Running-cost calculator · 50 states + DC
Gas or plug? See the yearly bill before you buy.
Put a gas car, furnace, water heater or mower next to its electric counterpart. Gas or Plug works out what each costs to run for a year with your prices, or your state's latest government averages, and how long a pricier electric model takes to pay back.
Gas car
$1,877/year
429 gallons at $4.38
Electric car
$698/year
3,600 kWh at 19.4¢
Example with Ohio averages (EIA, October 2026 gasoline and August 2026 electricity), 12,000 miles a year, a 28 MPG car and a 30 kWh per 100 miles car. Energy only. Use your own numbers
Every comparison is free. Add them up in the Household Ledger for $1.95/month or $19.50/year, or print one report for $1.00.
Free during preview
See plansFour comparisons
The statement, line by line
Ohio averages and typical ratings, before you type a thing. Every line opens a full comparison with your own numbers.
Yearly energy cost only. Heat pump and heat pump water heater figures use their rated efficiency; in a cold climate a heat pump does worse than its rating, so the comparison lets you lower it. Prices: EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update: regular gasoline, week of October 26, 2026; EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A: average residential price, August 2026 (preliminary); EIA Natural Gas Prices: average residential price, 2025 annual (2024 where 2025 is not published).
How it works
Three numbers decide it
- 01
How much you use
Miles a year, last winter's furnace therms, gallons of hot water, cans of mower gas. Your own bills beat any average.
miles ÷ MPG = gallons - 02
How efficient each machine is
MPG and kWh per 100 miles, AFUE and HSPF2, UEF: the ratings on the label or the spec sheet.
heat ÷ (HSPF2 × 1,000) = kWh - 03
What you pay for each fuel
Your bill's price per gallon, therm and kWh, or your state's latest EIA average, filled in for you.
units × price = dollars a year
Household Ledger
The whole house on one page
Thinking about more than one switch? Add up to five comparisons, from the car to the water heater, and see the household's yearly running cost, its 10-year total and its CO2, gas side against electric side. Print it for the family meeting or the contractor visit. No account: the ledger lives in a private link you keep.
Household Ledger $1.95/month or $19.50/year, or $1.00 for one printable report Free during preview
Open the Household LedgerWhat the numbers leave out
- Upkeep, insurance, financing and resale. Energy cost only. Enter purchase prices to see simple payback.
- Price changes. Every year is priced the same as today. Fuel and power prices move; re-run it when your bill changes.
- Fixed charges. A utility's monthly service fee stays whether you use more or less of its fuel.
- Installation. Wiring, venting and permits vary by home. Ask a licensed contractor for a quote.