A computer drawing a steady 50 watts at the wall uses 1.2 kWh in 24 hours, 36 kWh in a 30-day month and 438 kWh in a 365-day year. To estimate the energy-charge part of running it, multiply that use by the relevant residential rate or apply each local tariff slab separately.
There is no single household electricity price for India. Your rupee result depends on the state or utility, consumer category, billing period, slab, subsidy and other items on the bill; the examples below are energy-charge illustrations, not full bill estimates or a national comparison.
What the 50 W assumption includes
Watts describe the rate at which equipment uses power at a moment; kilowatt-hours measure energy over time. The arithmetic here treats 50 W as the computer’s average draw at the wall, continuously, for every hour in the stated period. It is an assumption for calculation, not a measurement of a particular PC.
Be clear about what the 50 W refers to. If it is the computer alone, it does not automatically include a monitor, router, audio interface, capture device or other equipment needed for the channel. Add those loads only if they are part of your intended estimate. A setup drawing 50 W for the PC plus another device will use more than the figures in this article.
A computer’s draw can also vary with its workload and power settings. A number on a component’s label is not necessarily the average power drawn from the wall during a broadcast. If you want a closer estimate, an optional plug-in electricity usage monitor can show the consumption of the connected equipment over a representative period. No specific meter or PC has been tested for these calculations.
This distinction matters for a 24/7 channel: the calculation assumes continuous use, not that every computer actually draws the same amount all day. If your reading is an instantaneous value, it may not represent the average across a day. Measure the setup you mean to price, and keep the same equipment connected during the measurement that you plan to leave running.
The daily, monthly and annual arithmetic
First convert watts to kilowatts by dividing by 1,000: 50 W ÷ 1,000 = 0.05 kW. Then multiply by time in hours. For one day, 0.05 kW × 24 hours = 1.2 kWh. A 30-day month gives 1.2 × 30 = 36 kWh; a 365-day year gives 1.2 × 365 = 438 kWh.
| Period | Calculation | Energy at a steady 50 W |
|---|---|---|
| 24 hours | 0.05 kW × 24 | 1.2 kWh |
| 30 days | 1.2 kWh × 30 | 36 kWh |
| 365 days | 1.2 kWh × 365 | 438 kWh |
These are consumption figures, not rupee amounts. In ordinary household billing, a “unit” commonly refers to one kWh, but confirm how your bill expresses consumption. The monthly figure uses exactly 30 days for a convenient comparison; a bill covering a different number of days will have a different total. For a period of d days, use 1.2 × d kWh under the same steady-draw assumption.
To turn the energy figure into an energy-charge estimate, use the rate that actually applies to the additional units. If the relevant rate were a flat ₹5 per unit, for example, 36 units would produce ₹180 in energy charges before other bill items. That is arithmetic to explain the method, not a claim about a particular household’s tariff. Where the tariff is telescopic, calculate the units in each slab at that slab’s rate rather than multiplying every unit by the highest or lowest rate.
Why India has no single household unit rate
Electricity tariffs are set and applied through state and utility arrangements, with rates varying by consumer type and consumption. A domestic consumer’s bill can also reflect a subsidy, and the tariff schedule can distinguish energy charges from fixed charges and other components. Two households using the same additional 36 kWh therefore need not have the same energy-charge result, let alone the same total bill.
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) compiles tariff and duty information from state tariff orders and other official material. Its 2025 tariff and duty publication presents state examples for FY 2024-25; the CEA division page describes the compilation work and lists publications. A compilation helps with context, but a historic or compiled figure is not a substitute for the current order and your own applicable category.
For that reason, the examples in this article are deliberately not presented as a current all-state ranking. They come from different official sources and tariff years. They show how to apply a rate to 36 kWh, not what every Indian household pays today or what your next bill will be.
Find the right state, utility, category and slab
Start with your bill. Note the distribution company or utility, the connection’s domestic category, billing period, recorded units and any subsidy or adjustment shown. The state alone may not be enough to identify the right schedule, and a residential rate should not be substituted with a commercial rate simply because the PC supports a channel or small business.
