Shower Cost Calculator

Your details

Average length of a single shower. The US average is around 8 minutes.
min
Gallons or litres per minute your showerhead delivers. Low-flow heads run about 1.5-2.0 gpm; standard heads 2.0-2.5 gpm; rain and power heads up to 4-5 gpm.
gpm
Total showers taken in your household each day across all people.
showers
Your water heater type determines which energy rate applies and the heating efficiency used in the calculation.
Energy Factor or Uniform Energy Factor of your heater. Electric tanks: ~0.90-0.95; gas tanks: ~0.62-0.70; tankless electric: ~0.98; tankless gas: ~0.82-0.95; heat pump: ~2.0-3.5.
Cost per gallon (or per litre) including sewer/wastewater charges. The US average is about $0.005/gal ($5.00 per 1,000 gal) including sewer.
$/gal
Your electricity cost per kilowatt-hour. Used for electric tank and tankless electric heaters. US average is about $0.135/kWh.
$/kWh
Temperature of cold water entering your heater. Colder climates have lower inlet temps, raising heating costs. US average is roughly 55 F (13 C).
°F
Temperature of the water at the showerhead. Typical comfortable showers run 100-108 F (38-42 C).
°F
Currency
Cost per showerAverage cost
$0.367

Total water + energy cost for one shower

Water cost per shower$0.080
Heating cost per shower$0.287
Water used per shower16
Energy per shower2.125kWh
Cost per day (household)$0.73
Cost per month$22.02
Cost per year$267.87
Per day$0.73
Per month$22.02
Per year$267.87

Each shower costs you about $0.367, adding up to $268 per year.

  • Heating the water accounts for about 78% of your shower cost; water and sewer charges make up the remaining 22%.
  • Your shower length is at or below the US average of about 8 minutes, which keeps costs reasonable.
  • Electric tank heaters typically have the highest heating cost per shower. Upgrading to a heat pump water heater can cut energy use by 60-70%.
  • Installing a low-flow showerhead (1.5-2.0 gpm) rather than a standard 2.5 gpm head reduces water use by 20-40% with no change in shower duration.

Next stepTo cut costs quickly: reduce shower time by 1-2 minutes, switch to a WaterSense-certified showerhead, and ensure your water heater thermostat is set to 120 F (49 C) rather than higher.

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