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Gas vs Electric Stove Cost Calculator — 2026 Cost to Run

See whether a gas or electric (induction) range is actually cheaper to run — weigh the up-front range-and-hookup price against yearly cooking energy and find your break-even year.

Gas wins

$422 cheaper

Gas

$1,627

Electric

$2,048

Break-even

Year 7

Usage

hr/wk
2 hr/wk
30 hr/wk
yr
5 yr
20 yr

Energy Rates

$/therm
0.5 $/therm4 $/therm
$/kWh
0.05 $/kWh0.4 $/kWh

Up-front Cost

$
600 $2200 $
$
400 $2000 $

Gas wins

Saves $422 over 15 years · breaks even in year 7

Best
Gas

$1,627

Up-front$1,100
Per year$35
Electric

$2,048

Up-front$800
Per year$83

Total cost over 15 years

Gas$1,627
Electric$2,048

Cumulative cost over time

Cumulative cost over time — crossover at year 7

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Example Calculations

1Average use, average rates

Inputs

Cooking hours per week10 hr/wk
Time horizon15 years
Gas / electricity rate$1.50/therm · $0.16/kWh
Up-front costGas $1,100 / Electric $800

Result

Cheaper optionGas — saves $420 over 15 yrs
Gas 15-year total$1,625
Electric 15-year total$2,045
Break-evenYear 7

Gas runs ~$35/year vs electric ~$83/year — only ~$48 apart. The gas range costs ~$300 more for the range and hookup, recovered by year 7. The lifetime gap is tiny, so choose on how you like to cook, not on cost.

2Heavy cooking household (25 hr/wk)

Inputs

Cooking hours per week25 hr/wk
Time horizon15 years
Gas / electricity rate$1.50/therm · $0.16/kWh
Up-front costGas $1,100 / Electric $800

Result

Cheaper optionGas — saves $1,500 over 15 yrs
Gas 15-year total$2,420
Electric 15-year total$3,920
Break-evenYear 3

At 25 hours a week gas runs ~$88/year vs electric ~$208/year. The wider ~$120/year gap recovers the gas hookup by year 3 — the more you cook, the more the cheaper fuel matters.

3Expensive electricity ($0.30/kWh)

Inputs

Cooking hours per week10 hr/wk
Time horizon15 years
Gas / electricity rate$1.50/therm · $0.30/kWh
Up-front costGas $1,100 / Electric $800

Result

Cheaper optionGas — saves $1,515 over 15 yrs
Gas 15-year total$1,625
Electric 15-year total$3,140
Break-evenYear 3

Where power is costly, electric jumps to ~$156/year while gas holds at ~$35. The fuel gap finally gets noticeable (~$120/year) and gas breaks even by year 3 — but your wiring and cooking style still matter more than the bill.

Did You Know?

Running a stove is cheap either way: at 10 cooking hours a week, a gas range costs about $35/year and a standard electric range about $83/year — only ~$48 apart, or ~$420 over 15 years. A gas range plus its hookup runs ~$300 more up front, so gas breaks even around year 7. Because the dollar gap is so small, the real decision is cooking performance, not cost: gas gives instant flame control, while induction (the efficient electric option) is faster, safer, and cooler in the kitchen but costs more to buy. Pick the cooking experience you want, then confirm your kitchen already has the gas line or 240-volt circuit it needs — adding the missing one is the biggest cost here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q

Is gas or electric cheaper to run for cooking?

For typical use the difference is small. At 10 cooking hours a week a gas range burns about 23 therms a year — roughly $35 at $1.50/therm — while a standard electric (radiant) range uses about 520 kWh, roughly $83 at $0.16/kWh. Gas is usually the cheaper fuel to cook with, by about $48/year here, but both are minor line items next to the $800–$1,500 you spend buying the appliance. Induction, the most efficient electric option, trims the electric figure to about $72/year. Over 15 years gas totals ~$1,625, radiant electric ~$2,045, and induction ~$2,580 once its higher purchase price is folded in.

  • Gas: ~$35/year (10 hr/wk, $1.50/therm)
  • Radiant electric: ~$83/year ($0.16/kWh)
  • Induction: ~$72/year — efficient but pricier to buy
  • Gas saves ~$48/year vs radiant electric
  • Running cost is dwarfed by the $800–$1,500 purchase price
Range typeInstalledRunning / year15-Year Total
Gas$1,100~$35~$1,625
Electric (radiant)$800~$83~$2,045
Induction$1,500~$72~$2,580
Q

Does induction cost less to run than a regular electric stove?

A little, but not enough to justify it on energy bills alone. Induction transfers about 85% of its energy to the pan versus roughly 74% for a smooth-top radiant element, so it draws around 13% less electricity for the same cooking — about $72/year versus $83/year at 10 hours a week. That is only ~$11/year, or about $165 over 15 years, while an induction range typically costs $400–$700 more to buy than a basic electric one. So induction rarely pays for itself in energy savings. People choose it for how it cooks: near-instant heat changes, water that boils 30–50% faster, a cool-touch surface that wipes clean, and no combustion fumes indoors.

  • Induction ~85% efficient vs ~74% radiant electric
  • Saves only ~$11/year ($72 vs $83) at 10 hr/wk
  • About $165 saved over 15 years
  • But costs $400–$700 more to buy
  • Boils water 30–50% faster; cool-touch, easy-clean
Q

What is the break-even year between a gas and electric range?

Break-even is when the cheaper-to-run option overtakes the cheaper-to-buy one on cumulative cost. A gas range plus its hookup costs more up front — about $1,100 versus $800 for a basic electric, a $300 gap — but saves roughly $48/year to run. Divide $300 by $48 and gas catches up around year 7, then pulls ahead. Heavy cooking shortens that: at 25 hours a week the yearly gap grows to ~$120 and gas breaks even by year 3. If you do not already have a gas line, though, running one can add $500–$2,000 to the install and erase the advantage entirely.

  • Break-even = install gap ÷ yearly running gap
  • Default: $300 ÷ $48 ≈ year 7
  • Heavy cooking (25 hr/wk): ~year 3
  • Gas range + hookup runs ~$300 more up front
  • No existing gas line adds $500–$2,000 — can erase the edge
Q

Should I choose a stove based on running cost?

Usually not. As the numbers show, the gap between gas and electric is only about $35–$83 a year — a few dollars a month, and far smaller than the price of the appliance or your own preferences as a cook. The decision that actually matters is how each one cooks and what your kitchen already supports. Gas gives instant, visible flame control prized for searing and wok work; electric and especially induction give fast, even, easy-to-clean heat with no combustion byproducts indoors. Check what hookup you have — a 240-volt circuit for electric and induction, a gas line for gas — because adding the missing one is the biggest single cost in the whole comparison.

  • Fuel-cost gap is only ~$35–$83/year
  • Appliance price ($800–$1,500) dwarfs running cost
  • Gas: instant flame control for searing and wok cooking
  • Induction: fast, even, cool-touch, no indoor fumes
  • Biggest cost is adding a missing gas line or 240V circuit

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Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

This calculator is provided for informational and educational purposes only. Results are estimates and should not be considered professional financial, medical, legal, or other advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making important decisions. UseCalcPro is not responsible for any actions taken based on calculator results.

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