Next, locate the current tariff order or schedule for that utility and category. Check its effective financial year or date, the unit slabs, fixed charges, applicable subsidy instructions and any relevant billing conditions. If you cannot tell whether a listed rate is before or after subsidy, do not treat it as your personal rate. Check the utility’s official material or ask it to clarify how the order applies to your connection.
Then work out how the extra use would be billed. Some schedules use a rate for all consumption in a band; others are telescopic, meaning the first portion is charged at the first rate and only units above that threshold at the next. Your household’s existing consumption matters: adding 36 units could leave some or all of the extra use in a lower slab, or push part of it into a higher one. The correct calculation depends on the schedule’s exact slab method.
A useful way to avoid a misleading answer is to make a before-and-after comparison. Estimate the applicable bill components with your normal household use, then estimate them again with 36 extra units for the relevant billing period. The difference is a better estimate of the PC’s incremental cost than assigning it a fixed-charge share that would be payable anyway. Variable duties or surcharges may change, so include them only as the applicable order or bill specifies.
If the streaming computer is part of a wider broadcast setup, the electricity estimate is only one operating question. For a separate discussion of the equipment and continuity trade-offs, see how to keep a 24/7 YouTube yoga stream running on a refurbished desktop in India. That does not change the tariff calculation; it helps you think through what equipment you are actually leaving on.
What the official examples calculate
The following figures use published tariffs and the same 36 kWh monthly assumption. They are illustrative energy-charge arithmetic for their stated categories and source years. They are not full bills, current rates for every reader, or a like-for-like ranking across states.
| Source and tariff context | Published energy rate used | Calculation for 36 kWh | Illustrative energy charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| CEA 2025 compilation, Assam Domestic-A, 0–120 units/month, after subsidy; FY 2024-25 | ₹6.24/unit | 36 × ₹6.24 | ₹224.64/month |
| CEA 2025 compilation, Bihar DS-II Demand Based, 0–100 units, after subsidy; FY 2024-25 | ₹4.12/unit | 36 × ₹4.12 | ₹148.32/month |
| CEA 2025 compilation, Himachal Pradesh Domestic, 0–125 kWh/month, after subsidy; FY 2024-25 | ₹2.07/unit | 36 × ₹2.07 | ₹74.52/month |
| CSERC domestic schedule, FY 2026-27, first slab, before applicable subsidy | ₹4.40/unit | 36 × ₹4.40 | ₹158.40/month |
| Lakshadweep LTDS-II domestic schedule, FY 2026-27, first slab | ₹3.55/unit | 36 × ₹3.55 | ₹127.80/month |
The first three rates are selected residential examples from the CEA’s FY 2024-25 compilation, with the listed subsidy treatment. Their calculations are each 36 multiplied by the stated rate. The last two examples use newer schedules but different jurisdictions and tariff structures. The CEA figures are attributed to the CEA’s 2025 publication; the rupee totals are calculations from the published rates, not amounts published as PC-running costs by the agencies.
For the current Chhattisgarh example, the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Regulatory Commission’s FY 2026-27 tariff schedule lists domestic energy rates of ₹4.40 for 0–100 units, ₹4.50 for 101–200, ₹6.00 for 201–400, ₹7.00 for 401–600 and ₹8.80 above 600. The order describes energy charges as telescopic, so 36 additional units in the first slab imply ₹158.40 in energy charges before any applicable subsidy or other bill items. The order also distinguishes fixed charges, which are monthly minimum charges.
For the Union Territory example, the Lakshadweep Department of Electricity tariff page lists FY 2026-27 LTDS-II domestic rates of ₹3.55 for 0–100 units, ₹5.30 for 101–200, ₹7.70 for 201–300, ₹10.05 for 301–400 and ₹13.05 above 400, alongside a fixed charge of ₹25 per kW per month. At 36 units in its first slab, the energy component is ₹127.80 before other bill items. This is a Union Territory illustration, not a state tariff.
