How much does it cost to run a fridge for a year?

A modern standard fridge using about 400-500 kWh a year costs roughly $64-$80 a year at the US average rate of $0.16/kWh, or about £104-£130 a year in the UK at 26p/kWh.

Does an old fridge use a lot more electricity?

Yes. A fridge from before 2001 commonly uses 700-1,200 kWh a year, roughly double a modern equivalent, adding $80-$130 a year in extra electricity cost for the same amount of cooling.

Is it cheaper to unplug an old fridge instead of using it?

Almost always. An old second fridge used only occasionally still runs its compressor around the clock, typically costing $150-$240 a year, far more than buying a small cooler or making fewer trips to a single main fridge.

What temperature setting saves the most energy in a fridge?

Keeping the fridge compartment at 37-40°F and the freezer at 0°F is the recommended balance of food safety and efficiency; setting it colder than this increases compressor run time without any food-safety benefit.

Do fridges use more electricity in summer?

Yes, a fridge in a warm kitchen works harder to expel heat and can use 10-20% more energy in summer than winter, especially if it sits near a window, oven or in direct sunlight.

Kitchen

How Much Does a Refrigerator Cost to Run Per Month and Per Year?

A modern standard-size refrigerator (18-22 cu ft) uses roughly 350-500 kWh per year, costing about $6-$9 a month or $70-$100 a year at the US average rate of $0.16/kWh. In the UK the same fridge costs roughly £5-£8 a month at 26p/kWh; an older pre-2000 fridge can use two to three times as much energy for the same size.

The refrigerator is the only major appliance that runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, which makes it one of the largest single contributors to a household's baseline electricity use even though nobody ever thinks to switch it off. Unlike a kettle or a heater, a fridge's cost is driven by its compressor's duty cycle rather than a single wattage figure, so the real running cost depends heavily on the model's age, size and door design. This guide shows what a fridge actually costs per month and per year, and why an old second fridge in the garage is quietly one of the worst offenders on many bills.

Why fridges are rated in kWh per year, not watts

A refrigerator's compressor does not run continuously; it cycles on and off to hold the interior at a set temperature, so a single wattage figure would be misleading. Manufacturers instead publish an estimated annual energy use in kWh per year on the EnergyGuide label in the US or the energy label in the UK and EU, based on standardized test conditions. A typical modern 18-22 cu ft top-freezer or bottom-freezer refrigerator uses 350-500 kWh a year, while larger French-door and side-by-side models with ice makers and water dispensers commonly use 500-700 kWh a year because the ice maker and dispenser both add extra compressor load and door-opening heat loss.

Monthly and yearly cost by fridge type

Converting annual kWh into a monthly bill line is straightforward: divide the yearly kWh figure by 12 and multiply by your rate. A 400 kWh/year fridge at $0.16/kWh costs about $64 a year, or $5.33 a month. A larger 650 kWh/year side-by-side with an ice maker costs around $104 a year, or $8.67 a month. Compact dorm-style fridges (under 5 cu ft) use far less, often just 200-300 kWh a year, costing $2.67-$4 a month. You can plug your fridge's labeled annual kWh figure and your own rate into the calculator on the home page for an exact monthly and yearly number.

Compact/mini fridge (~250 kWh/yr): about $3.33/month, £2.71/month
Standard top-freezer (~400 kWh/yr): about $5.33/month, £4.33/month
Bottom-freezer, no ice maker (~450 kWh/yr): about $6.00/month, £4.88/month
French-door with ice maker (~600 kWh/yr): about $8.00/month, £6.50/month
Side-by-side with dispenser (~700 kWh/yr): about $9.33/month, £7.58/month

The hidden cost of an old fridge

Refrigerator efficiency has improved dramatically since the 1990s thanks to better compressors, insulation and door seals. A refrigerator built before 2001 often uses 700-1,200 kWh a year, roughly double or triple a comparable modern model, and a genuinely old fridge from the 1980s can exceed 1,500 kWh a year. That means an old fridge sitting in a garage as a spare beer fridge can cost $180-$240 a year in electricity alone in the US, and often more once you account for wear that makes the compressor run harder and longer. Retiring an old second fridge, rather than replacing it, is frequently the single cheapest energy-saving move available in a household.

What actually drives a fridge's running cost

Beyond age and size, three everyday habits noticeably change a fridge's electricity use. Setting the interior colder than necessary, typically below the recommended 37-40°F (3-4°C) fridge compartment and 0°F (-18°C) freezer, forces the compressor to run longer for no food-safety benefit. A fridge placed next to an oven, in direct sunlight, or pushed tight against a wall without ventilation space around the condenser coils works harder to dissipate heat and can use 10-20% more energy. Frequent door-opening and storing hot leftovers directly from the stove both introduce warm air the compressor then has to remove, so letting food cool briefly before loading it in makes a small but real difference over a year.

Six ways to cut fridge running costs

Check and reset the thermostat to 37-40°F for the fridge and 0°F for the freezer
Vacuum dust off the condenser coils once or twice a year; dust insulates the coils and forces harder compressor cycling
Leave a few inches of clearance around the back and sides for airflow
Check door seals by closing the door on a piece of paper; if it pulls out easily, the seal needs replacing
Retire an old second fridge instead of running it as backup storage
Let hot food cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge

Refrigerator running cost by type and age (at $0.16/kWh and 26p/kWh)

Fridge type	kWh/year	Cost/month (US)	Cost/year (US)	Cost/year (UK)
Compact/mini fridge	250 kWh	$3.33	$40	£65
Standard top-freezer (modern)	400 kWh	$5.33	$64	£104
French-door with ice maker	600 kWh	$8.00	$96	£156
Side-by-side with dispenser	700 kWh	$9.33	$112	£182
Old fridge (pre-2001)	1,000 kWh	$13.33	$160	£260

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a fridge for a year?: A modern standard fridge using about 400-500 kWh a year costs roughly $64-$80 a year at the US average rate of $0.16/kWh, or about £104-£130 a year in the UK at 26p/kWh.
Does an old fridge use a lot more electricity?: Yes. A fridge from before 2001 commonly uses 700-1,200 kWh a year, roughly double a modern equivalent, adding $80-$130 a year in extra electricity cost for the same amount of cooling.
Is it cheaper to unplug an old fridge instead of using it?: Almost always. An old second fridge used only occasionally still runs its compressor around the clock, typically costing $150-$240 a year, far more than buying a small cooler or making fewer trips to a single main fridge.
What temperature setting saves the most energy in a fridge?: Keeping the fridge compartment at 37-40°F and the freezer at 0°F is the recommended balance of food safety and efficiency; setting it colder than this increases compressor run time without any food-safety benefit.
Do fridges use more electricity in summer?: Yes, a fridge in a warm kitchen works harder to expel heat and can use 10-20% more energy in summer than winter, especially if it sits near a window, oven or in direct sunlight.

Key takeaways

A modern fridge typically costs $5-$9 a month to run in the US, roughly £4-£7 in the UK
Fridges are rated in kWh per year on the energy label, not watts, because the compressor cycles on and off
An old pre-2001 fridge can use two to three times the electricity of a new one
Correct thermostat settings (37-40°F fridge, 0°F freezer) avoid wasted compressor run time
Retiring an old second fridge is one of the cheapest energy savings a household can make

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