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Everyday Calculators

Laundry Cost Calculator

Use this laundry cost calculator to estimate what laundry costs per load, month, and year from energy, water, sewer, and detergent assumptions.

Formula checked May 25, 2026Source note includedFree tool

Quick answer

Laundry Cost Calculator: what it calculates

Laundry Cost Calculator calculates laundry cost from loads per week, washer kwh, dryer kwh, water gallons and utility rates. The core method is Cost per load = washer kWh x electric rate + dryer kWh x electric rate + gallons / 1,000 x water rate + detergent cost.

ResultLaundry cost
InputsLoads per week, Washer kWh, Dryer kWh, Water gallons, Utility rates
FormulaLaundry cost formula

Live calculator

Laundry cost

Cost per load$1.28

Electricity, water, sewer, and detergent per load.

Monthly laundry cost$27.81

Weekly cost multiplied by the average weeks per month.

Annual laundry cost$332.80

Weekly cost multiplied by 52.

Cost per load
PartEstimate
Electricity$0.63
Water and sewer$0.30
Detergent$0.35
Total per load$1.28

Formula

Laundry cost formula

Cost per load = washer kWh x electric rate + dryer kWh x electric rate + gallons / 1,000 x water rate + detergent cost

Actual energy and water use vary by machine, cycle, temperature, load size, and drying method.

How to use

Steps

  1. Enter how many laundry loads you run each week.
  2. Enter washer and dryer energy use per load.
  3. Enter water gallons per load and your water plus sewer rate.
  4. Add detergent cost to see cost per load, month, and year.

Example

Sample calculation

Loads/week5
Energy3.5 kWh/load
Water25 gal/load
Estimated costAbout $1.28/load

Calculator use

Best for

  • Use this laundry cost calculator to estimate what laundry costs per load, month, and year from energy, water, sewer, and detergent assumptions.
  • Estimating home utility cost, shared bills, appliance usage, or service charges before splitting or budgeting.
  • Testing usage changes such as shorter showers, different appliance cycles, rate changes, or roommate shares.
  • Keeping rate, meter, usage, and fixed-fee assumptions visible before comparing against a real bill.

Before relying on it

Check first

  • Leaving out fixed service fees, tiered rates, taxes, delivery charges, minimum bills, seasonal rates, or billing-period length.
  • Using appliance labels, averages, or old bills without checking actual runtime, local rates, and household usage.
  • Splitting a bill without agreeing whether fixed fees, shared rooms, guests, or unequal usage should be weighted.

Details

What to know before using the result

These notes make the assumptions explicit, especially where the same search query can mean slightly different things.

Dryer impactOften the largest cost

Electric drying can dominate the per-load estimate compared with washer electricity or water.

Water rateUse water + sewer

If your utility bills sewer from water use, include both rates for a fuller household cost.

Cycle settingsCan change the result

Hot water, long cycles, high heat, and small loads can raise the real per-load cost.

Source notes

References used for this calculator

U.S. Department of EnergyExplains how to estimate appliance energy cost from wattage, usage time, and electricity rate.EPA WaterSenseExplains household water use context for estimating water-related utility costs.

Benchmarks

How to read the result

The calculator is a decision aid, not a fixed rule. Use the output to compare scenarios and document your assumptions. Benchmark ranges are broad planning heuristics unless this page names a specific source for the range.

Under $1/loadLower estimate

More likely with efficient machines, line drying, low rates, or low detergent cost.

$1 - $2/loadCommon planning range

Useful for household budgeting when both washing and drying are included.

$2+/loadCheck inputs

Can happen with high electric rates, long dryer cycles, small loads, or expensive detergent.

Calculator accuracy

Methodology and assumptions

The formula, inputs, example, and limitations are shown so the result is checkable, not just a number in a box.

Formula

Cost per load = washer kWh x electric rate + dryer kWh x electric rate + gallons / 1,000 x water rate + detergent cost

Inputs used

Loads per week, Washer kWh, Dryer kWh, Water gallons, Utility rates

Limitations

Everyday results are quick planning checks. Unit choices, rounding, local prices, field conditions, and real-world constraints can change the final decision.

Last reviewed

May 25, 2026

Cite this page

Toolkit Shelf. Laundry Cost Calculator. Retrieved May 25, 2026, from https://toolkitshelf.com/tools/laundry-cost-calculator

FAQ

Common questions

How do I calculate laundry cost per load?

Add washer electricity, dryer electricity, water and sewer cost, and detergent cost for one load.

Why does dryer use matter so much?

Dryers usually use much more electricity than washers, so drying time and heat setting can drive the result.

Does this include laundromat cost?

No. This estimates home laundry utility and detergent cost. Laundromat machine fees should be added separately.

Why might the real-world result differ?

Everyday calculators depend on measurement accuracy, rounding, units, local prices, product labels, and whether the inputs describe the same situation.

Should I round the result?

Round only after checking the formula and units. For materials, money, or time-sensitive tasks, keep an extra buffer when the real-world cost of being short is high.

Why might another calculator show a different result?

Different calculators may use different rounding, assumptions, default rates, formulas, or input timing. Compare the visible formula and inputs before relying on the number.