Generator Running Cost Calculator
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Key Takeaways
- A typical 5,000W portable generator burns about 0.5 gallons of gasoline per hour at 50% load.
- At $3.50/gallon, that is $1.75 per hour or $42 per day of continuous operation.
- Propane typically costs 10 to 20% more per kWh than gasoline but stores indefinitely.
- A natural-gas standby generator costs $1 to $3 per hour to run, depending on gas prices and load.
Calculator Coming Soon
This interactive calculator is part of Phase 2. It will let you input fuel type, generator wattage, load percentage, and local fuel prices to calculate hourly and daily running costs.
How much does it cost to run a generator?
A typical 5,000W portable generator burns about 0.5 gallons of gasoline per hour at 50% load. At $3.50 per gallon, that is $1.75 per hour or $42 per day. Propane costs about 10 to 20% more per kWh but stores indefinitely. A natural-gas standby generator costs $1 to $3 per hour, depending on gas prices and load. Fuel cost scales roughly linearly with wattage and load.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to run a generator per hour?
A typical 5,000W portable generator burns about 0.5 gallons of gasoline per hour at 50% load. At $3.50 per gallon, that is $1.75 per hour. A 9,500W generator at 50% load burns about 0.9 gallons per hour, costing $3.15 per hour. Propane typically costs 10 to 20% more per kWh than gasoline.
How much does it cost to run a generator for 24 hours?
A 5,000W portable generator costs approximately $42 to run for 24 hours on gasoline at $3.50 per gallon and 50% load. A 9,500W generator costs approximately $76 for 24 hours. A natural-gas standby generator costs $24 to $72 for 24 hours, depending on gas prices and load.
Is it cheaper to run a generator on gasoline or propane?
Gasoline is typically cheaper per kWh than propane by about 10 to 20%, but propane stores indefinitely without going stale, burns cleaner, and requires no fuel stabilizer. For emergency preparedness, propane is the better long-term value despite the slightly higher per-hour cost.
How much fuel does a standby generator use?
A 22kW standby generator on natural gas uses about 200 to 300 cubic feet per hour at 50% load, costing $1 to $3 per hour depending on local gas prices. On propane, a 22kW generator uses about 2 to 3 gallons per hour, costing $4 to $7 per hour at $2 per gallon.