How do I work out what my own electric shower costs?

Multiply the kWh it uses each time by your unit rate. At the Great Britain average of 26.32p a kWh, every kWh costs 26p.

Does it cost more in some parts of the country?

Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Running costs

How much does it cost to run an electric shower?

About 30p an 8-minute shower, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used one 8-minute shower a day, that’s about £109 a year.

A 7 kW to 10.5 kW electric shower running for 8 minutes.

Verified: 23 October 2026 from Ofgem price cap rates

Work out yours

Your electricity price

Energy for one 8-minute shower

kWh

Times a week

A 8-minute shower

30p

A week

£2.09

A month

£9.07

A year

£109

414 kWh a year. Unit rate only: the standing charge is paid whether or not anything is switched on.

An electric shower heats water as it flows, at its full rating the whole time it is on, so the cost is simply its power times the minutes. At 7 kW to 10.5 kW, it is the most powerful appliance most homes have.

Each minute you cut saves the same amount, every shower. A gas combi heating a mixer shower often costs about the same per minute: it heats more water, but gas is much cheaper per kWh.

Ways to spend less

Cut a minute or two: it adds up quickly with a full household.
A lower temperature setting delivers more water for the same power, but doesn’t save electricity.

Compared with

Appliance	Typical cost	A year, used as shown
Electric shower	30p an 8-minute shower	£109 (one 8-minute shower a day)
Immersion heater	£2.20 a full 150-litre cylinder from cold	£425 (a typical household’s 95 litres of hot water a day)
Kettle	4p a boil	£66 (five boils a day)

At the Great Britain average electricity rate of 26.32p a kWh.

Common questions

How much does it cost to run an electric shower?: About 30p an 8-minute shower, at the price cap for 1 October 2026 to 31 December 2026. Used one 8-minute shower a day, that’s about £109 a year. A 7 kW to 10.5 kW electric shower running for 8 minutes.
How do I work out what my own electric shower costs?: Multiply the kWh it uses each time by your unit rate. At the Great Britain average of 26.32p a kWh, every kWh costs 26p.
Does it cost more in some parts of the country?: Slightly. The electricity unit rate under the cap runs from 25.36p a kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and North Wales, so the same use costs about 10% more in the dearest region. Pick yours in the calculator.

Other appliances

Add up several appliances in the electricity cost calculator, or see what your own home uses with the smart meter analyser.