How much does it cost to run a 55-inch LED TV? (2026 price cap)

Typical rating and how we worked this out

This page uses a typical rating of 75W for a 55-inch LED TV; published figures for this appliance range from 55W to 110W. A 55-inch LED television typically measures 55–110W in independent testing, depending on picture mode and backlight brightness. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 5 hours of viewing 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:

East Midlands is cheapest at £34.71 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £38.13 a year — a gap of £3.42 for identical use.

How a 55-inch LED TV compares with similar appliances

Ranked by typical annual cost in entertainment & office, GB average:

• 55-inch LED TV — £36.03 a year (this page)
• games console (Xbox Series X-class) — £34.58 a year
• games console (PlayStation 5-class) — £38.43 a year
• 43-inch LED TV — £28.82 a year
• laptop — £19.21 a year
• 55-inch OLED TV — £52.84 a year

Three practical ways to cut the cost

1. Switch from 'vivid'/'dynamic' to 'standard' or 'cinema' picture mode
2. Turn off at the plug rather than leaving it on standby overnight
3. Turn down backlight to suit the room lighting

FAQs

How much does it cost to run a 55-inch LED TV for an hour?

2.0p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 75W). One typical use — 5 hours of viewing a day — costs closer to 9.9p.

How much does a 55-inch LED TV cost to run per year?

Around £36.03 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 5 hours of viewing a day — about 69p a week.

Which UK region is cheapest to run a 55-inch LED TV in?

East Midlands, at £34.71 a year, against £38.13 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £3.42 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.

Does the exact wattage of my 55-inch LED TV change the cost much?

Yes — ratings range 55W–110W, so the top of that range costs about 2.0x the bottom. This page uses 75W; 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

• RTINGS.com — LED and OLED TV power consumption (independently measured) — 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.