The examples are useful for seeing how the arithmetic works, not for choosing a state by headline rate. The categories, years, subsidy treatment and schedules differ. A complete, current, like-for-like comparison across every state and utility is not established here. Confirm the current schedule for your connection before using any example to plan a budget.
Energy charges are not the full bill
Energy charges are the amount calculated for units consumed under the tariff’s applicable rates. A bill may also include a fixed charge, electricity duty, fuel or power-purchase adjustment, other surcharges, taxes or credits. Which items apply, and how they are calculated, depend on the tariff order and the bill. Adding the energy-only figure from the table to your existing total as if nothing else could change may understate or overstate the incremental cost.
Fixed charges deserve particular care. If your household already has a connection and a fixed charge that does not rise with these extra units, it may be payable with or without the PC. It is part of the household bill, but not necessarily an extra cost caused by keeping the stream running. Conversely, a schedule may set a charge by sanctioned load or a minimum, so check whether a change in equipment or connection arrangement affects it rather than assuming it cannot.
Duties and adjustments can be variable or separately calculated. Do not apply a percentage or per-unit add-on from an unrelated bill, another consumer category or an old order. To estimate what the PC adds, compare the bill calculation before and after the extra consumption and follow the rules printed in the current schedule. If the bill gives a clear split between energy, fixed and other charges, use that split as a guide, while verifying how each component responds to added units.
The tariff year is as important as the number. A rate in a CEA compilation for FY 2024-25 is evidence of that published tariff context, not proof that the same rate applies to a bill in FY 2026-27. Likewise, a current schedule for Chhattisgarh or Lakshadweep should not be carried over to another utility. Check the latest official order and the subsidy applicable to your connection.
Put the electricity figure in the stream’s operating decision
Once you have a measured or clearly assumed draw and a local energy-charge calculation, use it as one input among the costs of keeping a channel available. A PC-based setup leaves your own equipment running, and the 50 W arithmetic answers only the electricity question under that load assumption. It does not account for repair, replacement, connectivity, display use or the value of your time after an interruption.
If you already use OBS or another encoder, decide whether the computer’s flexibility is worth keeping powered continuously. For a loop built from recorded material, how to loop pre-recorded videos on YouTube Live with OBS covers a relevant setup path. A loop that needs frequent edits or live intervention may make a local computer useful; a set-and-leave file has different operational needs. Neither choice changes the household tariff or guarantees that a stream stays live.
If your main concern is whether a pre-recorded loop is suitable for your channel, review whether YouTube can detect a prerecorded video loop in a live stream. Channel policy and electricity cost are separate questions: a low energy estimate does not establish that a particular stream complies with YouTube rules. Check YouTube’s current official guidance for your format, and do not treat any operating arrangement as approval.
For a workflow where the machine being left on is the specific source of electricity and overnight interruption concerns, StreamNeo can remove the need to keep your own computer switched on by running an uploaded file as a YouTube live stream. It is YouTube-only; decide whether that file-based approach suits your channel before comparing the electricity you currently use with other operating costs. It does not determine your tariff or bill, and you should still check the channel and content requirements that 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 electricity does a 50 watt PC use in 24 hours?
At a steady 50 W, it uses 0.05 kW × 24 hours, or 1.2 kWh in a day. That is the PC alone if the assumed 50 W refers only to it; add any monitor, router or other equipment separately.
How much does it cost to run a PC 24/7 in India?
For the assumed 50 W draw, the energy use is 36 kWh in a 30-day month. Multiply that by the applicable rate or calculate each portion at its slab rate, then account separately for bill items that apply. Your personal total depends on your utility, category, subsidy, consumption and tariff year.
What is the electricity cost per unit in my state?
There is no single rate that applies to every household in a state. Check your current bill and utility’s official domestic tariff schedule for the category, slab, subsidy and effective period that apply to your connection.
Is the table amount what I will pay on my bill?
No. The table shows energy-charge calculations for 36 kWh under specified published rates, not full bill estimates. Fixed charges, duty and other items may also appear, and the examples differ in year and jurisdiction.