Complete guide to electricity rates and appliance running costs in Kolkata. West Bengal tariff: ₹7.8/unit.
Telescopic slabs — each rate applies only to the units within that band.
| Monthly consumption | Energy charge |
|---|---|
| 0–25 units | ₹5.18/unit |
| 26–60 units | ₹5.69/unit |
| 61–100 units | ₹6.70/unit |
| 101–150 units | ₹7.45/unit |
| 151–300 units | ₹7.62/unit |
| Above 300 units | ₹9.21/unit |
Fixed charge
₹15/kW/month
Electricity duty
10% on energy
Variable surcharge
MVCA ~₹0.29/unit
What this means for your AC: a 1.5-ton 5-star inverter AC draws roughly 0.9 kW on average. Running it about 11 hours a day adds ~297 units a month. In Kolkata, those extra units mostly fall in the ₹7.62/unit band, so the AC adds roughly ₹2,263 in energy charges per month — before duty and surcharge.
Source: WBERC Order APR(R)-43/24-25 dated 25 Mar 2025, effective 1 Apr 2025. Energy charges only; the variable surcharge above is revised periodically. Confirm the current rate on your latest bill.
Three things decide your monthly AC bill in Kolkata: the local tariff (you pay ₹7.8/unit on the slab shown above), the efficiency of the unit (a 5-star inverter draws far less than an older 3-star of the same size), and your usage — with tropical wet & dry conditions, households here run their AC around 11 hours a day through the peak months, and every extra hour adds directly to the bill.
The biggest lever most people miss is right-sizing: an undersized AC runs flat-out and never quite cools, while an oversized one short-cycles and wastes power. Match the tonnage to your room with the tonnage calculator, then pick the star rating that pays back for your hours using the BEE star rating guide. Set the thermostat near 24–26°C rather than the lowest setting, keep filters clean, and shade the outdoor unit — each meaningfully cuts consumption.
To see exactly what your own setup costs in Kolkata, run your tonnage, star rating, and daily hours through the Kolkata AC bill calculator — it applies the West Bengal rate so the estimate reflects what you actually pay.
Looking for the most energy-efficient 1.5 Ton AC in Kolkata?
We compared 50+ models across ISEER, star rating, and real electricity cost. See the top picks that save ₹7,000+ per year on your bill.
See Best Energy-Efficient 1.5T ACs 2026 →More Kolkata Calculators
Use our free AC bill calculator, AC power consumption calculator and air conditioner electricity cost calculator to instantly find out your exact electricity cost — no signup required.