How much does it cost to run a laptop? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a laptop rated at 50W costs 1.3p an hour to run and around £19.21 a year assuming 4 hours of use a day.
Per hour
1.3p
Per typical use
5.3p
Per day
5.3p
Per week
37p
Per year
£19.21
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 50W for a laptop; published figures for this appliance range from 30W to 70W. A laptop's integrated battery and lower-power components mean it typically draws a fraction of the power of an equivalent desktop for everyday tasks. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 4 hours of 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 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 | 1.4p | £20.34 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 1.3p | £19.62 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 1.3p | £19.43 |
| London | 26.60 | 1.3p | £19.42 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 1.3p | £19.40 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 1.3p | £19.38 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 1.3p | £19.34 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 1.3p | £19.32 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 1.3p | £19.24 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 1.3p | £19.06 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 1.3p | £18.69 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 1.3p | £18.69 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 1.3p | £18.59 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 1.3p | £18.51 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 1.3p | £19.21 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £18.51 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £20.34 a year — a gap of £1.83 for identical use.
How a laptop compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in entertainment & office, GB average:
- laptop — £19.21 a year (this page)
- broadband router — £18.45 a year
- computer monitor — £17.29 a year
- 43-inch LED TV — £28.82 a year
- games console (Xbox Series X-class) — £34.58 a year
- smart speaker — £2.88 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Lower screen brightness — the display is one of the largest single power draws on a laptop
- Use battery-saver mode for everyday work rather than the performance profile
- Unplug once fully charged rather than leaving it on charge continuously
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a laptop for an hour?
- 1.3p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 50W). One typical use — 4 hours of use a day — costs closer to 5.3p.
- How much does a laptop cost to run per year?
- Around £19.21 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 4 hours of use a day — about 37p a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a laptop in?
- East Midlands, at £18.51 a year, against £20.34 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £1.83 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my laptop change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 30W–70W, so the top of that range costs about 2.3x the bottom. This page uses 50W; 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
- EnergySage — how many watts does a computer use — 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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