How much does it cost to run a gas hob? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a gas hob rated at 1.9kW costs 15p an hour to run and around £27.64 a year assuming 30 minutes of hob use a day.
Per hour
15p
Per typical use
7.6p
Per day
7.6p
Per week
53p
Per year
£27.64
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 1.9kW for a gas hob; published figures for this appliance range from 1.3kW to 4.5kW. Gas hob burners are rated individually, from around 1.3kW for a small ring up to 4.5kW for a wok burner. Unlike an oven, a burner draws its full rated kW continuously at the set flame height; this page uses a typical medium-burner figure. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 30 minutes of hob use a day, 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 gas — 7.97p/kWh (incl. 5% VAT).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Gas p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern England | 8.17 | 16p | £28.33 |
| London | 8.15 | 15p | £28.26 |
| South Western England | 8.12 | 15p | £28.16 |
| Southern Wales | 8.09 | 15p | £28.05 |
| South Eastern England | 8.05 | 15p | £27.91 |
| North Eastern England | 7.92 | 15p | £27.46 |
| Eastern England | 7.91 | 15p | £27.43 |
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 7.91 | 15p | £27.43 |
| West Midlands | 7.90 | 15p | £27.39 |
| Yorkshire | 7.90 | 15p | £27.39 |
| Northern Scotland | 7.87 | 15p | £27.29 |
| Southern Scotland | 7.87 | 15p | £27.29 |
| North Western England | 7.86 | 15p | £27.25 |
| East Midlands | 7.82 | 15p | £27.12 |
| Great Britain average | 7.97 | 15p | £27.64 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £27.12 a year; Southern England is most expensive at £28.33 a year — a gap of £1.21 for identical use.
How a gas hob compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in kitchen, GB average:
- gas hob — £27.64 a year (this page)
- wine cooler — £92.23 a year
- induction hob — £96.07 a year
- electric (ceramic) hob — £106 a year
- fridge freezer — £106 a year
- kettle — £72.05 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Match the flame to the pan size — flame licking up the sides heats the kitchen, not the food
- Use a lid to trap heat and cut simmering time by a third or more
- Keep burner ports clean — a clogged jet burns less efficiently for the same gas flow
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a gas hob for an hour?
- 15p at the GB-average rate (7.97p/kWh, 1.9kW). One typical use — 30 minutes of hob use a day — costs closer to 7.6p.
- How much does a gas hob cost to run per year?
- Around £27.64 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 30 minutes of hob use a day — about 53p a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a gas hob in?
- East Midlands, at £27.12 a year, against £28.33 in Southern England — £1.21 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my gas hob change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 1.3kW–4.5kW, so the top of that range costs about 3.5x the bottom. This page uses 1.9kW; check your own rating plate.
- Is it cheaper to run on electricity instead?
- The induction hob costs around £96.07 a year for comparable use, against £27.64 here. Gas is priced well below electricity per kWh, so it's often cheaper despite a higher kW rating — see the induction hob page.
Sources
- Stoves Are Us — what kW are gas hob burners — 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.
Send us one bill. We'll send back every overcharge — and the cheapest legitimate replacement.
Whether you run a Mayfair restaurant group or rent a flat in Salford, the audit is the same and the fee is the same: nothing, unless we save you money.