Air Conditioning Cost Calculator 2026 — Power Use

A 3.5 kW cooling unit at EER 3.5 draws about 1 kW. Running 8 hours a day for 90 days gives about 720 kWh, i.e. about PLN 792 per season at PLN 1.10/kWh.

EER is the ratio of cooling power to electrical power drawn. EER = 3.5 means that for every 1 kW drawn the unit delivers 3.5 kW of cooling. The higher the EER, the lower the power use.

Installing a split AC costs roughly PLN 2,500–4,000 in labour. The calculator assumes PLN 3,000. The 3.5 kW unit itself costs an additional PLN 2,500–5,000.

Set the temperature to 24–26°C, use ECO mode and a timer, shade sunlit windows, clean filters and choose A++ inverter units. Pairing with solar PV nearly zeroes the cooling cost.

Yes, AC units with a heating function (air-to-air heat pump) heat at COP 3–4. Efficiency drops in hard frost. This calculator covers cooling costs only.

Roughly 100 W per 1 m². A 25 m² room needs about 2.5 kW, a 35 m² living room about 3.5 kW. With strong sun exposure increase power by 10–20%.

The peak season is usually June–August, about 70–100 days. In warmer years it extends to May and September. The calculator defaults to 90 days.

If used only for cooling, it uses no energy in winter. If it also heats, it may raise bills but is often cheaper than electric radiators.

Cost is directly proportional to energy price. At 720 kWh: PLN 0.90/kWh gives about PLN 648, PLN 1.10/kWh about PLN 792, and PLN 1.40/kWh about PLN 1,008.

It estimates energy and installation costs at average Poland 2026 prices. It excludes the unit purchase price, service inspections and filter replacement. Results are indicative.