A 1.5-ton inverter AC running 8 hours a day uses roughly 240 to 290 units a month. Under the 2026 NEPRA slabs, 288 units on their own cost about Rs 9,533 in energy charge, but added to a 150-unit household they push the bill to about Rs 17,060, before tax. Your total units decide the rate, not the AC alone.
Key takeaways
- Rough monthly units at 8 hours a day: 1 ton about 170-215, 1.5 ton about 240-290, 2 ton about 335-410 (estimates).
- Non-protected homes pay one rate on every unit, set by the slab the month's total lands in, so one extra unit can add over Rs 1,000.
- Tariffs here are NEPRA's 2026 rates under SRO 279(I)/2026, which MEPCO, LESCO and the other ex-WAPDA companies all apply, as of October 2026.
- Inverter models use much less than fixed-speed ones in long daily use, but standby draw and set-point still matter.
How many units does an inverter AC use per hour?
An inverter AC does not draw a fixed amount of power. It runs hard to pull the room down to temperature, then slows the compressor to hold it. Gree's 1.5-ton GS-18PITH11, for example, lists a cooling input of 1,900 W at maximum, 1,450 W rated and 350 W at minimum (spec listing).
Across brands, typical inputs are 700-1,200 W for 1 ton, 1,000-1,800 W for 1.5 ton and 1,500-2,500 W for 2 ton (Powerhouse Express). In everyday use the average sits toward the lower end once the room is cool. One unit of electricity is 1 kWh, so a 1.5-ton inverter averaging 1.0-1.2 kW uses about 1 to 1.2 units per hour.
Units per month for 1, 1.5 and 2 ton inverter ACs
The table below is an estimate. It uses an assumed average draw for each size (lower than the maximum, because inverters throttle down) and multiplies by hours per day and 30 days. A west-facing room, a top floor or a 45 °C afternoon in Multan will push you to the top of each range or beyond.
| AC size | Typical input range | Assumed average draw | 6 h/day | 8 h/day | 12 h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ton | 700-1,200 W | 0.7-0.9 kW | 126-162 units | 168-216 units | 252-324 units |
| 1.5 ton | 1,000-1,800 W | 1.0-1.2 kW | 180-216 units | 240-288 units | 360-432 units |
| 2 ton | 1,500-2,500 W | 1.4-1.7 kW | 252-306 units | 336-408 units | 504-612 units |
Working for one cell: 1.2 kW × 8 hours × 30 days = 288 units. Other estimates land in the same area. ToolsFluent's 2026 calculator puts a 1.5-ton inverter at about 266 units a month, and some retailer estimates go as high as 432.
How the 2026 slabs turn units into a bill
NEPRA's 2026 domestic tariff took effect on 12 February 2026 under SRO 279(I)/2026 and runs for the calendar year. MEPCO customers in Multan pay the same rates as LESCO or IESCO customers.
For non-protected homes, this is landing-slab billing. Every unit in the month is charged at the rate of the slab your total falls in. Using 301 units does not mean 300 cheap units and 1 dear one. It means 301 units at the 301-400 rate.
| Units in the month | Rs per unit | Fixed charge |
|---|---|---|
| 1-100 | 22.44 | Rs 275 |
| 101-200 | 28.91 | Rs 300 |
| 201-300 | 33.10 | Rs 350 |
| 301-400 | 36.46 | Rs 400 |
| 401-500 | 38.95 | Rs 500 |
| 501-600 | 40.22 | Rs 675 |
| 601-700 | 41.85 | Rs 675 |
| Above 700 | 47.20 | Rs 675 |
Some websites still show a top rate of Rs 47.69 or 47.97; those were earlier proposals. Whether the fixed charge is a flat monthly amount or charged per kW of sanctioned load is reported differently by different sources, so check your own bill.
On top of the energy charge come GST, the monthly fuel charges adjustment (FCA, usually two months in arrears) and quarterly adjustments. For September to November 2026 NEPRA set a quarterly charge of Rs 0.5194 per unit (SRO 1501(I)/2026). Electricity duty and the PTV fee were removed from bills in July 2025 (Profit).
Landing-slab examples with an inverter AC
These are energy-charge estimates only (units × slab rate), before GST, FCA, adjustments and the fixed charge. The "household" figure is the fridge, fans, lights and everything else.
| Scenario | Total units | Working | Energy charge (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 ton, 6 h/day (150 units) + 150-unit household | 300 | 300 × 33.10 | about Rs 9,930 |
| Same home, one unit more | 301 | 301 × 36.46 | about Rs 10,975 |
| 1.5 ton, 8 h/day, AC alone | 288 | 288 × 33.10 | about Rs 9,533 |
| 1.5 ton, 8 h/day + 150-unit household | 438 | 438 × 38.95 | about Rs 17,060 |
| 2 ton, 8 h/day (370 units) + 150-unit household | 520 | 520 × 40.22 | about Rs 20,914 |
| 2 ton, 12 h/day (560 units) + 150-unit household | 710 | 710 × 47.20 | about Rs 33,512 |
The second row is the one to remember. Crossing from 300 to 301 units adds about Rs 1,045 for a single unit. If your meter is close to a slab line near the end of the billing month, an hour or two less AC use can save more than it seems.
