs. 5.50	Rs. 132	Rs. 3959
601–700 units	37.80	Rs. 5.67	Rs. 136	Rs. 4082
Above 700 units	42.72	Rs. 6.41	Rs. 154	Rs. 4614

Energy charge only. Add ~Rs. 324/month for FPA + QTA at typical rates, then 18% GST on the total. Electricity duty and PTV fee are also stacked — see the full electricity bill calculator for the complete tax pass-through.

Protected consumers (≤200 units, 6-month rule)

Slab	Rs./unit	Per month cost
1–100 units	11.69	Rs. 1263
101–200 units	14.16	Rs. 1529

Check your Protected consumer eligibility — the ≤200 unit rule is strict and one bad month resets the 6-month counter.

Cut the running cost

Keep the fridge 75% full — thermal mass reduces the compressor's on-time.
Clean the back coil every 3 months; dust buildup adds 10–15% to running watts.
Move the fridge away from the stove and out of direct sun — every 1°C of ambient adds ~3% to consumption.
5-star inverter models draw ~90 W average — worth the price premium if you're on the 300+ unit slab.

Fine print

A 14 cft fridge has a nameplate of ~200 W but runs at that rating for roughly 70% of each hour, giving a 140–160 W average.

Frequently asked questions

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