How much does it cost to run a home aquarium? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a home aquarium rated at 40W costs 1.1p an hour to run and around £92.23 a year assuming runs continuously.
Per hour
1.1p
Per typical use
25p
Per day
25p
Per week
£1.77
Per year
£92.23
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 40W for a home aquarium; published figures for this appliance range from 20W to 200W. A typical home aquarium's filter and air pump run continuously at a low wattage (commonly 20–50W), while a heater cycles on and off to hold water temperature — the figure here is a time-averaged combination for a modest tropical tank. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as runs continuously, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.
Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Elec p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 1.1p | £97.62 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 1.1p | £94.19 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 1.1p | £93.24 |
| London | 26.60 | 1.1p | £93.21 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 1.1p | £93.14 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 1.1p | £93.03 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 1.1p | £92.82 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 1.1p | £92.75 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 1.1p | £92.33 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 1.0p | £91.49 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 1.0p | £89.70 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 1.0p | £89.70 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 1.0p | £89.21 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 1.0p | £88.86 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 1.1p | £92.23 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £88.86 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £97.62 a year — a gap of £8.76 for identical use.
How a home aquarium compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in garden & other, GB average:
- home aquarium — £92.23 a year (this page)
- pond pump — £61.48 a year
- treadmill — £28.82 a year
- hair dryer — £25.62 a year
- e-bike battery charge — £20.53 a year
- humidifier — £20.17 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Fit an accurately-calibrated thermostat heater rather than an oversized one that overshoots and cycles more
- Site the tank away from draughts, radiators and direct sun so the heater cycles less
- Use an efficient LED aquarium light on a timer rather than leaving it on longer than needed
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a home aquarium for an hour?
- 1.1p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 40W). One typical use — runs continuously — costs closer to 25p.
- How much does a home aquarium cost to run per year?
- Around £92.23 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming runs continuously — about £1.77 a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a home aquarium in?
- East Midlands, at £88.86 a year, against £97.62 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £8.76 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my home aquarium change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 20W–200W, so the top of that range costs about 10.0x the bottom. This page uses 40W; check your own rating plate.
- Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?
- Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.
Sources
- Daftlogic — power consumption of typical household appliances — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
- Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).
Related
- Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
- Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
- Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.
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