Electric Heater Cost Per Hour in Pakistan 2026: 1.5 Units an Hour, Rs 15.81 to Rs 70.80 by Slab
A 1,500 watt heater uses 1.5 units an hour, costing Rs 15.81 to Rs 70.80 at 2026 slab rates. See monthly units and how 2 hours a night can end protected status.
A 1,500 watt electric heater uses 1.5 units of electricity an hour. At Pakistan's 2026 home rates that costs between Rs 15.81 an hour for a protected home and Rs 70.80 an hour for a home above 700 units, before fuel adjustment, fixed charges and taxes. Run it four hours a night and it adds 180 units a month, enough to push almost any protected home over 200 units.
That last point is the expensive one. A heater is rarely costly on its own. It becomes costly when it moves your whole bill into a higher slab. K-Electric's energy calculator lists a room heater at 1,500 watts, and the rates below come from the federal tariff notification S.R.O. 279(I)/2026. All sums are our own arithmetic.
A 1,500 watt heater uses 1.5 units an hour
One unit on your bill is one kilowatt-hour, which means 1,000 watts running for one hour. So a 1,500 watt heater uses 1.5 units every hour it runs at full power. Multiply by hours a day and by 30 to get the month.
The formula is short: watts x hours a day x 30 / 1,000 = units a month. Check the label on your own heater, because models differ. The table works it out for three common ratings.
| Heater rating | 1 hour a day | 2 hours a day | 4 hours a day | 6 hours a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 watts | 30 units | 60 units | 120 units | 180 units |
| 1,500 watts | 45 units | 90 units | 180 units | 270 units |
| 2,000 watts | 60 units | 120 units | 240 units | 360 units |
A heater with a thermostat switches itself off once the room is warm, so real use can be lower. A heater on its highest setting all night will be close to these figures. The appliance watt list from K-Electric gives the rating it uses for other winter appliances, such as the 2,000 watt geyser.
One hour costs Rs 15.81 to Rs 70.80, depending on your slab
The cost of one heater hour depends only on the rate your home pays per unit. For a protected home under 100 units it is Rs 15.81. For an unprotected home above 700 units it is Rs 70.80. These are energy charges only.
| Your slab | Rate per unit (Rs) | 1 heater hour (Rs) | 4 hours a night for 30 days (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected, 1 to 100 | 10.54 | 15.81 | 1,897.20 |
| Protected, 101 to 200 | 13.01 | 19.52 | 2,341.80 |
| Unprotected, 1 to 100 | 22.44 | 33.66 | 4,039.20 |
| Unprotected, 101 to 200 | 28.91 | 43.37 | 5,203.80 |
| Unprotected, 201 to 300 | 33.10 | 49.65 | 5,958.00 |
| Unprotected, 301 to 400 | 36.46 | 54.69 | 6,562.80 |
| Unprotected, 401 to 500 | 38.95 | 58.43 | 7,011.00 |
| Unprotected, 501 to 600 | 40.22 | 60.33 | 7,239.60 |
| Unprotected, 601 to 700 | 41.85 | 62.78 | 7,533.00 |
| Unprotected, above 700 | 47.20 | 70.80 | 8,496.00 |
The last column is 180 units at each rate. In real life the heater's 180 units add to what your home already uses, so the slab often changes too. The next section shows why that matters more than the hourly figure. For the full rate schedule and fixed charges, see the electricity unit price slab rates for 2026.
Crossing 200 units is the real cost of a heater
A protected home pays Rs 10.54 and Rs 13.01 a unit only while it stays at 200 units or fewer. Two hours of heater a night can take a 120 unit home to 210 units. At that point the whole bill is charged at the unprotected rate of Rs 33.10.
The tariff notification gives the "benefit of one previous slab" only to protected homes. An unprotected home pays every unit at the rate of the slab it lands in. Here is what that does to one home, by our arithmetic:
| Home that normally uses 120 units | Units a month | Energy charge (Rs) | Extra over no heater (Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| No heater, protected | 120 | 1,314.20 | 0 |
| Heater 1 hour a day, still protected | 165 | 1,899.65 | 585.45 |
| Heater 2 hours a day, now unprotected | 210 | 6,951.00 | 5,636.80 |
One extra hour a night turns an extra Rs 585 into an extra Rs 5,637. And there is a second cost. The rule as widely reported is that a home which crosses 200 units pays unprotected rates for six months. Our team could not find that six month wording in a NEPRA document, so treat the length as reported, not confirmed. The government is also reported to be considering ending it, which the six month penalty for crossing 200 units follows.
An unprotected home pays more for every extra hour
For a home already above 200 units, a heater still pushes the bill up a slab. A home on 250 units pays Rs 8,275 in energy charges. Add a 1,500 watt heater for two hours a night and it reaches 340 units, or Rs 12,396.40, an extra Rs 4,121.40.
- 250 units, no heater: 250 x Rs 33.10 = Rs 8,275.
- Heater 2 hours a night: 340 units x Rs 36.46 = Rs 12,396.40.
- Heater 4 hours a night: 430 units x Rs 38.95 = Rs 16,748.50, an extra Rs 8,473.50.
Your real bill will be higher still. Fuel charge adjustment, the quarterly adjustment, fixed charges on your sanctioned load, electricity duty and sales tax all sit on top. The fuel charge adjustment for each month of 2026 lists the per unit amounts added so far.
Cut the heater's cost without freezing
The cheapest heater hour is the one you do not need. Keeping a protected home under 200 units matters more than any brand or setting. Watch your meter and plan the month, rather than finding out from the bill.
- Read your meter on the first day of the month and again each week.
- Work out how many units you have left before 200, if you are protected.
- Divide by 1.5 to see how many 1,500 watt heater hours that leaves.
- Heat one closed room, not the whole house, and keep doors shut.
- Use the thermostat or low setting, and switch off once the room is warm.
- Never leave a heater on while you sleep, and keep it away from bedding and curtains.
Buy a heater and cable with a valid quality mark. The PSQCA licence check shows how. If you use gas instead, read the gas heater safety rules first: a gas heater in a closed room without air flow can kill.
Common questions
How many units does a 1,500 watt heater use in one hour?
1.5 units. A 1,000 watt heater uses 1 unit and a 2,000 watt heater 2 units an hour.
How much does an electric heater cost per hour in Pakistan?
For a 1,500 watt heater, Rs 15.81 to Rs 70.80 in energy charges, depending on your slab. Taxes and adjustments come on top.
Can a heater make me lose protected status?
Yes. If it takes your home above 200 units in a month, you are billed at unprotected rates.
How many units does a heater add in a month?
A 1,500 watt heater for 4 hours a day adds 180 units. For 2 hours a day it adds 90.
Is the electricity rate the same in Karachi?
The federal notification sets the same government applicable home rates for K-Electric customers. Fixed charges and taxes are shown on your own bill.
Is an oil-filled heater cheaper to run?
It uses the watts printed on its label, like any electric heater. A thermostat that cuts in and out lowers real use.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
The 1,500 watt heater and 2,000 watt geyser ratings are from K-Electric's Energy Consumption Calculator, which we read on 5 November 2026. The home rates are the government applicable residential rates in S.R.O. 279(I)/2026 of 12 February 2026, as read and recorded by our team on 9 October and 1 November 2026. Every unit count and rupee figure is our own arithmetic and excludes fuel adjustment, quarterly adjustment, fixed charges, duty and tax.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
