Wardrobe Calculators

Laundry cost per load.

Cost per load = electricity (washer kWh + dryer kWh, times your rate) + water + detergent. With the example numbers below that is about $0.83 a load, $4.16 a week and $216 a year. Replace the examples with the kWh on your machines' labels and your own utility rates. Runs in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.

Your machines and rates

Washer electricity per load

kWh

Example value. Use your machine's EnergyGuide label or manual; include water heating if electric.

Dryer electricity per load

kWh

Example value. Enter 0 if you line dry.

Electricity price

$/kWh

From your bill, total charges divided by kWh.

Water unit

Water per load The example is the 14 gallons ENERGY STAR gives for its certified full-sized washers.

Water price per 1,000 gallons (or per cubic metre if litres) Example value. Include sewer charges if billed by water use.

Detergent container price

Loads per container

Other per load (softener, sheets)

Loads per week

Laundromat price per load, wash and dry (optional)

Cost of laundry

Fill the form and press Calculate.

Worked example

Example inputs: washer 0.3 kWh, dryer 2.5 kWh, $0.15 per kWh: (0.3 + 2.5) x 0.15 = $0.42. Water 14 gallons at $8 per 1,000 gallons: 14 / 1,000 x 8 = $0.11. Detergent $15 for 50 loads = $0.30. One load costs $0.83 (more exactly $0.832). Five loads a week is $4.16 a week and about $18.03 a month, or $216.32 a year. A laundromat at $4 a load would cost $1,040 a year for the same five loads, so home laundry saves about $823.68 a year before counting the machines themselves.

How it works

cost per load = (washer kWh + dryer kWh) x price per kWh + water / 1,000 x water price + detergent price / loads per container + other. Per week multiplies by loads per week; per month uses 52 weeks / 12; per year uses 52 weeks.

The kWh, water price and other defaults are examples. Machines differ widely and so do utility rates. Look up your washer and dryer on their labels or manuals and your rates on a bill. The only published figure used is the 14 gallons per load ENERGY STAR lists for its certified full-sized washers, against 20 gallons for a standard machine.

The comparison with a laundromat ignores what you paid for your machines, repairs and the time spent. It is a running-cost comparison only.

Sources and basis (all opened 2026-10-08): Clothes Washers, ENERGY STAR (full-sized ENERGY STAR washers use 14 gallons of water per load compared with 20 gallons for a standard machine). Everything else is arithmetic on your inputs.

FAQ

How much does it cost to do a load of laundry?

Add electricity for the washer and dryer (kWh x your rate), water, and detergent. With the example inputs on this page it is about $0.83 a load. Your figure depends on your machines and utility rates.

How do I find the kWh a washer or dryer uses per load?

Check the EnergyGuide or ENERGY STAR label or the manual. Dryers use much more than washers, and a load's dryer energy is usually the biggest part of the cost.

Is the dryer the most expensive part?

With the example numbers, yes: $0.375 of the $0.83 is the dryer. Line drying removes it. Try setting dryer kWh to 0 to see the difference.

Is it cheaper to do laundry at home or at a laundromat?

Compare the cost per load here with the laundromat price per load. The tool shows the yearly difference, but it does not include buying and repairing machines.

How much water does a washing machine use per load?

ENERGY STAR says its certified full-sized clothes washers use 14 gallons of water per load, compared with 20 gallons for a standard machine. Check your own model.

What this calculates, and what it does not

Example numbers are not measurements of your machines or a published average. Replace them with your own labels and bills; the result is only as accurate as what you enter.