To estimate the electricity cost of running a PC for a 24/7 YouTube stream, multiply its average power draw in watts by the hours it runs, divide by 1,000, then multiply the resulting kilowatt-hours by your electricity rate. At an assumed $0.15 per kWh, a constant 100 W draw for a 365-day year costs $131.40 in energy charges; that rate is an example, not a tariff quote.
The useful number is the average draw of the complete setup while it is doing the actual job, not the rating printed on the power supply. The examples below are arithmetic scenarios, not measurements of particular computers, and you can replace both the wattage and the assumed rate with your own figures.
Turn watts and hours into kWh
Watts measure the rate at which equipment uses power. Kilowatt-hours measure the energy accumulated over a period, which is the unit commonly used for household electricity billing. For a steady load, the conversion is:
kWh = watts × hours ÷ 1,000
The division by 1,000 changes watt-hours into kilowatt-hours. The US Department of Energy explains this same relationship in its energy calculation lesson. For example, a constant 100 W load running for 10 hours uses 1,000 watt-hours, or 1 kWh. At an assumed rate of $0.15 per kWh, that energy would cost $0.15 before any other bill components.
For continuous operation, the equation can be written as a single reusable calculation:
Energy cost = average watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × price per kWh
Keep the units in view. If your rate is quoted in rupees per kWh, the result is in rupees; if it is in dollars per kWh, the result is in dollars. Do not mix a watt figure with a kilowatt figure or multiply by a monthly bill total. You are estimating the extra energy charge attributable to the equipment, not reconstructing the whole electricity bill.
The formula assumes a constant average load. Real computers change their draw as processors, graphics hardware, storage, fans and displays do different work. For a first estimate, a defensible average is still useful, but you should label it as an estimate rather than a fixed property of the PC.
Use 8,760 hours for a 365-day year
A 365-day year contains 365 × 24 = 8,760 hours. Put that into the formula to estimate a full year of uninterrupted operation:
Annual kWh = average watts × 8,760 ÷ 1,000
A 100 W average load therefore uses 876 kWh in that year. At the example rate of $0.15/kWh, the energy charge is 876 × $0.15 = $131.40. This assumes the same average draw throughout all 8,760 hours; it is not a prediction that a particular PC will consume exactly that amount.
That distinction matters if your channel is not actually on air every hour. If the computer is off for scheduled maintenance, is used only on some days, or runs other tasks at different loads, use the relevant hours and draw for each period. You can calculate those periods separately and add the kWh. For instance, if the PC streams overnight and is shut down during the day, use the hours it is genuinely left running rather than the full-year figure.
A leap year has one additional day, so use 8,784 hours if you want an estimate covering that specific full year. For a general annual comparison, 8,760 hours is the stated 365-day basis used in the scenarios below. Keep the period explicit when comparing estimates from different years or operating schedules.
Compare illustrative wattage scenarios
The table applies the same assumed price of $0.15/kWh to several constant average draws. These are calculations for comparison, not measured PC models, and the amounts cover energy charges only.
| Assumed average draw | Energy in 8,760 hours | Cost at assumed $0.15/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 30 W | 262.8 kWh | $39.42 |
| 50 W | 438 kWh | $65.70 |
| 100 W | 876 kWh | $131.40 |
| 200 W | 1,752 kWh | $262.80 |
| 500 W | 4,380 kWh | $657.00 |
The table shows why wattage is worth checking before committing to an always-on arrangement. At the same rate and number of hours, doubling the average draw doubles the energy cost. It does not tell you which row describes your computer: a compact office PC, laptop and gaming PC may behave differently, and even the same machine can draw different amounts during playback.
Do not use a power supply's rated capacity as the wattage input. A supply rated to provide a certain maximum is not a statement that the PC draws that much continuously. Department of Energy guidance notes that nameplate ratings are generally maximum design limits and can be substantially above actual consumption; its equipment guidance recommends measuring actual use when possible.
A computer running a stream is also not automatically at its idle draw. Video resolution, hardware decoding, browser or playback software, graphics activity, screen brightness and background tasks can all affect consumption. No universal wattage for “a PC streaming YouTube” follows from the calculation. Use a measured average or make a clearly labelled planning assumption, then revisit it when you have better evidence.
Measure the setup that will actually run
A plug-in electricity usage monitor can help replace a guessed figure with a reading. Connect the equipment you intend to include and observe its energy use while it performs the real task: the stream or playback configuration, normal display settings and usual background applications. If the estimate is for the whole setup, include the monitor and other devices; if it is only for the PC, leave them out and say so.
A momentary watt reading may not represent a changing workload. A sustained kWh reading over several hours or days is more informative: divide the measured kWh by the hours in that measurement period, then multiply by 1,000 to obtain average watts. For example, if a setup records 1.2 kWh over 24 hours, the period average is 50 W. That is an example of the method, not a claim about a typical setup. The Department of Energy's standby measurement guidance likewise explains why fluctuating consumption needs to be measured over time to calculate an average.
Make sure the measurement reflects the question you are trying to answer. A PC-only reading will understate the whole setup if you later add a display. A reading taken with the screen on at full brightness may not apply if you turn it off during unattended operation. Conversely, a reading taken while the PC is idle does not describe an active playback workload. Write down what was connected and what it was doing alongside the result.