For a rough all-in rate, an estimate that adds 18% GST, the quarterly adjustment and the reported financing surcharge gives about Rs 43.5 per unit in the 201-300 slab and about Rs 47.5 in the 301-400 slab. That excludes FCA and the fixed charge, and the GST rate and surcharge are worth confirming on your bill.
Tip
Protected homes (200 units or less for the previous six months) pay much lower telescopic rates: Rs 10.54 for the first 100 units and Rs 13.01 for the next 100. Even a 1-ton AC used a few hours a day can cross 200 units and end that status. See the winter heating cost guide for a worked example.
Is an inverter AC bill really lower than a non-inverter?
Yes, in normal Pakistani use where the AC runs for many hours a day. A fixed-speed AC switches its compressor fully on and off, while an inverter holds a steady low speed once the room is cool. ToolsFluent's comparison puts a non-inverter 1.5-ton at about 485 units a month against about 266 for an inverter under similar use.
The saving shrinks if you run the inverter at a very low set-point all day, or for only short bursts. Owners make the same point: savings depend on usage and temperature setting.
Standby draw also varies. One owner measured 20-30 W on a Haier unit left on standby, another measured 0.7 W on a TCL. At 25 W around the clock, that is about 18 units a month (0.025 kW × 24 × 30) for doing nothing, so switch off at the breaker in the off-season if your unit is a heavy idler.
What owners report about their bills
- Several owners report the same unit count as last year but much higher bills, because the rate per unit changed, not their usage.
- One owner reported his Haier inverter using about 25 units a day, and a reply suggested some units have an over-consumption fault worth a service visit.
- A 2019 household reported about Rs 12,000 a month running a 1.5-ton inverter 14-15 hours a day alongside a fridge, freezer and water dispenser. Rates have risen a lot since then.
Dawlance AC".
Which size keeps your bill sensible?
The cheapest AC to run is the right size for the room. An undersized unit runs flat out for hours and never throttles down, which wipes out the inverter saving. An oversized one costs more to buy. A 1-ton suits a small bedroom, 1.5 ton the typical 120-180 sq ft room, and 2 ton a larger lounge, with a step up for top floors in Multan's heat.
1-ton inverter for a small bedroom where 6-8 hours a night keeps units low.
1.5-ton Gree inverter from the PITH11 series whose spec sheet is used in this guide.
2-ton inverter for a large lounge or a hot top-floor room.
All sizes are in the air conditioners collection.
Winter use: what heat mode adds to the bill
If your inverter is a heat-and-cool model, winter heating for one bedroom for 6 hours a night adds roughly 55 to 110 units a month (estimate, based on 180-270 kWh of heat at a COP of 2.5-3.3). That is far less than an electric heater giving the same warmth, but enough to move many homes up a slab.
Frequently asked questions
1.5 ton inverter AC ka bill kitna aata hai?
At 8 hours a day a 1.5-ton inverter uses roughly 240 to 290 units a month. On its own, 288 units cost about Rs 9,533 in energy charge at the 2026 slab rate of Rs 33.10. With a 150-unit household on top, the total of 438 units costs about Rs 17,060 before tax and FCA. These are estimates as of October 2026.
How many units does a 1 ton inverter AC use per hour?
A 1-ton inverter typically draws 700 to 1,200 W, which is 0.7 to 1.2 units per hour at full output. Once the room is cool it slows down, so a realistic average is around 0.7 to 0.9 units per hour. Over 8 hours a day for a month that is roughly 170 to 215 units, depending on room heat and set temperature.
What is the MEPCO per unit price in 2026?
MEPCO applies NEPRA's uniform 2026 tariff (SRO 279(I)/2026). Non-protected rates run from Rs 22.44 per unit for 1-100 units up to Rs 47.20 above 700 units, charged on the whole month at the slab your total lands in. Protected homes pay Rs 10.54 and Rs 13.01. GST, FCA and quarterly adjustments come on top, as of October 2026.
Does a 2 ton inverter AC use double the units of a 1 ton?
Roughly, yes, for the same hours. Typical input is 700-1,200 W for 1 ton and 1,500-2,500 W for 2 ton. A 2-ton sized correctly for a big room will also throttle down once it is cool, while an undersized unit runs flat out. The bigger risk is the slab: a 2-ton plus household load can easily cross 500 or 700 units, where every unit gets dearer.
How can I reduce my inverter AC bill?
Pick the right tonnage, keep doors and curtains closed, clean the filters every few weeks and avoid very low set temperatures. Watch the meter near slab boundaries such as 300 or 400 units, as one unit over can add more than Rs 1,000. If you have rooftop solar, run the AC mostly during the day.
What to do next
Pull out your last two MEPCO bills and note your usual units without the AC. Add the figure for your size and hours from the table above, and see which slab you land in. Then compare models in the air conditioners collection. If you are unsure which tonnage fits your room, send the room size and floor on WhatsApp (+92 313 1607080). We deliver across Pakistan from our shop in Cantt, Multan.