If you can only obtain a credible wattage estimate rather than a meter reading, keep a range instead of pretending to know a precise value. Calculate the low and high cases with the same formula, then compare the possible annual charges. The gap gives you a reason to measure more carefully if it would change the operating decision.
Apply your own price per kWh
Replace $0.15 with the applicable energy rate on your own bill. The example annual 100 W case uses 876 kWh, so each $0.01/kWh change moves its calculated energy charge by $8.76 per year. At $0.20/kWh, for example, that scenario would be $175.20; at $0.10/kWh it would be $87.60. Those are illustrations of the arithmetic, not statements of available tariffs.
Your bill may not present one simple rate. Some plans vary by time of use or season, and a bill can include fixed charges or demand charges as well as energy charges. The Department of Energy's utility rate options guidance describes these kinds of differences. The multiplication here estimates the added energy charge from the kWh consumed; it does not allocate fixed fees or fully model a tariff with demand charges.
For a time-varying rate, divide operation into the relevant periods if the bill provides enough detail. Calculate kWh during each period and multiply by the rate for that period, then add the costs. If the computer runs continuously across several price windows, a single blended rate is only an approximation unless you have calculated that average from the applicable schedule.
Keep currency and units consistent, and use the rate that applies to your household or premises rather than a number found in a generic calculator. A bill can also show taxes or other adjustments that affect the amount due. This estimate is useful for comparing the energy associated with different loads, but it is not a substitute for the final amount on your electricity bill.
Treat the example rate as an assumption
The $0.15/kWh figure is used here only to make the annual scenarios concrete. It is neither a national average nor a live tariff quote. Rates depend on the provider, location, plan and billing terms, so do not infer your own cost from the table until you substitute the rate that applies to you.
The arithmetic is portable even when the example price is not. If your bill states a rate in another currency or at a different value, use that figure and preserve the formula. If your tariff has multiple periods or other charges, use the applicable official bill information and keep the simple energy estimate separate from those charges.
You may encounter other published example rates. For context, the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program used 11 cents/kWh in federal-facility computer examples in July 2024, as stated in its computer purchasing guidance. That is a dated federal-facility example, not a household rate recommendation or a substitute for your bill. Do not transfer it to a home or business without a reason to believe it applies.
If your channel is mainly for watching or playing a video rather than encoding or managing a broadcast locally, compare the whole PC arrangement with the device that would otherwise do the job. ENERGY STAR discusses digital media players and identifies tablets for small-screen streaming and smart TVs as an efficient big-screen option on its digital media player page. Its comparisons are category guidance, not a guarantee that every particular device uses less than every PC-and-monitor combination. Compare the actual devices and what will remain switched on.
For a PC that must stay running, power management is a separate consideration. ENERGY STAR's computer criteria cover Off, Sleep and Idle modes and efficient power management, but an active stream may prevent the machine from sleeping. A sleep setting does not reduce the energy used while the PC is doing the active work; consider whether the display or unrelated components can be turned off without interrupting the job.
Check the operating choice, not just the arithmetic
The electricity calculation is one part of the decision to keep a channel live. The PC may also need a reliable network connection, and an unattended local setup can be affected by power interruptions, software updates or a machine that stops responding. Those issues do not change watts-to-kWh, but they may affect whether the arrangement is practical for your channel.
If you are evaluating a computer-based workflow, compare its actual electricity estimate with the time and attention needed to keep it running. The process in how to stream a 24/7 Marathi Bhavgeet channel with FFmpeg is useful context for what a local playback workflow involves. A separate guide to scheduling a 24/7 playlist by video duration helps frame how the content schedule fits into the operation.
If a loop stops, the cause may have nothing to do with electricity use. A copyright warning, for example, is a different operational problem from a PC's power draw; see the guide to why YouTube can stop a live stream after a copyright warning. Likewise, the Linode outbound bandwidth cost guide concerns a separate cost category and should not be added to a household kWh estimate as though it were electricity.
For creators whose specific difficulty is leaving a home computer on overnight, StreamNeo removes that particular need: you upload a video and provide the YouTube stream key, then the broadcast can continue with your computer switched off. It is YouTube-only, so it does not address other platforms, and whether that operating approach suits your channel depends on your content and requirements. Keep the electricity estimate separate from any service decision, and compare the costs and constraints that actually apply to you.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
How much does it cost to leave a PC running 24/7?
Multiply the PC's average draw in watts by 8,760 hours, divide by 1,000, then multiply by your price per kWh. At an assumed $0.15/kWh, a 100 W average draw costs $131.40 in energy charges for 365 days. Your measured draw and actual bill rate may differ.
How much electricity does a 100-watt PC use in a month?
At a constant 100 W, a 730-hour month uses 73 kWh. At the assumed $0.15/kWh, that is $10.95 in energy charges. A 730-hour month is an approximation, not the length of every billing month; use the actual hours in your billing period for a more accurate estimate.
How do I measure my computer's power consumption?
Use a compatible plug-in electricity monitor with the equipment connected and running the task you want to estimate. Record energy over a sustained period, then divide kWh by the measured hours and multiply by 1,000 to calculate average watts. Include the display and other devices only if you want the result to represent the whole setup.
Is a PC power-supply rating the same as its electricity draw?
No. The rating describes a supply's capacity, not the amount the computer continuously consumes. Use an actual reading or a credible estimate of average wall draw while streaming, and keep the equipment included in that estimate clear.